Which score counts?
The score in your app is probably not the one your lender will use.
Your lender pulls three scores and uses the middle one.Try it. These are example scores; change them to see what happens.
Your lender would use 662, the middle score, in the 660–679 tier.
Buying with someone else? The lower of your two middle scores usually prices the loan.
A different scoring model
Most credit apps show a different kind of score than mortgage lenders use, so the numbers often differ.
Three bureaus, not one
Each bureau can hold slightly different information, so your three scores rarely match.
Timing matters
Scores change as accounts report. The one that counts is on the report your lender orders for the loan.
The scores you might see, side by side
Your credit app may show any of these; check which one it names. Most mortgage lenders use Classic FICO.
| Classic FICO | VantageScore 4.0 | FICO 8 | VantageScore 3.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where you see it | Most mortgage lenders | Also accepted for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans | Many card issuers and credit apps | Many free credit apps |
| Paid collections | Can still count | Ignored | Can still count; very small ones are ignored | Ignored |
| Rent payments reported to a bureau | Not counted | Counted | Not counted | Counted |
Which model your lender uses depends on the lender and the loan. Ask.
The one question to ask your lender“Which scoring model and which credit report will you use for my mortgage?”