A 2019 third-party market study found that VantageScores are widely used by credit card issuers, and secondly by both installment loan and fintech lenders. According to the study, nine of the 10 largest banks and 29 of the 100 largest credit unions used VantageScore credit scores in one or more lines of business.
Although VantageScore credit scores have been around for about 15 years, the FICO Score is still the preferred choice of most lenders. In the U.S., lenders use FICO Scores in 90% of lending decisions.
VantageScore is embedded into some of the major platforms across the financial industry. It's the only scoring model embedded in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry.
VantageScore is used by any auto lender that works with the Fitch Ratings credit rating agency. In addition to this, Standard & Poor's also accept their clients' VantageScore-based portfolios.
Generally, auto lenders use the FICO Score 8 model. But VantageScore, which the three main credit bureaus founded, is still used quite often. In addition, sometimes lenders will use multiple models, depending upon your score and credit history, as a way to skirt restrictions to get you a loan.
VantageScore® and FICO® Score are the two main scoring models that provide credit scores. Both score consumers on a scale from 300 to 850, and auto lenders may use either to approve you for a new car loan or lease.
Credit score and mortgages
The minimum credit score needed for most mortgages is typically around 620.
The VantageScore model can uniquely improve a mortgage lender's business while increasing responsible access to mortgage credit for consumers. By widening the window without lowering the bar in terms of credit risk standards or pricing standards, lenders can reach more qualified applicants.
A 2019 third-party market study found that VantageScores are widely used by credit card issuers, and secondly by both installment loan and fintech lenders. According to the study, nine of the 10 largest banks and 29 of the 100 largest credit unions used VantageScore credit scores in one or more lines of business.
The Score Ranges
The base FICO® Scores range from 300 to 850, while FICO's industry-specific scores range from 250 to 900. The first two versions of the VantageScore ranged from 501 to 990, but the latest VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 use the same 300-to-850 range as base FICO® scores.
If you've had late payments on your credit cards, they will have about the same impact on both your FICO and your VantageScore. But if you've had late payments on your mortgage, you might find you have a higher FICO score than VantageScore.
The most commonly used FICO Score in the mortgage-lending industry is the FICO Score 5. According to FICO, the majority of lenders pull credit histories from all three credit reporting agencies as they evaluate mortgage applications. Mortgage lenders may also use FICO Score 2 or FICO Score 4 in their decisions as well.
There are two primary credit scores in the U.S.: FICO Scores and VantageScores. While most people are more likely familiar with the FICO model of credit scoring, Capital One credit monitoring from CreditWise uses TransUnion's VantageScore 3.0 model.
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“If you're monitoring your score, that's a good thing,” said Jeff Richardson, a VantageScore spokesman. “And, VantageScore is directionally accurate and similar to other scores that will be used future lending decisions.”
Like FICO Scores, VantageScore 3.0 and VantageScore 4.0 credit scores range from 300 to 850. That said, good credit for FICO is at least 670, while a credit score of 700 or higher is required to be deemed good under the VantageScore model.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA all use rely on FICO scores for evaluating credit, and as they go, so goes the mortgage industry. At the same time, you may still encounter the VantageScore system from time to time, so it helps to understand how it works.
Educational scores can be similar to your VantageScore® and FICO® credit scores, but not always. Credit Karma provides VantageScore® 3.0 credit scores from TransUnion and Equifax, while some credit card issuers or banks may offer access to your FICO® scores from specific bureaus.
There is no legal minimum credit score required to qualify for an FHA home mortgage. However, most FHA loans generally require your FICO score to be at least 500-580.
Most lenders offer FHA loans starting at a 580 credit score. If your score is 580 or higher, you need to pay only 3.5% down. Those with lower credit (500-579) may still qualify for an FHA loan. But you'd need to put at least 10% down, and it can be harder to find lenders that allow a 500 minimum credit score.
Minimum FHA loan credit score requirement
The minimum credit score to qualify for an FHA loan is 580 with a down payment of 3.5 percent. If you can bump up your down payment to at least 10 percent, you can have a credit score as low as 500 and still qualify.
So a credit score of 640 is on the lower end of the spectrum for many mortgage lenders. It should get you approved, but it's typically not high enough to get the best interest rates on any type of loan. Plus, your credit score is only one piece of the underwriting puzzle.
The recommended credit score needed to buy a car is 660 and above. This will typically guarantee interest rates under 6%.
A VantageScore is a credit score jointly developed by the three major credit bureaus to predict how likely you are to repay borrowed money. It is used by lenders, landlords and financial institutions to evaluate creditworthiness.
FICO® Scores are the most widely used credit scores. An industry standard since they were first introduced over 30 years ago, FICO® Scores are used by 90% of top lenders.