Can I Get a VA Loan with a 500 Credit Score?

VA loans are a popular option for veteran and active-duty service home buyers for many reasons. They are also preferred by lenders because a portion of the loan is guaranteed through federal backing via the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

That said, your lender will still need to check that certain financial requirements are met when determining whether or not to approve the loan, and one major factor is the home buyer’s credit score. Here we’ll take a look at the minimum requirements of that score and other contributing factors that may be able to help balance things out if the homebuyer is missing the mark.

Where Does a Score of 500 Fall on the Credit Spectrum?

For lenders, lower credit scores are a reflection of one’s financial trustworthiness. Simply put, they will be more hesitant to issue a loan for someone with poor credit. A score ranging from 300-579 is considered “very poor” according to FICO ®. This is because roughly 62% of consumers with credit scores under 579 are likely to become seriously delinquent, meaning they will go more than 90 days past due on a debt payment in the future. However, looking at a score of 500 as 200 points away from being a “good” credit score and 140 points from being “fair” are a couple of good benchmarks to set.

To reach those benchmarks, home buyers should aim to make up missed payments resulting in delinquency or default. If you have experienced a repossession or foreclosure, making your way back to the top will be a slow burn of rebuilding your credit reputation by establishing a pattern of on-time payments on any loans or lines of credit you have open. Continue Reading