Whose Credit Score Is Used on a Joint Mortgage?

For a joint mortgage with two or more borrowers, mortgage lenders typically use the “lower middle” credit score.

Here’s how that works: The lender pulls scores from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, the primary credit reporting bureaus, for all borrowers. Then, the lender takes the lowest of the middle scores from each. For instance, if your credit scores are 700, 723 and 714, and your co-borrower’s scores are 690, 680 and 683, the lender considers the middle scores — 714 and 683 — then the lowest of those, or 683.

This lower middle score helps determine the interest rate for the joint mortgage. In practice, this means that a borrower with excellent credit may not get the rate they want if a co-borrower’s credit needs work.

What is a joint mortgage?

A joint mortgage is exactly what it sounds like: a home loan shared by two or more borrowers. While mostly associated with married couples or domestic partners, it’s not limited to those types of relationships — relatives or friends can also apply for a joint mortgage.

Most home buyers (60%) purchase a home with at least one other person, according to Zillow’s 2025 Buyers & Housing Trends Report. Half (51%) of buyers buy with a partner or spouse, while 8% buy with a relative and 5% buy with a friend.

How does a joint mortgage work?

A joint mortgage functions much like an individual mortgage: all co-borrowers are each equally responsible for repaying the debt, as well as listed on the property title, meaning they have an ownership interest in the home, although this can depend on how title is structured.  This is different from a mortgage with a co-signer. A co-signer isn’t on the title, but agrees to be responsible for repaying the debt if the primary borrower(s) can’t, and does not have an ownership interest in the home.

In a joint mortgage situation, the lender evaluates the credit and finances of the co-borrowers, including:

• Credit histories and scores
• Incomes
• Assets such as checking, savings and brokerage accounts
• Liabilities such as credit card balances and other loans 
• Employment
• Any other properties owned by one or more borrowers

Joint mortgage loan requirements

While exact requirements vary by lender and loan type, here are the general criteria for a joint mortgage:

Credit score

Your lender will look at your and your co-borrowers’ credit scores. If you and a partner are taking out a joint mortgage, for instance, the lender would look at both of your three credit scores, take the middle scores from those, then use the lowest score of those middle scores. If the lender only looks at one score instead of three, they’d use the lowest of those single scores. In some cases, the lender may create a median credit score from each borrower’s three scores, then average those medians.

Debt-to-income ratio (DTI)

Depending on loan type, the combined monthly debts of you and your co-borrower shouldn’t exceed 43%-50% of your combined gross monthly income.

Down payment

Depending on loan type, the down payment could be anywhere from 3% to 20% (or 0% for a VA or USDA loan). You can combine savings or gifts to cover it.

Employment and income verification

You and your co-borrowers will provide pay stubs, W-2s and tax returns from the past two years. This is so the lender can verify your ability to repay.

Can you get a joint mortgage if one person has bad credit?

Yes, it’s possible, but it can create issues. If one borrower has bad credit and the other borrower has excellent credit, for instance, both borrowers may not qualify for the joint mortgage, or only qualify at a higher interest rate.

There are ways to navigate this, however.

• Work on credit: If you have time, focus on improving credit before applying for the joint mortgage. You can do this by paying your bills on time, paying down debt or otherwise lowering your credit utilization and correcting any credit report errors.
• Apply by yourself: If you have better credit and earn enough income, you may consider applying for an individual mortgage on your own. Your partner may still be on the title of the property, but only you will be on the mortgage and responsible for repaying it.
• Look for flexible loan programs: FHA loans have a lower credit score requirement, making them a worthwhile option for joint borrowers with mixed credit.

Does a joint mortgage affect your credit score?

Yes, taking out a joint mortgage affects your and your co-borrowers’ credit scores. It’ll appear on all borrowers’ credit reports as a new loan, and the payments will be recorded there moving forward. If there’s a late or missed payment, that’ll also be recorded on all borrowers’ reports.

*Zillow Home Loans; an equal housing lender. NMLS #10287