# VantageScore Mortgage Updates and What They Mean for Homebuyers By Mark Wilkins (@markwilkins) · Published 2026-10-12 Canonical: https://voce.com/@markwilkins/vantagescore-mortgage-updates-mean-homebuyers-09j3ys --- By Mark Wilkins | Wilkins Lending Team | Movement Mortgage Updated October 12, 2026 Movement Mortgage now offers VantageScore 4.0 on eligible conventional mortgages. This option gives us another way to evaluate a borrower’s credit history within the requirements of the loan program, and it could create new opportunities for some homebuyers. If you’re buying in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Florida, here’s the practical takeaway: a limited credit history may deserve a fresh look. The model your lender uses, the loan program, and your overall finances still matter. **What has changed** For years, Classic FICO models were the standard for loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. On September 9, 2026, those two organizations expanded VantageScore 4.0 availability to all of their approved lenders after an initial limited rollout. Adoption is optional. A lender can continue using Classic FICO or use VantageScore 4.0 for an eligible loan, subject to program requirements and its implementation. Fannie Mae, for example, still requires Classic FICO for manually underwritten loans. You may also hear about FICO Score 10T, a separate newer model. Although it has been approved for future use, it is not yet eligible for loans delivered to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as of this update. FHA has a different timeline. Its October 8 guidance allows VantageScore 4.0 and FICO Score 10T for FHA case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. An announcement about one program doesn’t automatically change the requirements for another. **More people may be able to get a credit score** Some buyers have a short credit history or rarely use credit. Certain older models may not have enough recent account information to generate a score for them. VantageScore 4.0 can score some consumers with limited or infrequently updated credit histories. That can give a lender additional information to evaluate someone who previously had no score under another model. This may be especially relevant to first-time buyers who haven’t built a long borrowing history. Having a score helps with evaluation, but the buyer must still meet the mortgage program’s requirements. **Credit habits over time can add context** VantageScore 4.0 uses trended credit data, which looks at patterns in balances and payments over time. For example, imagine two borrowers each have a $3,000 credit card balance today. One has been steadily reducing that balance, while the other has been adding debt. Their current balances match, but their recent borrowing patterns are different. Trended data can help the model account for those differences. It offers additional context about how someone manages credit. The effect on an individual score still depends on the full credit file. **Reported rent and utility payments can count** VantageScore models can consider rent and utility payment information when it is reported to the credit bureaus and included in the data being scored. That may help some renters demonstrate a payment history beyond loans and credit cards. The reporting detail matters. Paying rent on time doesn’t automatically put those payments on your credit report. Before paying for a reporting service, ask what gets reported, to which bureaus, and whether it could be relevant to the mortgage you’re considering. **What these changes mean for your mortgage** A different scoring model can produce a different number, including a lower one. VantageScore 4.0 does not guarantee a higher score, loan approval, a lower interest rate, or reduced closing costs. Your lender still reviews factors such as income, existing debts, down payment, and the property. Credit scores are one part of that review. The score in a consumer app may also differ from the score used for your mortgage. The model version, credit bureau information, and date of calculation can all affect the result. Ask which model your lender is using before comparing numbers. **Start with a conversation about your options** If credit concerns have kept you from exploring a home purchase, ask a lender which options are available for your situation today. Review your credit reports for errors, keep payments current, and discuss major new borrowing before making changes during the mortgage process. You can also ask: Is VantageScore 4.0 available for my loan? How would my credit be evaluated? What else would I need to qualify? Those questions are more useful than assuming one score tells the whole story. Have questions about buying a home in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Florida? Connect with me and the Wilkins Lending Team at [TheMortgageMark.com](http://TheMortgageMark.com) to discuss whether a conventional mortgage using VantageScore 4.0 may fit your situation. **Mark Wilkins | NMLS #147661 | Licensed in PA, NJ, FL** For general educational purposes. Loan availability and eligibility depend on lender and program requirements and are subject to change. This is not a commitment to lend. **Publication details and sources** **Suggested SEO title:** VantageScore 4.0 Mortgages and Benefits for Homebuyers **Meta description:** Learn how VantageScore 4.0 is changing mortgage credit scoring, who may benefit, and what buyers in PA, NJ, and FL should ask their lender. **Suggested URL slug:** vantagescore-4-mortgage-benefits **Information current as of:** October 12, 2026 Movement Mortgage’s conventional-loan availability was confirmed by Mark Wilkins on October 12, 2026. Confirm current loan eligibility and company-required advertising disclosures before publication. **Editorial source notes** [FHFA Credit Scores](https://www.fhfa.gov/policy/credit-scores) Updated October 2, 2026. Supports the September 9 lender expansion, continued Classic FICO choice, and FICO 10T delivery status. [Fannie Mae Credit Score Models and Reports Initiative](https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/originating-underwriting/credit-score-models) Supports optional adoption, eligible-loan limits, and the Classic FICO requirement for manually underwritten loans. [Freddie Mac Credit Score Models and Reports Initiative](https://sf.freddiemac.com/general/credit-score-models) Confirms expanded VantageScore 4.0 availability and implementation resources for sellers. [HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-11](https://www.hud.gov/sites/default/files/hudclips/documents/2026-11hsgml.pdf) Issued October 8, 2026. New FHA credit-score guidance is effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. [Experian VantageScore 4.0 for Mortgage](https://www.experian.com/mortgage/vantagescore-4) Explains scoreability for limited and dormant histories and the use of trended credit information. [VantageScore Mortgage FAQs](https://www.vantagescore.com/what-we-do/mortgage-faqs) Supports rent and utility information being considered when reported to the credit bureaus. Use agency guidance above for current program rules. [CFPB What is a credit score](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-score-en-315/) Explains why model, data source, and calculation date can produce different credit scores. [CFPB Mortgage credit and preparation](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/does-my-credit-score-affect-my-ability-to-get-a-mortgage-loan-or-the-mortgage-rate-i-pay-en-319/) Supports reviewing reports for errors, considering other underwriting factors, and avoiding unnecessary new credit before a mortgage.