What Is a Good Credit Score to Buy a House?
If you’re hoping to buy a home with a conventional mortgage, one number you’ll want to get to know well is your credit score. Also called a credit rating or FICO score (named after the company that created it, the Fair Isaac Corporation), this three-digit number is a numerical representation of your credit report, which outlines your history of paying off debts.
Why does your minimum credit score matter? Because when you apply for a mortgage to buy a home, lenders want some reassurance a borrower will repay them later! One way they assess this is to check your creditworthiness by scrutinizing your credit report and score carefully. A high FICO rating proves you have reliably paid off past debts, whether they’re from a credit card or college loan. (Insurance companies also use more targeted, industry-specific FICO credit scores to gauge whom they should insure.)
In short, this score matters, especially in real estate. It can help you qualify for a home, a car loan, and so much more. Which brings us to an important question: What type of average credit score is best to buy a house?
Inside your credit score: How does it stack up?
The typical credit score range can fall anywhere from 300 to 850, with 850 being a perfect credit score. While each creditor might have subtle differences in what they deem a good or great score, in general an excellent credit score is anything from 750 to 850. A good credit score is from 700 to 749; a fair credit score, 650 to 699. A credit score lower than 650 is deemed poor, meaning your credit history has had some rough patches.
