Can I buy a home with a 500 credit score?

Yes, at 500 to 579 you can still get an FHA loan, but you'll need 10% down instead of 3.5%. A handful of non-QM lenders also work in this range with larger down payments.

At this level, a few months of credit repair can drop your down payment requirement and your rate substantially. We'll map both paths — buy now at 10% down, or improve to 580 first — so you choose with full information.

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