What's the minimum number of credit scores considered in a mortgage application?

In the context of mortgage applications, lenders typically assess the creditworthiness of borrowers by examining multiple credit scores. The standard practice involves evaluating the three credit scores provided by the major credit reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Among these, lenders use the middle score when determining the borrower's credit profile. This approach helps to mitigate the impact of any discrepancies or inaccuracies that may exist in one of the scores, providing a fairer representation of the borrower’s creditworthiness.

By using the middle score, lenders ensure that they are not overly influenced by outliers—such as a high score that may not accurately reflect the borrower's overall credit behavior or a low score that could result from a temporary issue. This method is viewed as a best practice in the industry, contributing to more prudent lending decisions. Therefore, the choice highlighting the middle score of three is aligned with both conventional lending standards and the objectives of responsible mortgage underwriting.