There have been two big mortgage headlines, and they are getting a lot of attention. One is real and happening soon. The other is still speculation.

Let’s break them down.

First, Fannie Mae is removing the 620 minimum credit score requirement for DU approvals starting November 16th. That does not mean credit scores no longer matter. It means approvals will rely more heavily on the full financial picture instead of one hard cutoff.

Income, assets, payment history, and overall risk will carry more weight. For borrowers with lower scores but strong compensating factors, this could open doors that were previously closed. In tougher scenarios, manual underwriting may also be an option when automated findings fall short.

This change is especially important for borrowers who had one or two setbacks but have since stabilized. It creates more flexibility, not a free pass.

The second headline getting attention is the idea of a potential 50-year mortgage. As of now, nothing official has been announced. No guidelines. No rollout. Just discussion.

Longer-term mortgages tend to sound appealing because of lower payments, but as I have shared before, the long-term cost can be significant. Until something is formally released, this is more noise than strategy.

What does matter right now is creativity and structure.

We are actively helping borrowers with complex situations using tools like HELOCs, bank statement loans, and alternative income strategies. These options already exist and can be far more effective than waiting on hypothetical programs.

If you have a tricky situation that does not fit neatly into a box, or a client who has been told no, feel free to reach out. Many solutions come down to knowing where to look and how to structure the loan correctly.

I will be sharing deeper dives on both of these topics soon. Follow along for clear updates and practical mortgage guidance as things evolve.