Written by Dan Green
Dan Green
Dan Green (NMLS 227607) is a licensed mortgage professional who has helped millions of people achieve their American Dream of homeownership. Dan has developed dozens of tools, written thousands of mortgage articles, and recorded hundreds of educational videos. Read more about Dan Green.
This website discusses mortgage programs and how to qualify. Your eligibility may vary based on lender guidelines and investor overlays. Check with your lender for specific details.
Trusted Content
This article was checked for accuracy as of November 4, 2024. Learn more about our commitments to accuracy and your mortgage education in our editorial guidelines.
Updated: November 4, 2024
A soft credit check, also known as a soft credit inquiry, is a credit check that does not affect a home buyer’s credit score. Soft credit pulls are typically used as part of getting a mortgage pre-qualification.
A soft credit pull is a form of credit inquiry that provides a limited view of a home buyer’s credit report.
Mortgage lenders use soft credit checks to pre-approve home buyers who want to buy a home. Lenders may also use soft credit checks to verify the refinance qualifications of existing mortgage customers.
Unlike hard credit pulls, which can slightly lower your credit score, soft pulls do not affect your score or your creditworthiness. Instead, soft credit pulls give lenders a snapshot of your credit situation, helping them to offer relevant products for which you may qualify, including the HomeReady mortgage or a USDA loan, without affecting your FICO.
Imagine a first-time home buyer is exploring their homeownership options and wants to understand how much home they can afford. The buyer contacts a mortgage lender.
The mortgage lender takes an informal mortgage application and makes a soft credit pull.
The soft credit check lets the lender review the buyer’s credit report, calculate their debt-to-income, and estimate the buyer’s maximum purchasing power—all without harming the buyer’s credit.
A soft credit pull is a limited check that does not impact your credit score. A hard pull is a more detailed inquiry that occurs when you officially apply for credit, which may slightly lower your score.
Yes, you can see all the soft inquiries on your credit report. These are visible only to you and do not affect your credit score.
There is no limit to the number of soft pulls that can be done on your credit. They have no impact on your score, regardless of how often they occur.
Wave goodbye to waiting times and say hello to our faster, better mortgage application. It's available anytime you are, 24/7/365. The power to approve your mortgage is just a click away.
NMLS #423065 Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
What is a Starter Home?
A soft credit pull, also known as a soft credit inquiry, is a credit check that does not affect a home buyer's credit score. Soft credit pulls are typically used as part of getting a mortgage pre-qualification.
Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
Homebuyer.com
Operated by Novus Home Mortgage
230 Findlay Street
Cincinnati, OH 45214
513-824-8171
Notices
Mortgages
