How to Repair Credit to Buy a House Fast: A 90-Day Plan (2026)

Updated October 2026. This is the fast-track version: what you can fix in about 90 days before a mortgage application, and what takes longer. If you have no credit history at all rather than damaged credit, read how to buy a house with no credit history instead. CFPB, Fannie Mae, HUD and Freddie Mac pages were read on October 28, 2026.

To repair credit to buy a house fast, pull your three reports free at AnnualCreditReport.com, dispute any errors, pay card balances down, and get current on late accounts, then apply for pre-approval. As of October 2026, CFPB says furnishers generally have 30 days to investigate a dispute. Fannie Mae’s minimum for manually underwritten fixed-rate loans is 620.

Jump to: 🏠 What lenders check · ⏱️ The 90-day plan · 🪜 What not to do · 💲 Other options · 🤝 When you’re ready · ❓ FAQ

Credit repair has a reputation for taking years. It pays off for land too: see land loans for bad credit and the other routes. Some of it does. But a lot of what keeps buyers from a good mortgage is fixable in one to three months: a reporting error, a maxed-out card, an account that slipped 30 days late. Here’s how to tell the difference and what to do first.

What do mortgage lenders actually check?

Your score is the headline, but underwriters read the whole report. They look at recent late payments, collections, how much of your card limits you’re using, new accounts and inquiries, and how long you’ve had credit. Then they weigh it against your income and debts.

The score floors in 2026

For conventional loans sold to Fannie Mae, its Selling Guide sets the minimum at 620 for manually underwritten fixed-rate loans and 640 for adjustable-rate loans. Loans run through its automated Desktop Underwriter (DU) don’t have a set minimum score; DU weighs the full risk picture instead. In practice, many lenders still set their own floor, so ask. Freddie Mac loans work in a similar way.

FHA loans, insured by HUD, are the usual route for lower scores. Buying in Florida? Our FHA vs conventional loan Florida comparison shows when each one costs less. HUD’s page advertises “easy credit qualifying” and down payments as low as 3.5% of the price. Each FHA lender still sets its own minimum score, so if one says no, another may say yes.

Why a few points matter

Your score also sets your rate. Freddie Mac’s survey had the 30-year fixed at 7.32% on October 22, 2026. If better credit gets you half a point lower on a $300,000 loan, that’s about $2,061 a month in principal and interest versus $1,960. Over 30 years, it’s roughly $36,000.

How can you repair credit in about 90 days?

Days 1 to 7: get the facts

Pull all three reports, from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. CFPB says you can view them free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com, the site authorized by law. Skip “free report” sites that sign you up for paid services. Go line by line. Circle anything wrong: accounts you don’t recognize, late payments you made on time, wrong balances or limits, debts listed twice.

Days 7 to 14: dispute errors

CFPB’s advice is to dispute with both the credit reporting company and the company that reported the information. Explain in writing what’s wrong and why, and include copies of documents that prove it. Send by certified mail with a return receipt if you mail it. Furnishers generally must investigate and respond within 30 days, and must fix or remove information that’s wrong or can’t be verified. If you think the error is identity theft, start at IdentityTheft.gov. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has template letters for both.

Days 1 to 30: cut card balances

This is the fastest lever most people have. Utilization, the share of your card limits you’re using, moves with each statement. Pay cards down before the statement date, not just the due date, so the lower balance gets reported. A common rule of thumb is to stay under 30% across all cards, and lower is better. Pay the cards closest to their limit first. Keep the paid-off cards open.

Days 1 to 30: get current

Bring any past-due account current now. Every month an account stays late adds another late mark. Call the lender and ask about a payment plan. If you were late once after years of on-time payments, it’s fair to ask for a goodwill adjustment. Some lenders agree; many don’t.

Days 30 to 60: deal with collections

Ask your loan officer how they treat collections before you pay anything. Loan programs treat collections differently, and some lenders want certain accounts paid before closing. If you settle, get the terms in writing first. A “pay for delete” agreement is worth asking for, though collectors don’t have to agree.

Days 60 to 90: pre-approval

Once the reports are clean and balances are down, talk to a lender. A pre-approval tests where you stand and shows you the price range you can afford. If you’re close but not there, ask whether the lender offers a rapid rescore. That’s a lender-requested update that can show a paid-down balance in days instead of waiting for the next cycle. Have your last two years of tax returns ready too. You can get transcripts from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) online.

For more tactics, see our guides on improving credit fast to qualify for a home loan and useful tips for fixing bad credit.

What should you avoid while repairing credit?

• Don’t close old cards. It can raise your utilization and shorten your history.
• Don’t open new credit, finance a car or co-sign a loan before closing. Lenders often pull credit again right before closing.
• Don’t move large sums of cash around without a paper trail. Underwriters ask about big deposits.
• Don’t pay a credit repair company upfront.

That last one is the law. CFPB says that under the federal Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies can’t request or receive payment until they’ve completed the services they promised. It lists other warning signs too: a company that promises a specific score increase, or claims it can remove negative information that’s accurate and current. Everything a legitimate company does for you, you can do yourself for free.

What if your credit isn’t ready in time?

You have options besides waiting a full year. Talk to more than one FHA lender, since minimums vary. Eligible service members and veterans can look at VA-backed loans. A co-borrower with stronger credit can help, as long as they understand they’re equally responsible for the loan. Our guides on buying a home with poor credit, getting a mortgage when your credit isn’t great and buying with bad credit and little cash go through each path. If you rely on rent and utility history instead of credit cards, see buying a house without using credit history.

Rent-to-own and seller financing exist too. They can work, but contracts vary a lot. Have a real estate attorney review one before you sign.

How can you save once you’re ready to buy?

Better credit lowers your rate. The other big number is closing costs. The Beycome buyer program has no upfront fee and is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents (the commission credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers). Beycome keeps 1% of the price, minimum $1,499, and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. On a $400,000 home where 3% is offered, that’s $8,000 back.

That 3% is an example only. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any buyer-agent compensation, and how much, and since August 17, 2024 those offers can’t be shown on the MLS. If the commission offered is below the $1,499 minimum, the buyer covers the gap at closing.

Buying in Florida for the first time? Beycome Mortgage, licensed in Florida only, has a guide for first-time home buyers covering down payment, closing costs and credit scores. Using it isn’t required for the buyer credit. You can also check what homes are worth with our home valuation calculator before you make an offer.

Frequently asked questions about repairing credit to buy a house