Credit Score to Buy a House in Texas: 2026 Requirements
What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a House in Texas?
Most Texas buyers need a 620 credit score for a conventional loan or 580 for an FHA loan with 3.5% down. FHA allows scores of 500 to 579 with 10% down, and most VA and USDA lenders look for 620 to 640.
TL;DR: In Texas, the practical credit score floor is 580 for an FHA loan with 3.5% down, 620 for a conventional loan, and 620 for state down payment assistance through TSAHC or TDHCA. Scores of 740 and above earn the strongest conventional pricing. Isaias Contreras, REALTOR® with Contreras Properties Group at Keller Williams Signature, works with buyers across Richmond, Katy, and Fulshear, TX in Fort Bend County and the Greater Houston Area, where typical home values run from roughly $351,000 to $525,000.
Isaias Contreras is a REALTOR® and owner of Contreras Properties Group at Keller Williams Signature, serving buyers across Richmond, Katy, and Fulshear, TX — communities spanning Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller counties inside the Greater Houston Area. This guide covers the score thresholds that decide which mortgage programs you qualify for in Texas, and what those numbers cost you in Fort Bend County.
What Is a Mortgage Credit Score in Texas?
A mortgage credit score is the number a lender pulls from the three credit bureaus to decide whether you qualify for a home loan and at what interest rate. Texas lenders have traditionally used the FICO Score 8 model and take the middle of your three bureau scores. Since April 2026, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA also accept VantageScore 4.0. In Fort Bend County and across the Greater Houston Area, that single number sets your loan program, your minimum down payment, and your rate.
What Credit Score Do You Need for Each Loan Type in Texas?
It depends on the program. FHA is the most forgiving at 580, conventional starts at 620, and jumbo requires 700 or higher.
| Loan type | Minimum credit score | Minimum down payment | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA | 580 (500–579 allowed) | 3.5% (10% below 580) | Mortgage insurance stays for the life of most FHA loans unless you refinance |
| Conventional | 620 | 3% | Strongest pricing generally starts around 740; PMI can be removed at 20% equity |
| VA | No VA minimum; most lenders set 620 | 0% | For eligible veterans and service members; no monthly mortgage insurance |
| USDA | No published minimum; 640 typical | 0% | Property must sit inside a USDA-eligible area, which includes parts of Fort Bend County |
| Jumbo | 700–720 or higher | 10–20% | Applies to loan amounts above the conforming limit; some lenders require 740 |
Every lender adds its own overlays on top of these agency floors, so two Texas lenders can quote the same borrower differently.
Which credit score model do Texas lenders use in 2026?
Both FICO and VantageScore are now in play. On April 22, 2026, the Federal Housing Finance Agency and HUD announced that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA would accept VantageScore 4.0 alongside Classic FICO. The practical effect for you is that a thin credit file that scored poorly under FICO may now score high enough to qualify.
What Credit Score Do Texas Down Payment Assistance Programs Require?
Both statewide programs set the bar at 620. Texas runs two of the largest down payment assistance operations in the country, and neither one asks for a high score — they ask for a consistent one.
- TSAHC — Home Sweet Texas and Homes for Texas Heroes provide up to 5% of the loan amount as a grant or forgivable second lien. Homes for Texas Heroes serves teachers, first responders, nurses, corrections officers, and veterans.
- TDHCA — My First Texas Home is for first-time buyers, and My Choice Texas Home is open to repeat buyers. Both pair a 30-year fixed mortgage with up to 5% in assistance and can include a Mortgage Credit Certificate.
- Shared requirements — a 620 minimum score, an approved homebuyer education course, and income and purchase price limits that vary by county.
In Texas you generally count as a first-time buyer if you have not owned a primary residence in three years. Veterans are often exempt.
How Much Does Your Credit Score Change Your Monthly Payment in Texas?
Roughly $237 a month per percentage point on a typical Fort Bend County loan. Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the 30-year fixed rate at 6.66% as of August 27, 2026, with the 15-year at 5.98%. That survey reflects borrowers with excellent credit putting 20% down, so a 620-score buyer should expect to price above it.
On a $350,000 loan, principal and interest at 6.66% runs about $2,249. Move the rate up one point and it climbs to roughly $2,486 — about $85,000 across a 30-year term. Raising a score from 620 to 740 before you apply often beats anything you will negotiate on price.
Payment figures are illustrations of principal and interest only. They exclude property taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and mortgage insurance, all of which are material in Fort Bend County.
How Does Richmond Compare to Katy and Fulshear for Credit-Sensitive Buyers?
