{"id":109177,"date":"2026-03-09T15:58:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T22:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=109177"},"modified":"2026-03-09T15:58:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T22:58:51","slug":"buying-house-with-500-credit-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><b>Key Takeaways<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s possible to buy a house with a 500 credit score, though your loan options might be limited.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FHA loans offer the best chance of approval for borrowers with a lower credit score.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to the increased risk to lenders, borrowers will face higher interest rates and larger down payments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-buy-a-house-with-bad-credit\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buying a house with a low credit score<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> may be challenging, but it isn\u2019t impossible. Unexpected challenges can negatively affect your credit, but homeownership can still be in the cards if you have a credit score as low as 500. Lenders look at many other factors besides credit score, so before you give up on your dream of owning a home, here\u2019s what you need to know if you\u2019re looking to buy a house with a 500 credit score.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I buy a house with a 500 credit score?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>You can buy a house with a 500 credit score<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, although your options might be a little limited. Most loan programs have a minimum credit score that borrowers must meet in order to qualify.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, lenders evaluate more than just your credit score. They also consider factors like income, debt, employment history, and your ability to make consistent mortgage payments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Challenges of buying a house with a 500 credit score<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it\u2019s possible to get a mortgage with a 500 credit score, it isn\u2019t necessarily easy. Lenders use credit scores to assess risk, so a borrower with a low score that doesn\u2019t meet their minimum requirements is not as likely to get approved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do qualify, however, you can expect higher interest rates and stricter loan terms. You\u2019ll also likely need to make a larger down payment, and your loan terms might be very strict. All this is an attempt by the lender to offset any perceived risks of loaning money to a borrower with lower credit.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What credit score do I need to buy a house?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There isn\u2019t a set <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/guides\/what-credit-score-is-needed-to-buy-a-house\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">credit score you need to buy a house<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but different loan programs have their own minimum credit score guidelines. As you\u2019ll see below, a 500 credit score won\u2019t qualify you for many of the most common loans, but you won\u2019t be completely shut out of the housing market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, borrowers with lower credit scores may still qualify if they have strong income, a manageable <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/definition\/debtto-income-ratio\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">debt-to-income ratio (DTI)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and a stable employment history.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What loans can you get with a 500 credit score?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 500 credit score will limit your options when it comes to getting approved for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/types-of-mortgage-loans\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">home loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Conventional loans, which require a 620 score, are likely out of the question. However, other loan programs might be willing to accommodate a lower score.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other options, like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/usda-eligible-homes-for-sale\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USDA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-does-a-va-loan-work\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VA loans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, don\u2019t technically have a minimum credit score. In both cases, a credit score of at least 620 is preferred, but a 500 credit score can still get you approved if other conditions are met.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Loan Type<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Minimum Credit Score<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Can you qualify with a 500 credit score?<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conventional<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">620<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VA loan<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None (at least 620 is preferred)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USDA loan<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None (usually at least 620)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FHA loan<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">500 (with at least 10% down)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting an FHA loan with a 500 credit score<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your best chance of qualifying for a mortgage with a 500 credit score is typically through an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/what-is-an-fha-loan\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FHA loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. FHA loans have a minimum credit score of 500 as long as you make a down payment of at least 10%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll apply through an FHA-approved lender, and the lender will review factors like your income, debt-to-income ratio, and employment history in addition to your credit score. FHA loans also require <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/what-is-mortgage-insurance\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mortgage insurance premiums<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (MIP), and the home must pass an FHA <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/home-appraisal\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">appraisal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before the loan can close.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to improve your chances of approval with a 500 credit score<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of the day, a 500 credit score doesn\u2019t mean that home ownership is out of reach. Here are some steps you can take to improve your chances of getting approved for a loan:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lower your credit utilization <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by paying down credit card balances<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Don\u2019t open new lines of credit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before you apply<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Make payments on time,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> especially in the months leading up to your application<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Save for a <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/is-a-large-down-payment-best-exploring-pros-and-cons\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><b>larger down payment<\/b><\/a><b><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Get preapproved from multiple lenders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and compare<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAQs about buying a home with a 500 credit score<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I buy a house with bad credit?