{"id":99763,"date":"2025-09-10T09:13:52","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T16:13:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=99763"},"modified":"2026-03-25T10:50:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T17:50:59","slug":"how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re hoping to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/guides\/buy\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">buy a home<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, your credit score is one of many important factors in qualifying for a mortgage, as it helps indicate whether you\u2019re a trustworthy borrower. However, if your credit score needs improvement, there are plenty of simple ways to raise it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this Redfin article, we\u2019ll outline the steps you can take to improve your credit score before buying a home. Whether you\u2019re <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/30794\/TX\/Dallas\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">buying a home in Dallas, TX<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/35759\/WI\/Milwaukee\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">condo in Milwaukee, WI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, here\u2019s how to fix your credit score.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimum credit scores for a mortgage range from about <\/span><b>500 to 700,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> depending on the loan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conventional loans range from about <\/span><b>620 to 660<\/b>, depending on the lender<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paying bills on time, raising credit limits, and reducing debt can improve a credit score.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a credit score, and why is it important when buying a home?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myfico.com\/credit-education\/credit-scores\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">credit score<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a three-digit number that ranges from 300 to 850. It indicates how responsible you are when paying bills. A higher credit score indicates to lenders that you are a responsible borrower and likely to pay back what you owe. A lower credit score can indicate to lenders that you may be a credit risk. Factors lenders may look at include missed payments, overextending credit lines, not enough credit, or unpredictable spending habits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your credit score is determined by credit reports, which show your credit and payment history. There are three main credit bureaus &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.equifax.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Equifax<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.experian.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experian<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transunion.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TransUnion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; that provide credit scores.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Credit scores are especially important when buying a home. Higher credit scores can help improve the likelihood of getting a mortgage and potentially result in better mortgage terms. If your credit score is lower, you may not qualify for some loan types or even have a higher interest rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to improve your credit score before buying a home<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need to fix your credit before buying your first home, there are several steps you can take. Let\u2019s look at them:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1) Review your credit report<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step to fixing your credit is to check your credit report for any inaccuracies. You can obtain a free credit report from all three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, on <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/annualcreditreport.com\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AnnualCreditReport.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Check each report thoroughly for any errors and look through your spending habits. If you notice any errors in the report, dispute them directly with the creditor or bureau.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2) Pay your bills on time<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your record of on-time payments is one of the most important factors in determining your credit score. Therefore, it\u2019s one of the easiest ways to improve your credit score. Late or missed payments can negatively affect your credit score and stay on your credit report for several years. Keeping up with your minimum payments each month can help fix your credit score.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3) Reduce your debt balance<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your credit utilization ratio is the amount of credit you owe divided by the amount of credit you have available. It typically accounts for 30% of your credit score, and the lower the percentage, the better. Usually, a credit utilization ratio above 30% can negatively impact your credit score.\u00a0 Paying down your balances each month can help reduce this ratio.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4) Raise your credit limits<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you typically pay your bills on time each month, but you\u2019re close to reaching your credit limit, then you may want to consider increasing your credit limit on one of your cards. As long as your spending habits stay the same, this will help decrease your credit utilization ratio.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5) Don\u2019t apply for new lines of credit<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it may seem like the right plan to open a new line of credit to indicate you\u2019re a responsible borrower, it\u2019s better to avoid this. Opening a line of credit triggers a hard inquiry, which is when a lender pulls your credit report. A hard inquiry causes your credit score to temporarily drop. If you\u2019re trying to improve your credit, it\u2019s best to avoid anything that negatively impacts your score.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6) Pick a target credit score<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting a goal for your credit score is a great way to keep yourself on track to qualify for a mortgage. Depending on the type of mortgage you want to qualify for, the minimum score will change. For example, if you&#8217;re hoping to qualify for a conventional loan, the minimum credit score is 620.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7) Consider credit counseling if you have a lot of debt<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a significant amount of debt and are unsure where to start, consider using a certified credit counseling service. A credit counselor can help you come up with a budget, payment plan, and negotiate with creditors on your behalf to reduce your interest rate or monthly payments. Choose a nonprofit service to minimize or avoid fees<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a \u201cgood\u201d credit score for a mortgage?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/types-of-mortgage-loans\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">type of mortgage loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has different credit score requirements, and higher scores can often lead to better interest rates and loan terms.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Loan Type<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Minimum 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;\">No minimum, but some lenders 620 &#8211; 660<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/what-is-a-jumbo-loan\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jumbo<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">680 &#8211; 700<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FHA<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">580 (or 500 with 10% down payment)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VA<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No requirement, but some lenders prefer 620<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USDA<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">620 &#8211; 640<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAQs about credit scores<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What determines your credit score?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are five factors that determine your credit score, each with its own percentage contributing to the total score.