How to Buy a House With Bad Credit

It's challenging to buy a house with bad credit. It helps to have a down payment.
Holden Lewis
Hal M. Bundrick, CFP®
By Hal M. Bundrick, CFP® and  Holden Lewis 
Updated
Edited by Beth Buczynski Reviewed by Michelle Blackford

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Buying a house with bad credit — or, more accurately, a low credit score — can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

Purchasing a home requires having money for a down payment, a solid history of paying your bills over at least the past year or two and a steady income. You’ll also need to meet the lender’s minimum credit score requirements. While higher credit scores earn more favorable loan terms, it's still possible to buy a home with bad credit.

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Mortgage loans from our partners

NBKC - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on NBKC

NBKC

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
NBKC - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
0%

Check Rate

on NBKC

New American Funding - PURCHASE logo
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on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
New American Funding - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
500

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on New American Funding

Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo
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on Rocket Mortgage

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NerdWallet rating 
Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
580

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

What is the lowest credit score to buy a house?

Credit scores from 500 to 579: Theoretically, you can qualify for a mortgage with a credit score as low as 500, but you’ll be limited to a loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration. With a credit score from 500 to 579, you’ll need a down payment of at least 10% for an FHA loan. The lender will want you to pay off any outstanding collections and judgments.

Credit scores from 580 to 619: You might qualify for an FHA loan with a down payment as low as 3.5%. Or, if you are eligible, you could qualify for a VA loan — a mortgage guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

FICO score graphic

Credit scores of 620 to 699: Your mortgage opportunities increase. You may qualify for a conventional loan, which isn't backed by a government agency like the FHA or VA, with a minimum credit score of 620.

Credit scores of 700 and up: Lenders are more willing to extend credit when you have a credit score from 700 to 739, and a score of 740 or higher will yield the lowest interest rates.

Knowing and improving your credit

As a potential homebuyer, it’s important to reduce debt, accumulate as much cash as you can and review your credit history. Knowing your creditworthiness is an essential step in buying a home with bad credit. To find out, examine your credit report and check your credit score.

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There are a variety of places you can find your credit report, including personal finance websites like NerdWallet, the financial institution where you bank and the government-mandated website annualcreditreport.com.

Check your reports for errors. Look for accounts that haven’t been updated correctly or anything else that doesn’t accurately reflect your true credit history. If you do find errors or inaccuracies, you can dispute them with the credit bureaus or the creditor reporting the information.

Clean up your credit history. Making on-time payments may help your credit score. And a better credit score can lift your chances of getting a more affordable home loan.

Your free credit reports won't include your credit scores. To see scores for mortgages, you can purchase a full report from myFICO.com. The most economical approach is to sign up, download the first month’s information, then cancel the service before the next billing cycle.

Mortgage loans from our partners

NBKC - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on NBKC

NBKC

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
NBKC - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
0%

Check Rate

on NBKC

New American Funding - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
New American Funding - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
500

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on New American Funding

Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

Rocket Mortgage

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
580

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

Veterans United - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Veterans United

Veterans United

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Veterans United - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
0%

Check Rate

on Veterans United

Guaranteed Rate - PURCHASE logo
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on Guaranteed Rate

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5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Guaranteed Rate - PURCHASE logo

5.0

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Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
3%

Check Rate

on Guaranteed Rate

Mortgage loans from our partners

NBKC - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on NBKC

NBKC

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
NBKC - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
0%

Check Rate

on NBKC

New American Funding - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
New American Funding - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
500

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on New American Funding

Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

Rocket Mortgage

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
580

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

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