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“I have no credit history can I get a mortgage”
If you're typing 'I have no credit history can I get a mortgage' into your phone at 2 a.m., you're probably feeling like homeownership is some exclusive club that forgot to send you an invitation. Take a breath — you're not broken, you're just early in the journey. Roughly 26 million American adults are 'credit invisible,' according to the CFPB, and thousands of them still buy homes every single year. The secret most banks won't tell you? There are mortgage programs designed exactly for people who've paid rent, utilities, or even their phone bill on time — even if those payments never showed up on a credit report. At NMHL, we've walked families through this exact maze for 25 years, and we know exactly where the hidden doors are.
Take a breath. Help is here.
- You are not alone -- thousands of people search this every month
- Real options exist for your specific situation
- No judgment -- just honest guidance from licensed professionals
We've Helped Others in Your Situation
Why This Happens
Understanding the common reasons -- and knowing that each one has a path forward.
- 1You moved to the U.S. as an adult and never needed a credit cardSolution exists
- 2You always paid cash or used a debit card to stay out of debtSolution exists
- 3You were added as an authorized user on someone else's card, so the history isn't technically yoursSolution exists
- 4You paid rent, utilities, and insurance faithfully — but none of those companies report to the bureausSolution exists
- 5A prior divorce or bankruptcy wiped old accounts, and you restarted with a blank slateSolution exists
There's Always a Path Forward
Being denied feels overwhelming, but it doesn't mean your homeownership dream is over. Our specialists work with challenging situations every single day.
Why 'No Credit' Doesn't Mean 'No Hope'
Traditional banks speak the language of FICO, so when they see a blank credit report they immediately decline. What they don't tell you is that government-insured loan programs — FHA, VA, and USDA — all include written guidelines for borrowers with 'non-traditional credit.' The key phrase is manual underwriting: a human reviewer grades your payment history instead of an algorithm.
At NMHL, we keep templates that list exactly which bills count: rent, phone, car insurance, health-insurance premiums, utility bills, even streaming services. We need three accounts with 12 on-time payments each. If you've split rent with roommates, we can still use the lease and bank statements that show your portion withdrawn every month. One client last month qualified using his Verizon bill, his Geico insurance, and a storage-unit payment he'd forgotten about.
The best part? Once your loan closes, the mortgage itself becomes your first major credit account. Six months of on-time house payments usually generates a mid-700 score, opening the door to future car loans or refinancing at even better terms.
Having no credit history can actually be an advantage — there's no old damage to repair, only new history to build.
Step-by-Step: From Zero to Pre-Approval in 30 Days
- Day 1: Schedule your free NMHL call. Bring 12 months of any bill you paid on time. We'll run a soft-pull CLUE report and tell you which items qualify.
- Days 2–3: We order a Verification of Rent (VOR) form from your landlord or property manager. If you paid cash, we help you build a paper trail.
- Days 4–10: You gather cancelled checks, money-order receipts, or bank statements. We also open a $200 secured credit card that reports to all three bureaus to start a score as backup.
- Days 11–14: NMHL submits your file to an FHA manual underwrite. We pair your alternative credit with bank statements or pay stubs to verify income.
- Days 15–21: Underwriter issues an approval with standard conditions (appraisal, insurance, employment verification). We lock your rate.
- Days 22–30: You shop for a home with a valid pre-approval letter that shows sellers you're just as qualified as any other buyer.
Most clients hit every deadline because we text reminders and handle the paperwork heavy-lift for you.
The entire process can be done in less time than it takes most people to build a 620 FICO from scratch.
Real Stories: People Who Started Exactly Where You Are
Maria, Austin TX: 28, immigrated from El Salvador at 19. Never had a credit card, paid rent in cash to her aunt. We used 24 months of Western Union receipts and a letter from her aunt. Closed on a $285,000 condo with $10,000 down-payment assistance.
Jamal & Keisha, Baltimore MD: Couple who used a debit card for everything. We paired their 12-month rental ledger with two secured cards we opened together. Pre-approved in 17 days, closed on a row-house at 3.625%.
Tyler, Bozeman MT: 22-year-old apprentice electrician. Lived in a camper trailer, so no rent. We used his on-time Verizon, car-insurance, and tool-storage payments plus a letter from his union hall. Qualified for a USDA zero-down new-build home.
None of them believed they were 'mortgage-ready' when they first called. All three now have 750+ credit scores and refinanced into lower rates within two years.
Your story could be the next one we feature — the first step is simply picking up the phone.
