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FHA Loans
580+
Generally eligible for maximum FHA financing under agency score/LTV guidelines. Scores from 500–579 are generally limited to 90% LTV.
Actual lender and investor minimums may be higher.
Roadmap to Homeownership® · Credit Strategy
Your credit score is just the beginning.
Discover what mortgage lenders review, explore potential credit-score scenarios, and understand how a personalized plan may help you prepare for your next home purchase or refinance.
Educational examples only. No score increase, loan approval, or interest rate is guaranteed.
Illustrative What-If Scenario · Not a Live Credit Report
Example starting score
604
→
Hypothetical score
641*
See how fictional credit-account balances and potential changes can be presented in a lender-guided credit strategy.
*Invented example, not a CreditXpert forecast or an estimate for any individual.
Know the basics
Mortgage Credit-Score Cheat Sheet
A credit score is one part of underwriting. Income, assets, debts, property, loan-to-value, automated findings and investor requirements can also affect eligibility.
VA Loans
No VA minimum
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not impose a numerical minimum credit score. Lenders assess credit history and establish their own criteria.
VA eligibility and lender approval are required.
Conventional Loans
It depends
Fannie Mae Desktop Underwriter has no fixed minimum credit-score requirement. Most manually underwritten fixed-rate loans have a 620 minimum, with exceptions.
Automated underwriting and investor overlays apply.
These are broad agency-level guidelines reviewed October 2026, not TAG Lending Group program commitments. Requirements may change and vary by loan product or investor. FHA has announced additional acceptable scoring models for case numbers assigned beginning January 1, 2027; see the FICO & VantageScore update below.
2026 mortgage credit-scoring update
FICO vs. VantageScore: Which Score Do Lenders Use?
You may have more than one legitimate credit score. Different scoring models and credit-bureau information can produce different numbers. Your mortgage professional must confirm which model and score are accepted for the actual loan program and investor.
Classic mortgage FICO
Traditional mortgage FICO versions have long been used for home loans. A score shown by a consumer credit app may be based on a different model and may not match the score used for your mortgage application.
Still an acceptable option for eligible Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac deliveries.
VantageScore 4.0
As of September 9, 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac approved lenders may choose VantageScore 4.0 for eligible loan deliveries, subject to agency requirements. Not every lender or loan qualifies, and adoption is optional.
The lender must obtain the required qualifying credit report and apply applicable underwriting rules.
FICO Score 10T
This newer FICO model incorporates trends in credit data. Although approved for the modernization framework, FICO 10T is not yet eligible for loan delivery to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as of October 24, 2026.
Do not assume lenders currently use FICO 10T to qualify conventional loans.
FHA change ahead: FHA has announced that Classic FICO, VantageScore 4.0 and FICO Score 10T will be accepted under its updated decision-credit-score policy for FHA case numbers assigned beginning January 1, 2027, subject to the applicable FHA implementation rules and lender readiness. This is not a change to the basic FHA credit-score thresholds shown above.
Official program information: FHFA credit scores · Fannie Mae model implementation · HUD FHA TOTAL Scorecard updates. Information reviewed October 24, 2026.
Explore an example
What Is a What-If Credit Simulator?
A third-party What-If Simulator analyzes credit-report information and models how certain hypothetical account changes might affect a credit-score forecast. It does not change credit reports or guarantee outcomes.
Equifax · Fictional Example
Illustrative scenario, not real borrower data or a CreditXpert output
Starting
604Hypothetical
641*Example changes explored
| Fictional account | Scenario | Illustrative balance change |
|---|---|---|
| Sample Visa ·•• 4286 | Reduce reported revolving balance | $3,200 → $800 |
| Sample Retail Card ·•• 9014 | Reduce reported revolving balance | $1,450 → $250 |
| Sample Mastercard ·•• 6732 | Reduce reported revolving balance | $2,100 → $500 |
Every account, account number, score, balance and hypothetical outcome shown here is invented for education. The same actions can affect bureau scores differently. This is not a personalized recommendation to pay debts or a representation of the amount needed to achieve any score.
Important: Do not make payments, open or close accounts, or change financial arrangements solely to achieve a predicted score. Speak with your mortgage professional first. A real What-If analysis requires an authorized, secure workflow using actual credit information.
Credit strategy example | Fictional account
Could a small account balance affect your mortgage strategy?
655 → 667*
Illustrative target: evaluate whether a hypothetical $659 balance on Sample Credit Card (fictional account •••• 7319) could be a useful scenario to discuss before applying for financing.
- Review the report: confirm the reported balance, utilization and recent account activity.
- Explore the scenario: use an authorized What-If tool to estimate a possible change if an eligible updated balance is reported.
- If you voluntarily pay: request an official creditor statement showing the verified new balance and any remaining charges.
