This blog curates key headlines from trusted sources and adds expert insights from the Informative Research team to help lenders make smarter decisions, manage costs, and stay ahead of change.
FHA announced on September 10 that FHA approved lenders will be able to use FICO® Score 10T and VantageScore® 4.0 for mortgage underwriting starting January 1, 2027, per FHA INFO 2026-21 (look for the September 10, 2026 entry).
On September 9, Fannie Mae issued Lender Letter LL-2026-06 and Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2026-H, making VantageScore® 4.0 available to every approved seller, effective immediately, with no prior approval required. This formalizes FHFA Director Bill Pulte's September 3 directive and ends the limited rollout that began in May.
In a post on X published the evening of September 3, FHFA Director Bill Pulte said he is instructing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to immediately approve all lenders to use VantageScore 4.0, expanding a limited rollout he announced in April.
On its second quarter 2026 earnings call, held July 21, Equifax told investors it will keep its $1 price for the VantageScore 4.0 mortgage credit score in place at least through the end of 2027. You can find the earnings materials on Equifax's investor relations site. CEO Mark Begor said adoption is picking up as the FHFA opens the model ...
In a HousingWire article published July 10, the Mortgage Bankers Association shared a new study on what would happen if lenders used a single credit score for mortgage underwriting instead of the current multiscore method. HousingWire is a subscription source, so you may hit a paywall. The short version is that moving to one score would ...
On July 1, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac published historical credit score data for FICO Score 10T and additional data for VantageScore 4.0. The two government sponsored enterprises say the release is meant to give lenders and analysts more transparency as the industry works through the move to newer credit score models.
In a HousingWire article published June 18, reporter Sarah Wolak covered new legislation from Rep. Nikema Williams that would ask mortgage lenders to look beyond a traditional credit score when a borrower requests it. You can read the full story here, though HousingWire requires a subscription.
In a National Mortgage Professional article published May 27, FHA reinforced that it will continue requiring tri-merge credit reports as it prepares to adopt VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T.
In an FHFA news release, the agency shared updates on how newer credit score models will be introduced into mortgage underwriting. Lenders will have the ability to work with both VantageScore 4.0 and Classic FICO, with changes rolling out over time. A HousingWire article (subscription required) adds additional detail around how the ...
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