Learn

Straight answers about mortgage credit from the team that has prepared mortgage credit reports since 1990.

Scores and tiers

Why the score on your phone is not the score your lender seesWhy an app score and a mortgage score can differ.What your credit score is worth on a mortgage in 2026Where pricing, insurance and programs change with your score.Why 680 can be worth more than the next tier upWhen one tier carries more than its share.FHA or conventional?How the two loans compare, and when each is worth asking about.Buying with a co-borrowerWhy the lower score usually prices the loan.

Your credit report and rescoring

What is a tradeline?The accounts your mortgage score is built from.What a rescore is, what it is not, and who can ask for oneHow a lender-requested update works, what it can do and who pays.Paying an old collection before you apply can lower your scoreWhy the scoring model and your loan matter first.Credit help and your home purchaseWhat repair, counseling and debt programs can mean for a mortgage.

Your situation

Closing in the next 60 days?Three questions to ask your loan officer this week.Still rentingUse the months before buying well.Down payment help in your stateState programs and the score rules they use.What to look for in a loan officerQuestions that show who checks your credit before you apply.