Which Credit Bureau Is Used for Home Loans?

Your lender pulls all three bureaus by requesting a tri‑merge report that includes Equifax's FICO 2, Experian's FICO 5, and TransUnion's FICO 4 scores; most mortgage lenders examine the full file but usually base your qualification on the lowest of the three numbers, which is why the next section explains the tri‑merge rule and its impact on mortgage applications.

Tri‑merge rules mortgage apps because lenders need the fullest risk snapshot. Pulling Equifax (FICO 2), Experian (FICO 5) and TransUnion (FICO 4) lets them compare scores and choose the most conservative number.

• Lenders usually adopt the lowest of the three scores as the underwriting baseline.
• Each bureau can show unique accounts, inquiries, or errors; tri‑merge surfaces those gaps.
• Government‑backed loans (FHA, VA, USDA) require tri‑merge compliance to satisfy investor rules.
• Automated underwriting systems (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac) are built around the three‑bureau rule.
• Borrowers can identify a weak bureau early and remediate before the final loan pull.

Equifax delivers the FICO Score 2 that most conventional lenders rely on for mortgage underwriting. Accessing that score online takes just a few clicks.

1. Create or sign into an account at the Equifax credit score portal.
2. Select the 'Credit Score & Report' tab; the dashboard lists the metric as 'FICO Score 2 (Equifax)'.
3. Download the PDF or capture a screenshot; the file shows the date stamp lenders request.
4. When a free trial ends, purchase a single‑month report or switch to a monitoring service that includes the Equifax FICO 2.

As we covered in the tri‑merge overview, lenders will still pull Experian and TransUnion, so reviewing the other scores next is wise. Grab Experian's FICO 5 to compare scores.

Experian's FICO Score 5 is the model most mortgage lenders look at when they pull your credit, so obtaining that exact score is the quickest way to see how you'll fare on a home loan.

• Create a free Experian account (or log in if you already have one).
• Choose the 'FICO Score 5 (Experian) for Mortgage' product; it costs $10‑$15 and includes a downloadable PDF.
• Verify the report shows 'FICO Score 5 - Experian' and that the date is within the last 30 days.
• Upload the PDF to your lender's portal or hand it to your loan officer.
• If you already have a credit‑card that offers free FICO scores (e.g., Discover), confirm it's the Experian‑based version; otherwise, purchase directly from Experian.

Having the Experian FICO 5 ready lets the lender compare it with the Equifax (FICO 2) and TransUnion (FICO 4) scores you'll see in the tri‑merge, and it prevents surprises before the official pull.

TransUnion's FICO 4 score today typically sits a few points below both Equifax's FICO 2 and Experian's FICO 5, because it updates slightly slower despite using the same five factors (payment history, amounts owed, length of credit, new credit, credit mix).

Lenders pull a tri‑merge report and usually apply the lowest of the three scores, so a lower TransUnion FICO 4 can limit your mortgage rate even when your Experian FICO 5 looks strong; checking it daily helps you catch gaps before a loan pull, as discussed in the preceding Experian section and previewed in the 'see your bureau score gaps fast' step.

Pull each bureau's FICO score to see gaps instantly.

• Request the Equifax (FICO 2) report from AnnualCreditReport.com or a free monitoring service.
• Obtain the Experian (FICO 5) report through the same source or an app such as Credit Karma.
• Get the TransUnion (FICO 4) report likewise.
• Lay the three numbers side‑by‑side in a simple table or use a tool that displays all three scores together.
• Identify the lowest score; lenders pulling a tri‑merge typically base loan decisions on that figure.

Address the lowest number now, because when the lender runs the combined report that gap will have the biggest impact on loan eligibility.

Fixing the lowest bureau before a lender pulls your tri‑merge report can keep a mortgage from stalling.

1. Order a free tri‑merge report from each bureau (Equifax FICO 2, Experian FICO 5, TransUnion FICO 4) via AnnualCreditReport.com.
2. Spot the lowest score; lenders often base the loan decision on that number.
3. Scan the report for inaccuracies - wrong balances, outdated accounts, or mis‑reported payments. Dispute any errors directly with the bureau; corrections can raise the score within 30 days.
4. Reduce the utilization ratio on the problem bureau's revolving accounts; pay down balances to below 30 % of the credit limit, then request an updated score.
5. If you're close to a score threshold, ask the creditor for a rapid rescore after the balance reduction; some lenders accept a 're‑score' for a small fee.
6. Notify your mortgage broker that you've corrected the lowest bureau; they can request a fresh pull, ensuring the improved score is used in underwriting.

(For more on tri‑merge reports, see Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explanation.)

One bad bureau rarely grounds a mortgage; lenders pull a tri‑merge and weigh the whole picture. They usually look at the lowest FICO score - Equifax (FICO 2), Experian (FICO 5), or TransUnion (FICO 4) - but they also consider the higher scores and overall credit profile. A borrower with 720 on Experian, 680 on Equifax, and 620 on TransUnion can still meet most conventional thresholds because the average sits in the acceptable range.

Lenders often offset a low score with strong factors elsewhere, such as a higher income, sizable down payment, or a solid payment history on the other bureaus. They may request a letter of explanation for the dip, or a manual underwriter review, especially if the borrower's overall risk is low. Some programs even allow a waiver of the lowest‑score rule when the borrower's compensating factors are strong enough.

Before the next loan pull, focus on improving the lowest bureau - pay down recent collections, correct errors, and keep utilization under 30 %. If you already have a good mix across the three bureaus, you can highlight that balance when discussing options with your lender, especially since FHA loans often lean toward TransUnion (FICO 4) in their scoring.

FHA lenders often default to TransUnion because the FICO 4 model tends to match the agency's underwriting thresholds, and many mortgage processors have it set as the primary pull when they request a single bureau report.

For example, a borrower with a 680 FICO 4 score from TransUnion, a 710 FICO 2 score from Equifax, and a 695 FICO 5 score from Experian will see the 680 score used for FHA qualification; the lender may still request a tri‑merge, but the lowest (often TransUnion) becomes the decisive number. This pattern explains why FHA applications frequently cite TransUnion as the chosen bureau.

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• Myth: Only one bureau matters. Reality: Lenders pull a tri‑merge and usually base the loan decision on the lowest score among Equifax (FICO 2), Experian (FICO 5), and TransUnion (FICO 4).
• Myth: A high FICO 5 guarantees approval. Reality: Approval depends on the combined picture; a low score on any bureau can still block the loan.
• Myth: Mortgage scores are identical to credit‑card scores. Reality: Mortgage underwriting uses FICO 2, 4, 5 models, which weight factors differently than the 8‑digit consumer scores.
• Myth: Fixing only the lowest bureau is sufficient. Reality: Lenders will still see the low score on the tri‑merge; improving all three maximizes rates and loan options.
• Myth: FHA loans only consider TransUnion. Reality: FHA guidelines accept any bureau, though many lenders favor TransUnion; the tri‑merge remains standard for FHA, conventional, and other mortgage types.