Can I buy a house with a 602 credit score?
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 mortgage payments.
Absolutely! You can buy a house with a 600 credit score, especially with government-backed mortgage options like FHA loans. However, you may face higher interest rates and additional mortgage insurance costs. It's crucial to shop around for the best mortgage rates and terms to fit your financial situation.
Some home loan options are specifically designed for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit — so technically, yes, 600 can be a good enough credit score to buy a house. However, you may face a few hurdles on the way to homeownership, including higher interest rates and additional costs.
Yes, your 602 credit score can qualify you for a mortgage. And you have a couple of main options. With a credit score of 580 or higher, you can qualify for an FHA loan to buy a home with a down payment of just 3.5%.
A 602 credit score can be a sign of past credit difficulties or a lack of credit history. Whether you're looking for a personal loan, a mortgage or a credit card, credit scores in this range can make it challenging to get approved for unsecured credit, which doesn't require collateral or a security deposit.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 580 to 669, considered Fair. A 602 FICO® Score is below the average credit score.
Type Of Loan | Minimum FICO® Score |
---|---|
Conventional loan | 620 (Federal Housing Financing Agency requirement) |
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan with a 3.5% down payment | 580 (FHA requirement) |
FHA loan with a 10% down payment | 500 (FHA requirement) |
Lender | Loan Amounts | APRs |
---|---|---|
Upstart | $1,000 - $50,000 | 6.4% - 35.99% |
Oportun | $300 - $18,500 | 10.07% - 35.95% |
OneMain Financial | $1,500 - $20,000 | 18% - 35.99% |
RISE | $500 - $5,000 | 60% - 299% |
The truth of the matter is, a 600 credit score is still a low credit score. So you'll be able to qualify for home loans, yes, but only if these are FHA loans (if you want your pick of any house in the country). If you really want more options, and a less expensive mortgage, improving your credit is the only way.
You can borrow anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $100,000+ with a 620 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
Can you rent an apartment with a 602 credit score?
The bottom line is that the score you need varies by location, but you're likely to get approved in most places if your score is at least 650. If you fall below that, however, that doesn't mean you won't be able to rent, as is clear from the national average and examples of regional averages above.
It's essential to be knowledgeable about how your auto loan process will be different than someone with a higher score. You might not have the same options, but you can still get an auto loan with a 600 credit score.
You will need a credit score of 580 or higher for a $3,000 personal loan. Most lenders that offer personal loans of $3,000 or more require a 580+ credit score for approval, along with enough income to afford the monthly payments.
Some types of mortgages have specific minimum credit score requirements. A conventional loan requires a credit score of at least 620, but it's ideal to have a score of 740 or above, which could allow you to make a lower down payment, get a more attractive interest rate and save on private mortgage insurance.
The length of time it will take to improve your credit scores depends on your unique financial situation. At the earliest, you may see a change between 30 and 45 days after you have taken steps to positively impact your credit reports.
Charge mortgage insurance premiums at a reduced rate. Don't have a pre-set credit score but most lenders require 620+
Understanding credit score ranges
In addition to “good,” VantageScore 3.0 classifies other ranges as well. A very poor credit score is in the range of 300 – 600, with 601 – 660 considered to be poor. A score of 661 – 720 is fair. And an excellent score is in the range of 781 – 850.
At 20 years old, you will likely have a lower score due to the shorter length of credit history and income. The average FICO credit score for this age range is around 679, which is considered "good" or "very good" but is relatively lower than someone older with more credit history.
Average FICO 8 Score by Generation | ||
---|---|---|
Generation | 2022 | 2023 |
Generation Z (ages 18-26) | 679 - Good | 680 - Good |
Millennials (27-42) | 687 - Good | 690 - Good |
Generation X (43-58) | 707 - Good | 709 - Good |
Government-backed loan options, such as FHA, USDA and VA loans, are typically the easiest type of mortgage to get because they may have lower down payment and credit score requirements compared to conventional mortgage loans.
What credit score is needed for FHA loan?
To qualify for an FHA-insured loan, you need a minimum credit score of 580 for a loan with a 3.5% down payment, and a minimum score of 500 with 10% down. However, many FHA lenders require credit scores of at least 620.
You can borrow $50,000 - $100,000+ with a 670 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
With FICO, fair or good credit scores fall within the ranges of 580 to 739, and with VantageScore, fair or good ranges between 601 to 780. Many personal loan lenders offer amounts starting around $3,000 to $5,000, but with Upgrade, you can apply for as little as $1,000 (and as much as $50,000).
Many lenders will issue government-backed FHA and VA loans to borrowers with credit scores starting at 580. Some lenders even offer FHA loans with a credit score as low as 500, though this is far less common. With a credit score above 600, your options open up even more.
Requirements for a $5,000 loan vary by lender. But in general, you should have at least Fair credit, which is a score of 580 or above. Lenders may also look at other factors, such as your income and your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), during the application process.
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