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Payment history: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">35%<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Current loans and credit card debt:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 30%<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Length of credit history: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15%<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Number of accounts:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 10%\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Type of credit used: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10%<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long does it take to repair credit?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On average, it takes 3 to 6 months, but it depends on how much you need to fix your credit. Missed payments or Chapter 13 bankruptcies can stay in your credit history for seven years, so it depends on what you need to repair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a FICO score?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A FICO score is a type of credit score originated by the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO). All FICO scores are credit scores, but not all credit scores are FICO scores. The three main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) all provide FICO credit scores.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do I calculate my credit utilization ratio?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you have 2 credit cards: Card A has a limit of $3,000 per month and you typically spend $2,500, Card B has a limit of $500 per month and you typically spend $50. Your total limit is $3,500, and your total balance is $2,550.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$2,550\/$3,500 = 0.72 x 100 = 72%<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is debt-to-income ratio (DTI)?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"margin-vert-medium text-left text-and-disclaimer-flyout\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/guides\/buy\/calculate-debt-to-income-ratio\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Debt-to-income ratio (DTI)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is your monthly debts divided by your gross monthly income. Any debts you have on credit cards or loans are included in these monthly debts. Lenders use DTI as one tool to help determine whether you\u2019re a trustworthy borrower. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your credit score. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":537,"featured_media":88011,"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":"default","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":[34277],"tags":[34529,34643,34629],"coauthors":[33440],"class_list":["post-99763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-buying-faq","tag-credit-score","tag-first-time-homebuyer"],"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>How to Fix Your Credit Score to Buy a House | Redfin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your 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\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your credit score.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/\" \/>\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=\"2025-09-10T16:13:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-25T17:50:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Laurelhurst3.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=\"Alison Bentley\" \/>\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=\"Alison Bentley\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Alison Bentley\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574\"},\"headline\":\"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-10T16:13:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-25T17:50:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1109,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/Laurelhurst3.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"buying faq\",\"credit score\",\"first time homebuyer\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Finance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2025\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Fix Your Credit Score to Buy a House | Redfin\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/Laurelhurst3.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-10T16:13:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-25T17:50:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your credit score.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/Laurelhurst3.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/Laurelhurst3.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Luxury home in Laurelhurst\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House\"}]},{\"@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\\\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574\",\"name\":\"Alison Bentley\",\"description\":\"Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Marketing Program Manager. In her 5 years at Redfin, Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability, and specializes in first-time homebuyer and seller resources. A California-native, Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers\u2019 markets. Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef\u2019s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/author\\\/alison-bentley\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Fix Your Credit Score to Buy a House | Redfin","description":"Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your 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\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House","og_description":"Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your credit score.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/","og_site_name":"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin","article_published_time":"2025-09-10T16:13:52+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-25T17:50:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Laurelhurst3.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alison Bentley","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@redfin","twitter_site":"@redfin","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alison Bentley","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/"},"author":{"name":"Alison Bentley","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574"},"headline":"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House","datePublished":"2025-09-10T16:13:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-25T17:50:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/"},"wordCount":1109,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Laurelhurst3.jpg","keywords":["buying faq","credit score","first time homebuyer"],"articleSection":["Finance"],"inLanguage":"en-US","copyrightYear":"2025","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/","name":"How to Fix Your Credit Score to Buy a House | Redfin","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Laurelhurst3.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-10T16:13:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-25T17:50:59+00:00","description":"Learn how to improve your credit score to buy a house. From paying bills on time to reducing debts, there are strategies to fix your credit score.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Laurelhurst3.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Laurelhurst3.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"Luxury home in Laurelhurst"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-your-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Improve Your Credit Score Before Buying a House"}]},{"@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\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574","name":"Alison Bentley","description":"Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Marketing Program Manager. In her 5 years at Redfin, Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability, and specializes in first-time homebuyer and seller resources. A California-native, Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers\u2019 markets. Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef\u2019s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records.","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/author\/alison-bentley\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99763","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\/537"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99763"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109440,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99763\/revisions\/109440"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99763"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=99763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}