A credit score tells lenders about your creditworthiness (how likely you are to pay back a loan based on your credit history). It is calculated using the information in your credit reports. FICO® Scores are the standard for credit scores—used by 90% of top lenders.
When lenders run credit checks, they're trying to assess what kind of borrower you'll be, and going over your credit score and report can help them understand how you've historically managed credit. Late payments, maxed-out credit cards and accounts in collections may paint you as an unreliable borrower.
Your credit rating or credit score is a number that tells lenders how likely you are to make payments on time.
Lenders most commonly use the FICO® Score to make lending decisions, and in particular, the FICO® Score 8 is the most popular version for general use. If you've taken an interest in the health of your credit and how lenders will view it, checking your FICO® Score 8 is a smart place to start.
The scoring model used in mortgage applications
While the FICO® 8 model is the most widely used scoring model for general lending decisions, banks use the following FICO scores when you apply for a mortgage: FICO® Score 2 (Experian) FICO® Score 5 (Equifax)
It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly payments.
Lenders want to be sure that you will pay back your debt, and on time, when they are considering you for new credit. A credit report provides detailed information on how you have used credit in the past, including how much debt you have and whether or not you've paid your bills on time.
A credit score is based on credit history: number of open accounts, total levels of debt, and repayment history. Lenders use credit scores to evaluate the probability that an individual will repay loans in a timely manner.
A perfect credit score of 850 is hard to get, but an excellent credit score is more achievable. If you want to get the best credit cards, mortgages and competitive loan rates — which can save you money over time — excellent credit can help you qualify. “Excellent” is the highest tier of credit scores you can have.
It's also known as a hard inquiry or a hard pull. This hard credit search gives an in-depth look at your credit history so the lender can see how much credit you're currently juggling and how you've handled credit in the past.
Lenders often use credit scores to help them determine your credit risk. Credit scores are calculated based on the information in your credit report. In most cases, higher credit scores represent lower risk to lenders when extending new or additional credit to a consumer.
Since each agency independently determines your credit scores based on the information in their individual databases, there may sometimes be slight differences. Some lenders also only report to one or two credit reporting agencies, which means your credit history could look different from agency to agency.
The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus. This means a couple of things: The scores we provide are actual credit scores pulled from two of the major consumer credit bureaus, not just estimates of your credit rating.
In general, lenders look for borrowers in the prime range or better, so you will need a score of 661 or higher to qualify for most conventional car loans.
FICO Scores are calculated using many different pieces of credit data in your credit report. This data is grouped into five categories: payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%).
The top two factors that determine your FICO score are your history of paying back what you owe and how much you owe compared to your credit limits.
Creditors look for certain criteria in applicants before they decide whether to loan money or issue a credit card. Gathering information on applicants to determine if they can and are willing to repay their debt is how a person's creditworthiness is determined.
The base FICO® Scores range from 300 to 850, and FICO defines the "good" range as 670 to 739. FICO®'s industry-specific credit scores have a different range—250 to 900. However, the middle categories have the same groupings and a "good" industry-specific FICO® Score is still 670 to 739.
Secured loans, on the other hand, could be easier to get, since your collateral lessens the risk for lenders. They also typically come with more favorable terms than unsecured loans.
If you have prime credit, lenders see you as more likely to pay your monthly loan and credit card bills on time and in full than someone who is subprime. They have a greater confidence in lending you credit because they think you pose less of a risk of defaulting.
Consequently, when lenders check your FICO credit score, whether based on credit report data from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, they will likely use the FICO 8 scoring model. FICO 8 scores range between 300 and 850. A FICO score of at least 700 is considered a good score.
While you don't need a perfect 850 credit score to get the best mortgage rates, there are general credit score requirements you will need to meet in order to take out a mortgage. Prospective home buyers should aim to have credit scores of 760 or greater to qualify for the best interest rates on mortgages.
To purchase a $300K house, you may need to make between $50,000 and $74,500 a year. This is a rule of thumb, and the specific salary will vary depending on your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, the type of home loan, loan term, and mortgage rate.
If your credit score is a 622 or higher, and you meet other requirements, you should not have any problem getting a mortgage. Credit scores in the 620-680 range are generally considered fair credit. There are many mortgage lenders that offer loan programs to borrowers with credit scores in the 500s.