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A bad credit score doesn\u2019t have to stop you from buying a house. A 500 credit score falls under the \u201cpoor\u201d range, so this is possible, but a score under 500 would make it much more difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the lowest credit score I can have to get a mortgage?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For most conventional mortgage loans, borrowers typically need a credit score of at least 620. However, FHA loans may allow credit scores as low as 500 if the borrower makes a down payment of at least 10%.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can I raise my credit score?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improving your credit score takes time,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but a few strategies can help. These include making payments on time, reducing credit card balances, avoiding opening too many new accounts, and disputing any inaccurate information on your credit report.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":109183,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[34276],"tags":[34529,3621],"coauthors":[34341],"class_list":["post-109177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buying-a-home","tag-buying-faq","tag-finance"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.7 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Can I Buy a Home with a 500 Credit Score? | Redfin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-09T22:58:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/small-yellow-house.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chibuzo Ezeokeke\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@redfin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@redfin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chibuzo Ezeokeke\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chibuzo Ezeokeke\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e9d28105a98424eda0d7014e2206d75b\"},\"headline\":\"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-09T22:58:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":867,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/small-yellow-house.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"buying faq\",\"Finance\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Buying a Home\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/\",\"name\":\"Can I Buy a Home with a 500 Credit Score? | Redfin\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/small-yellow-house.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-09T22:58:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/small-yellow-house.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/small-yellow-house.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"buying a house with a credit score under 500\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More\",\"description\":\"Real estate on Wall Street, Main Street and your street.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Redfin\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Redfin\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/redfin\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/redfin\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/redfinrealestate\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/redfin\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/redfin\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCMIuo1QSGcmWnevT9jdC_Ow\",\"https:\\\/\\\/en.wikipedia.org\\\/wiki\\\/Redfin\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e9d28105a98424eda0d7014e2206d75b\",\"name\":\"Chibuzo Ezeokeke\",\"description\":\"Chibuzo has spent more than three years on Redfin\u2019s Content Marketing team, specializing in homeownership tips and the move-in process. He creates practical, easy-to-follow resources that help new homeowners navigate everything from settling into their first property to building long-term equity. When he\u2019s not writing about homeownership, Chibuzo enjoys running, playing basketball, and envisioning his dream Mediterranean-style home with a spacious kitchen and plenty of natural light.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/author\\\/chibuzo-ezeokekeredfin-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Can I Buy a Home with a 500 Credit Score? | Redfin","description":"A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?","og_description":"A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/","og_site_name":"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin","article_published_time":"2026-03-09T22:58:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/small-yellow-house.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Chibuzo Ezeokeke","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@redfin","twitter_site":"@redfin","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Chibuzo Ezeokeke","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/"},"author":{"name":"Chibuzo Ezeokeke","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e9d28105a98424eda0d7014e2206d75b"},"headline":"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?","datePublished":"2026-03-09T22:58:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/"},"wordCount":867,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/small-yellow-house.jpg","keywords":["buying faq","Finance"],"articleSection":["Buying a Home"],"inLanguage":"en-US","copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/","name":"Can I Buy a Home with a 500 Credit Score? | Redfin","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/small-yellow-house.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-09T22:58:51+00:00","description":"A lower credit score shouldn\u2019t end your dream of owning a house. Here\u2019s what you need to know about buying a home with a 500 credit score.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/small-yellow-house.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/small-yellow-house.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"buying a house with a credit score under 500"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/buying-house-with-500-credit-score\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Can I Buy a House With a 500 Credit Score?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/","name":"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More","description":"Real estate on Wall Street, Main Street and your street.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Redfin","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Redfin"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin","https:\/\/x.com\/redfin","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/redfinrealestate\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/redfin","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/redfin\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMIuo1QSGcmWnevT9jdC_Ow","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Redfin"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e9d28105a98424eda0d7014e2206d75b","name":"Chibuzo Ezeokeke","description":"Chibuzo has spent more than three years on Redfin\u2019s Content Marketing team, specializing in homeownership tips and the move-in process. He creates practical, easy-to-follow resources that help new homeowners navigate everything from settling into their first property to building long-term equity. When he\u2019s not writing about homeownership, Chibuzo enjoys running, playing basketball, and envisioning his dream Mediterranean-style home with a spacious kitchen and plenty of natural light.","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/author\/chibuzo-ezeokekeredfin-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/557"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109177"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109184,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109177\/revisions\/109184"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109177"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=109177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}