Targeting rural and suburban buyers, these also offer 100% financing. They generally look for a score of 640 , but they allow for manual underwriting if you’re slightly below that. 💰 The Power of a Larger Down Payment

It shows the lender you’ve been disciplined enough to save a significant chunk of change.

Buying a home with a less-than-stellar credit score feels like trying to run a marathon with your shoes tied together. It’s harder, sure, but it’s definitely not impossible.

Check for late payments or debts that aren't actually yours.

Cash talks. If your credit score is low, a lender sees you as a "high risk." You can offset that risk by putting more skin in the game.

These are the gold standard for lower credit. You can qualify with a score as low as 580 with just 3.5% down. If you’re at 500 , you might still qualify if you can put 10% down.