- Ask about rescore eligibility: the lender may review documentation and determine whether an expedited bureau update can be requested.
*655 and 667 are invented educational scores, not a prediction or minimum required for any loan. A payment does not ensure a rescore or improved pricing. No consumer is required to repay debt to use TAG Lending Group services.
Different tools, different purposes
What-If Simulation vs. Rapid Rescore
What-If Simulation
Models possible outcomes from hypothetical changes to credit-report information. Results are estimates, not credit-bureau updates.
Rapid Rescore
A lender-initiated process that may request expedited updates to documented, eligible credit-report information. It is not a way to remove accurate negative history at will.
Your Roadmap to Homeownership®
Our team can discuss loan programs, documentation, timing and the potential implications of credit changes before you make financial decisions.
What happens next
Three Steps Toward a More Informed Mortgage Plan
Talk with TAG Lending Group
Explain whether you are purchasing, refinancing or planning ahead. We can review available mortgage options and next steps.
Review your credit strategy
If appropriate and separately authorized, your mortgage professional can explain the available third-party What-If tools before you elect to use them. TAG Lending Group does not charge for these tools.
Track your next milestone
Follow your Roadmap to Homeownership® and revisit loan program options as your verified information changes.
Technology-Driven Mortgages
Understand your options before making your next move.
Request a conversation with TAG Lending Group about credit-score guidelines, mortgage eligibility and your personalized Roadmap to Homeownership®.
Request a Credit Strategy ReviewNo obligation to use third-party credit-analysis tools or obtain a mortgage.
Please read
Important Disclosures & Consent Information
Please review these disclosures before requesting services. Any What-If analysis or Rapid Rescore request requires your separate, explicit authorization.
Educational guidance and no guaranteed results
TAG Lending Group, LLC does not require consumers to pay off credit cards, loans or other debts. Any example or recommendation related to credit is informational and should be discussed with a mortgage professional. You decide whether to take any action. What-If forecasts are hypothetical and may differ from actual credit scores or scores used in mortgage underwriting. No improvement in credit score, loan approval, rate, terms or financial outcome is promised.
CreditXpert and third-party tools
Certain optional credit-analysis services may use tools provided by CreditXpert Inc. (CreditXpert®), a third-party provider. TAG Lending Group does not perform credit restoration or credit repair, and does not charge for or profit from these tools. CreditXpert does not directly modify credit bureau records, make payments, open or close accounts or provide credit repair. Forecasts are not credit bureau or FICO-issued scores. CreditXpert® is a registered trademark of CreditXpert Inc.; this page is presented by TAG Lending Group, LLC, not by CreditXpert Inc. © 2026 CreditXpert Inc. All rights reserved. Third-party marks are used for identification only.
Rapid Rescore and documentation
A Rapid Rescore, when available and appropriate, involves documented account corrections or changes submitted through authorized lender channels. For TAG Lending Group's stated workflow, borrowers should plan to submit documentation within 30 days of the original credit report date; this is a company workflow notice, not a universal credit bureau deadline. Acceptable evidence may include an official creditor letter identifying the account and verifying the paid balance or corrected information. Processing, eligibility, timing and bureau acceptance vary; the process cannot guarantee a score increase. Any new credit report must be separately disclosed and authorized when applicable.
Privacy and communications consent
TAG Lending Group, LLC may process the information you voluntarily provide to respond to your inquiry and administer requested services in accordance with applicable law and its Privacy Policy. Consent to receive marketing calls or texts must be obtained separately where required, must not be a condition of mortgage services, and must use compliant, specific disclosures. Do not submit social security numbers, full account numbers, credit reports or payment information through ordinary email or this page. Review the current TAG Lending Group Privacy Policy before submitting any personal information.
Advertising, referrals and lending availability
This educational page is not a commitment to lend or a quote of actual loan terms. Credit standards, accepted scoring models, lending products and third-party tools depend on the program, the specific lender or investor, and applicable state licensing. TAG Lending Group does not offer any payment, rebate or thing of value in exchange for the referral of federally related mortgage settlement-service business. A real estate professional's referral does not require the consumer to use TAG Lending Group or any specific settlement-service provider. No consumer is required to use a credit simulation to request mortgage services. No government agency endorses TAG Lending Group or this page.
State licensing and program availability
TAG Lending Group, LLC · Company NMLS #2329372. Non-delegated correspondent mortgage lender in FL, GA, TX, MI, SC, TN, NM and OH; mortgage broker in CT, NJ and PA, subject to current license verification, approvals and product restrictions. In CT, NJ and PA, TAG Lending Group acts as a mortgage broker only, not as a mortgage lender or mortgage correspondent lender. This information is not a solicitation to lend where TAG Lending Group is not appropriately licensed. Verify current licensing at NMLS Consumer Access.