Rocket Mortgage to adopt VantageScore 4.0 for eligible mortgages

Rocket Mortgage has announced it will adopt VantageScore 4.0 as its preferred credit scoring model for eligible direct-to-consumer mortgages starting in the fourth quarter of 2026. The Detroit-based lender reached this decision following a four-month testing period involving approximately 1.4 million credit reports compared against FICO scores.

The company reported that the transition could help more clients meet credit requirements and move forward in the mortgage process. According to Rocket Mortgage, borrowers using the VantageScore model saved an average of $1,600 at closing, though the company noted these findings are specific to their own data and not necessarily an industry-wide measure.

The switch will apply to eligible products including VA home loans and those that can be delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. However, the change is not universal; investment-property mortgages, second-home mortgages, home equity loans, FHA loans, and jumbo loans will continue to use FICO scores for the time being.