Credit Score Showdown: Will Homebuyers Win the War?

Lenders can now choose between FICO and VantageScore for conventional loans—ending decades of scoring monopoly and setting the stage for a credit‑score battle that could reshape mortgage access. In this episode, Tim Lucas and Craig Berry explore what this competition means for homebuyers. You’ll learn:
  • The New Choice: How Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are opening doors to VantageScore alongside FICO—and why FICO’s monopoly is under threat
  • Scoring Secrets: Why VantageScore can issue scores after just one month of history, and how that compares to FICO’s longer‑track requirements
  • Lender Levers: What “shopping” your score through both models could do for qualification and closing‑cost savings
  • Industry Reactions: FICO’s warnings of market risk versus VantageScore’s promise of up to $1 trillion in new high‑quality loans
  • Consumer Impact: Which groups—veterans, young adults, new credit‑builders—stand to gain most, and what pitfalls to watch
  • Real‑World Experiment: How this credit‑score duel may play out in different markets—and what it means for your path to homeownership
Credit Score Showdown: Will Homebuyers Win the War?
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