 TITLE: What Credit Score Do I Need to Buy a House? CONTENT: Can You Get a Mortgage With a Bad Credit Score?\n-----------------------------------------------\nIt's possible to get approved for a mortgage with poor credit. But just because you can, it doesn't necessarily mean you should. As previously discussed, even a small increase in your interest rate can cost you tens of thousands of dollars over the length of a mortgage loan.\nIf you're planning on buying a home and you have bad credit, here are a few tips that can help you potentially score a decent interest rate:\n*   Consider applying for an FHA loan, which you can get with a credit score as low as 500—though to get approved with a score below 580, you'll need a 10% down payment.\n*   Make sure you have a large down payment, plus a good amount of cash reserves beyond that.\n*   Work on paying down other debts to reduce your DTI.\n*   Consider asking someone with good or exceptional credit to apply with you as a cosigner.\nThere's no guarantee that these actions will help you qualify for a mortgage loan with good terms, but they can improve your odds. END