Hidden Costs to Watch (and How NMHL Covers Them)
Because manual underwrites require extra paperwork, some lenders tack on up to 1% in additional fees. We don't. Our FHA alternative-credit pricing matches standard FHA pricing, period. The only real out-of-pocket costs are:
- Appraisal: $500–$700, but we can often get the seller to pay this through negotiation.
- Secured credit card deposit: As low as $200 and you get it back when you upgrade to a regular card.
- Home-inspection: Optional but recommended, $300–$400.
NMHL also offers a credit-builder grant: if your loan amount is under $375,000 and your household income is below 100% of area median, we credit $750 at closing to reimburse your appraisal and inspection. That keeps real cash in your pocket for moving trucks, utility deposits, and the first grocery run to fill your new fridge.
We never want upfront fees to be the reason you can't start building generational wealth.
Next Move: Turn Your Question Into a Concrete Plan
If you've read this far, you already have more information than 90% of people who give up after a big-bank rejection. Bookmark this page, but don't stop here. The fastest way to find out which bills you can use is to let us look at them — no cost, no obligation, and no credit pull that could ding a score you haven't even built yet.
Call 1-800-NMHL-NOW or tap the 'Talk to a Human' button on your screen. You'll speak with a loan officer who only handles no-credit and low-credit files. Bring whatever you have right now: bank statements, rent receipts, phone bills, or even a handwritten log of what you've paid. We'll turn that stack into a step-by-step roadmap and, if you're ready, a real pre-approval letter you can take house-hunting.
Remember, every homeowner with a 800 credit score once had a first day on the journey. Let today be yours.
Your future self — the one handing out house-keys — will thank you for starting right now.
Your Options Right Now
NMHL No-Credit Pre-Approval Call
In a 15-minute phone call, we'll pull your alternative credit report (rent, utilities, phone, streaming services) and tell you exactly which of our 29 lending partners will accept it. No hard credit pull, no cost, no judgment.
Act quicklyFHA Non-Traditional Credit Profile
We'll build a credit file using 12 months of on-time rent, car insurance, cell phone, and utility payments. Most borrowers qualify for 3.5% down and a rate within 0.25% of standard FHA pricing.
Act quicklyNMHL Credit-Builder Roadmap
If your alternative payment history is thin, we'll map out a 90-day plan to add two new credit lines (secured card + credit-builder loan) and re-score you. Average score jump is 60 points in 75 days.
Act quicklyManual Underwrite With Bank Statements
Self-employed or gig worker? We can use 12-24 months of bank statements to prove payment history and cash flow, bypassing traditional credit requirements entirely.
Act quicklyTalk to someone right now
No automated menus. A real licensed mortgage professional who understands your situation.
(248) 864-2200Not sure which path fits you best? Let's talk it through. No credit score needed for the first call — just your story and 15 minutes of your time.
Start Your Application
Takes about 5 minutes. No obligation. No credit check until you are ready.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. NMHL works with lenders that accept 'alternative credit' — rent, utilities, car insurance, even your Netflix bill. As long as you've paid at least three accounts on time for 12 months, we can build a credit profile that meets FHA and VA guidelines.
When no traditional score exists, the lender runs a 'manual underwrite' and assigns a passing grade to each account we submit. Think of it like a report card: A for 12 months of perfect rent, B for one 30-day late utility, etc. Two or three 'A' grades usually equal an approved loan.
NMHL's first pull is a 'soft' inquiry that never shows on any bureau. We only order a hard pull once you pick a loan program and give us explicit permission, so your fragile or non-existent score stays protected while we explore options.
With an FHA non-traditional credit loan, the minimum is still 3.5%. If your income is at or below 80% of your area median, you can combine that with a 3% down-payment assistance grant, leaving you with only 0.5% out of pocket — roughly $2,000 on a $400,000 home.
Cash is tricky, but not dead in the water. We'll help you gather 12 months of cancelled checks, money-order stubs, or bank withdrawals that line up with lease dates. If you truly have no paper trail, we can add you to a new lease for 90 days and re-apply — still faster than waiting two years to build a credit score.
Not with the programs NMHL offers. Because FHA and VA back these loans, the rate premium is usually 0.125%–0.25% above the market — on a $350,000 loan that's about $20 more per month, not hundreds.
Not sure which path fits you best? Let's talk it through. No credit score needed for the first call — just your story and 15 minutes of your time.
We will reach out at a time that works for you. No pressure, no obligation.