Real Estate | Bristow & Northern Virginia
Updated July 2026
For years, one of the most frustrating realities for renters was this: paying thousands of dollars a year in rent, faithfully and on time, did almost nothing to help build credit — while a $30 minimum credit card payment or a car loan payment would. That's finally starting to change.
What Actually Changed
In July 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) — which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — announced that mortgage lenders can now use VantageScore 4.0 to assess borrower creditworthiness, in addition to or instead of traditional FICO scores. The meaningful difference: VantageScore 4.0 factors in on-time rent payments (along with utility and phone payments, when reported), while traditional FICO scores used for mortgages have not.
As Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner put it, this change should help people with thinner credit files get qualified for mortgages — expanding the pool of potential buyers rather than shutting out people who've simply never had a car loan or much revolving credit.
Who This Helps Most
This is especially meaningful for:
- Renters with limited traditional credit history — people who pay their bills responsibly but don't have much in the way of credit cards or auto loans to show for it
- Gig workers and freelancers — those without traditional income documentation who can now point to a track record of reliable rent payments
- Younger or first-time buyers — anyone just starting to build a credit profile.
What to Know Before You Get Excited
A few important caveats: your rent payment history only helps if it's actually being reported. VantageScore can only factor in what's submitted — either by your landlord directly, or through a rent-reporting service you sign up for yourself. Many landlords still don't report payments to credit bureaus, so this benefit isn't automatic just because you've always paid on time.
It's also worth knowing that not every lender has adopted VantageScore 4.0 yet, even though FHFA approved it. Your eligibility to use rent payment history in your mortgage application will depend on which lender you work with.
What You Can Do Now
If you're a renter thinking about buying in the next year or two, it's worth checking whether your rent payments are already being reported — some landlords and property management companies participate in reporting programs automatically. If yours doesn't, several third-party rent-reporting services exist that let you self-report your payment history to the credit bureaus for a fee.
What We Tell Our Renters
Loan programs and qualifying criteria change more often than most people realize — this VantageScore update is a perfect example. What was true a year ago, or even six months ago, might not be true today. That's exactly why we tell renters: you really don't know what options are actually available to you until you talk with a lender directly. Assuming you don't qualify based on outdated information, or something you heard secondhand, can keep you renting far longer than necessary.
Bottom Line
If you've been paying rent responsibly for years and assumed it wasn't doing anything for your financial future, that's starting to change. It's worth a real conversation with a lender to see whether this applies to your situation — sometimes you're closer to mortgage-ready than you think.
Not sure how your rent history or credit profile stacks up? We're happy to connect you with a lender who can walk through your real options. Get started →
Related reading: 66% of Buyers Think They Need "Perfect" Credit