What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a Home in Gwinnett?

Credit is often one of the first worries when people start thinking about buying a home. I rented for years, and before I bought my own home I researched, asked questions and took a homebuyer class. This guide puts the basics in one place: what lenders look at, what the loan programs actually require, and what you can start doing today. My goal is to help you feel confident taking each step.

This is general information, not financial advice. Program rules change, so confirm your own situation with a licensed lender.

Credit report vs. credit score

Your credit report is your history: your accounts, balances, and on-time or late payments. Three companies keep these reports: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Your credit score is a number calculated from that report.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), most mortgage lenders look at your scores from all three companies and use the middle one. If you’re buying with someone else, each person’s score matters. On an FHA loan, for example, the lender finds each borrower’s score and then uses the lowest one. I explain more in buying a home with someone else.

Typical minimum scores by loan type

Here’s what each program’s own rules say as of October 2026:

Loan type	What the rules say
FHA (insured by the FHA, part of HUD)	580 or higher: eligible for maximum financing (down payment as low as 3.5%). 500 to 579: at least 10% down. Below 500: not eligible.
Conventional (Fannie Mae)	For loan files created on or after November 16, 2025 in Fannie Mae’s automated system, Desktop Underwriter (DU), there is no minimum score. DU weighs your whole credit picture instead. Loans reviewed by hand (called manual underwriting): 620 for a fixed rate, 640 for an adjustable rate.
VA (eligible veterans and service members)	VA has no minimum credit score. The lender looks at your overall pattern of payments.
USDA (eligible rural areas)	The program has no credit score requirement, but you need to show you’re willing and able to handle and manage debt.

Two things to keep in mind:

• A program minimum isn’t a promise. Lenders, mortgage insurers and assistance programs can ask for more. For example, Georgia Dream requires a score of at least 640, and Gwinnett County’s Homestretch program asks for a credit score above 580. See down payment assistance in Georgia.
• Scoring models are changing. Fannie Mae and FHA are adding newer models (VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T) alongside the classic FICO score. For FHA, the change applies to loans with case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. Ask your lender which score they’ll use for you.

How your score affects your rate

According to the CFPB, higher scores generally qualify for lower interest rates, and borrowers with the highest scores typically have the most choices. A lower rate means a lower monthly payment, and that matters, because your budget is what decides if a payment works. The CFPB’s Explore interest rates tool lets you compare, for example, the rates offered at a 625 score and at a 700 score.

Comparing lenders is worth it. Multiple credit checks from mortgage lenders within a 45-day window count as a single inquiry on your report. I walk through that step in how to get pre-approved.

Check your credit reports for free

You can see your reports from all three companies for free, once a week, at AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. That’s the official site. The FTC warns that look-alike sites, some with misspelled web addresses, may try to sell you services or misuse your personal information. Checking your own credit does not lower your score.

Look for names or addresses that aren’t yours, accounts you don’t recognize, payments marked late that you made on time, and the same debt listed more than once.

How to dispute an error

1. Write to the credit reporting company (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) that shows the error. Explain what’s wrong and why, and include copies (never originals) of documents that support you.
2. Also dispute with the company that reported it, like the bank, card issuer or landlord. They generally must respond within 30 days.
3. Wait for the results. The credit reporting company has 30 days to investigate and must send you the results in writing.
4. If it isn’t fixed, you can ask for a statement about the dispute to be added to your file, and you can submit a complaint to the CFPB. If you think it’s identity theft, go to IdentityTheft.gov.

Be careful with “credit repair” companies that want money before they do anything. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it’s illegal for them to charge you before they help you, and anything they can legally do, you can do yourself for little or no cost.

Habits that help

• Pay every bill on time. Most credit scores treat payment history as the number one factor. Automatic payments or reminders help.
• Keep card balances low. Experts advise using no more than 30% of your total credit limit. Paying the full balance each month is even better.
• Apply only for the credit you need. Scores look at recent credit activity, and lots of applications in a short time can make lenders think you’re having money trouble.
• Think twice before closing cards you don’t use. The CFPB suggests keeping them open unless they charge an annual fee.

Don’t rush buying a home. The right house is worth waiting for, and a few months of steady habits can open up more options.

What not to do while you’re buying

In the months before you buy, and until you have the keys:

• Don’t take out a car loan, make big purchases on credit cards or open new cards. These can lower your score and raise the rate lenders offer you. Your lender may check your credit again just before closing.
• Don’t miss or be late on any payment, even small ones.
• Talk to your lender before any big financial change, like taking on new debt.

And something I want every buyer to remember: never rely on verbal promises. Make sure everything is in writing.

If you have little or no credit history

Not having a credit score doesn’t automatically mean you can’t buy.

• Rent can count. With Fannie Mae, paying rent of $300 or more for 12 months in a row can help make up for a limited credit history. Lenders confirm the payments through your credit report or, with your permission, your bank statements. If you missed a rent payment, it won’t count against you.
• FHA and VA can look at other payment records. FHA accepts borrowers with nontraditional or limited credit, with a manual review. VA says a lack of credit history is generally not considered a negative, and the lender can look at payments you can verify, such as rent.
• Start building now. A secured credit card or a credit builder loan from a bank or credit union can help. Ask whether they report your payments to the three credit reporting companies. Debit cards, prepaid cards and payday loans don’t build credit.

Your next step

If you’re not sure where you stand, that’s okay. It’s a fine place to start. Take a look at my first home plan, read the Gwinnett home buyer roadmap, or book a call and we’ll go over it together, in English or Spanish.