FICO Preferred Program: The Price Holds, the Choices Narrow
FICO holds its $10 mortgage score price for lenders who commit to FICO on every pull. What it covers, what it excludes, and how it affects score choice.
Thomas Conwell · October 27, 2026
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Guides, reference pages and industry updates for mortgage professionals, from the company that pioneered rapid rescoring in 1997.
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What Credit Score Do Mortgage Lenders Use? Accepted Models and Report Requirements, Updated September 2026
Mortgage lenders use one of three approved score models: Classic FICO, VantageScore 4.0, or FICO Score 10T. This tracker states what each loan program accepts today, with a source and an as-of date on every row.
Reviewed October 16, 2026
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UpdateMBA Annual Convention 2026 Mortgage Credit: 5 Key Decisions
The MBA Annual Convention 2026 in Chicago is underway. Here are 5 mortgage credit decisions every loan officer should make while you walk the show floor.
GuideClassic FICO vs VantageScore 4.0 Mortgage 2026: A Plain-English Guide
Classic FICO vs VantageScore 4.0 mortgage 2026: what loan officers need to know about which score model each loan program accepts and how the rules differ.
UpdateVantageScore 4.0 Conventional Loan Pricing Grid Changes 2026
Fannie Mae merged FICO and VantageScore 4.0 into one pricing grid on October 1, 2026. Here is what loan officers need to know about the live change.
UpdateFHFA Opens VantageScore 4.0 to All Lenders: What Changed September 3
FHFA directed Fannie and Freddie to accept VantageScore 4.0 from all lenders on September 3, 2026. What changed, what did not, and what lenders must do next.
TrackerWhat Credit Score Do Mortgage Lenders Use? Accepted Models and Report Requirements, Updated September 2026
Mortgage lenders use one of three approved score models: Classic FICO, VantageScore 4.0, or FICO Score 10T. This tracker states what each loan program accepts today, with a source and an as-of date on every row.
GuideRapid Rescore vs. Credit Repair vs. Debt Settlement
What rapid rescoring, credit repair and debt settlement each do to a credit report, who pays, how long each takes, and what it means for a mortgage.
CampaignThe Margin Math of a 6.7% Market
Rates near 6.7% changed the arithmetic of mortgage lending. Three numbers now decide margin: pull-through, credit spend per closed loan, and tier proximity.
UpdateCan Mortgage Lenders Collect Credit Report Fees Upfront?
For covered mortgage applications, a bona fide and reasonable credit report fee is the express exception to TRID's pre-Loan Estimate fee restriction.
GuideFICO Score Potential: Instant Score-Improvement Insight on Every Credit Report
FICO Score Potential, the newest capability in the FICO Score Mortgage Simulator, is now available on Credit Technologies credit reports, including BestQualify and SmartPay. Per-bureau score-improvement insight from the first moment of reviewing the report, backed by the analyst team that invented rescoring.
GuideSoft Credit Check vs. Hard Pull: A Lender's Guide
A soft credit check lets mortgage lenders prequalify borrowers without affecting their FICO score or alerting competitors. Here is how soft pulls work, when to use them, and what they cost compared to a tri-merge.
GuideWhat Is an Adverse Action Notice? A Mortgage Lender's Guide
An adverse action notice tells a declined applicant what happened, which credit score was used, and their rights under the FCRA and ECOA. Here is what lenders must include, and why the 2026 score model transition is changing the notice.
GuideWhat Is the Military Lending Act? A Mortgage Lender's Guide
The Military Lending Act caps the cost of consumer credit for active-duty servicemembers, but dwelling-secured loans are exempt. The SCRA is the law that actually reaches mortgage lenders, and both GSE servicing guides enforce it. Here is the map.
