Mortgage lenders now have more credit score options. What homebuyers should know

First-of-Its-Kind Independent Study Finds VantageScore 4.0 Produces Superior Mortgage Risk Differentiation Compared to FICO

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2026-

Mortgage lenders now have more credit score options. What homebuyers should know

Lenders are beginning to use VantageScore 4.0, which factors in consumer data not currently considered in the score that's been used with mortgages for decades.

FICO 10T Tops VantageScore 4.0 In New Mortgage Study

A new independent study is sharpening the debate over which credit scoring model will define the next era of mortgage underwriting.A white paper by actuarial firm Milliman found that FICO’s FICO Score 10T outperforms VantageScore 4.0 in predicting mortgage default risk across all major loan types, including GSE and FHA originations.The findings arrive just weeks after federal housing agencies signaled a shift toward allowing multiple credit mode…