 TITLE: How to Buy a House Together—Even If You’re Not Married CONTENT: Applying for a Mortgage When You're Not Married\n-----------------------------------------------\nAside from VA loans, most mortgage products are available to co-borrowers whether or not they're married. So, with most lenders, applying for a mortgage when you're not married doesn't look much different than it would if you've said \"I do.\" That's true whether you're a couple, friends or siblings; in the eyes of the lender, it's the numbers that count.\nYou and your buying buddy will apply as co-borrowers, and the lender will review each of your assets, debts, incomes and credit scores. Generally, the lender will pull three scores—one from each credit bureau—for both you and your co-borrower, and use the lower of your collective median scores.\nLet's say your scores are 680, 700 and 720. Your co-borrower's scores are 650, 660 and 670. The lender will take both of your middle scores (700 and 660), and then base your application on the lower one (660). This table might help illustrate (the bolded score is the one a lender would use):\nYour credit scores\nYour co-borrower's credit scores\n720\n670\n700\n**660**\n680\n650\nIn general, the FICO® Score☉ your lender considers will need to be at least 620 for you to qualify for a conventional mortgage, though other loans are available to buyers with scores as low as 500. You should also aim for a front-end debt-to-income ratio below 28 percent.\nIf you or your co-borrower aren't sure where your credit stands, get your credit score and report for free from Experian to find out. You can get a copy of all three of your credit reports (from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) for free through AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your reports and scores, and take action if necessary to make sure your credit is mortgage-ready before you apply. END