Fulshear asks the most of a 620-score borrower, and Katy the least. All three sit in the same Greater Houston Area market, but the price gap changes what your score has to carry.
| Factor | Richmond, TX | Katy, TX | Fulshear, TX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | ~$381,000 | ~$351,000 | ~$525,000 |
| FHA 3.5% down at 580 | ~$13,300 | ~$12,300 | ~$18,400 |
| Conventional 5% down at 620 | ~$19,100 | ~$17,600 | ~$26,300 |
| Max 5% state assistance | ~$18,400 | ~$17,000 | ~$25,300 |
| Fits typical state program price caps | Yes | Yes | Often above the cap |
| County | Fort Bend | Harris and Fort Bend | Fort Bend |
Richmond and Katy values reflect the Zillow Home Value Index as of June 30, 2026. Fulshear reflects the median closed price tracked in ZIP 77441 over the six months ending August 2026.
Why Does This Matter for Buyers in Richmond, TX Right Now?
Because the current Fort Bend County market gives a 620-score buyer leverage that a 740-score buyer had to pay for two years ago. Inventory across the county has climbed to roughly 5,218 active listings, up about 4.3% year over year, and median days on market has stretched to about 48 days from 42 a year earlier. Close to half of listed homes have taken a price reduction.
That means sellers in Richmond, TX are negotiating on terms, not just price. A 620 buyer can often ask for seller-paid closing costs or a temporary rate buydown that closes part of the gap to the survey average — without waiting a year while prices move. Fulshear is the narrower path, since its median closed price runs above the purchase caps state assistance programs enforce. If assistance is central to your plan, Richmond and Rosenberg offer a larger pool of eligible homes.
What Do Texas Buyers Most Want to Know About Credit Scores?
What is the lowest credit score you can have to buy a house in Texas?
The practical floor is 500, and only through an FHA loan with at least 10% down. At 580 you can move to the standard FHA 3.5% down payment. Conventional loans start at 620. Below 500, no mainstream Texas mortgage program will approve you, and the focus shifts to repairing credit before applying.
Can you buy a house in Richmond, TX with a 620 credit score?
Yes. A 620 score qualifies you for conventional financing, FHA, most VA lenders, and both TSAHC and TDHCA down payment assistance programs. With typical Richmond, TX home values near $381,000, a 620 borrower using an FHA loan would need roughly $13,300 down before assistance is applied. Your rate will be higher than a 740 borrower's.
How does Richmond, TX compare to Fulshear, TX if you are using down payment assistance?
Richmond, TX gives you more program-eligible inventory. Fulshear sits in the same Fort Bend County market inside the Greater Houston Area, but its median closed price near $525,000 runs above the purchase price caps that TSAHC and TDHCA apply county by county. Richmond and neighboring Rosenberg keep more homes inside those limits.
What credit score do you need for down payment assistance in Texas?
Both major statewide programs set 620 as the minimum. TSAHC runs Home Sweet Texas and Homes for Texas Heroes; TDHCA runs My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home. Each provides up to 5% of the loan amount toward down payment and closing costs, and each requires an approved homebuyer education course.
Why does your credit score matter more in the current Fort Bend County market?
Because rate spreads compound on larger loans. Fort Bend County home prices sit well above the Texas median, so the gap between a 620 rate and a 740 rate translates into a larger dollar difference each month than it would in a cheaper market. On a $350,000 loan, one percentage point is roughly $237 monthly.
How long does it take to raise your credit score enough to buy in Texas?
Disputing verified errors on your report can move a score within 30 days. Paying revolving balances below 30% utilization typically shows up in 30 to 60 days. Moving from the mid-500s to 620 usually takes three to six months of consistent payments. Start the process before you tour homes, not after.
Related reading: what you need for a down payment on a house in Houston, TX · the home buying process in Greater Houston, TX
Other Questions Buyers Ask About Credit Scores in Texas
- Does checking your credit score lower it before you apply for a mortgage in Texas?
- Do you need a higher credit score for new construction in Fort Bend County, TX?
- Can two borrowers with different credit scores apply together in Texas?
- What credit score do you need to refinance a home in Richmond, TX?
Ready to Find Out Where Your Credit Score Puts You?
If you are weighing a move in Richmond, Katy, or Fulshear, TX, the useful first step is finding out what your actual score buys in each city. Isaias Contreras and Contreras Properties Group work with buyers across Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller counties and can point you toward lenders who handle TSAHC and TDHCA files regularly. Reach out to talk through your situation whenever you are ready.
About Isaias Contreras
Isaias Contreras is a REALTOR® and owner of Contreras Properties Group at Keller Williams Signature, serving buyers and sellers across Richmond, Katy, Fulshear, and the wider Greater Houston Area in Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller counties. He works regularly with first-time buyers navigating credit thresholds and down payment assistance eligibility in Fort Bend County. To connect, visit the Contreras Properties Group contact page or call 832-338-3484.
Contreras Properties Group | Keller Williams Signature | 920 S Fry Rd, Katy, TX 77450
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