One of the most common questions people ask real estate agents is, “What credit score do you need to buy a house?”

It’s a great question. Experian reports the average credit score in the U.S. is currently 714 as of 2021—and those numbers are steadily rising year over year. That’s a good credit score to buy a house, although by no means the lowest lenders will accept. 

With some lenders, you can take out a mortgage with a score as low as 620. But according to BadCredit.org, 16% of Americans have a credit score of less than 580. That means a huge chunk of individuals are unable to obtain a mortgage, thus, making buying a house or real estate investing a difficult task.

However, many people don’t know that there are alternative loan options if you don’t meet the minimum credit score requirements.

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