I am 22 with zero credit score and wanting to buy my first house in a year

Portland, Oregon
Mortgage Brokers & Lenders
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I am 22 with zero credit score and wanting to buy my first house in a year

Paden Aldinger
Member since 2026 · 4 posts · 6 votes

Hi I am 22 and still live at home with my parents in the Portland, Oregon area. I want to get into real estate investing and am saving for the down payment for my first house in a year from now. Possibly a house hack with multi family or single family. Not sure yet. I don't believe I have any credit score. I tried looking up my score and couldnt find any score. I have never had a credit card or any payments that would give me a score (like rent or car payments). I'm trying to figure out how to either get a loan without a credit score or the best way to build credit within a year. I don't know much about how credit scores work. I have a good paying job as an electrician apprentice and have tax returns and paystubs to show proof for the last couple of years. And I have tax returns and paystubs for a construction job for two more years before I was an electrician apprentice. So I have four years total of records. Any help or advice would be great!

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Ryan Fox
Investor · NV and CA · Member since 2016 · 373 posts · 227 votes
1mo

@Paden Aldinger- You'll likely need a credit score to get any reasonable rate on a mortgage. Start with the lowest level of credit / borrowing and work up from there. There are banks that will give you a credit card without a credit score, just do a google search. Also the stores you shop at that offer credit cards generally have lower standards. You could also apply for a secured credit card, which is just like a normal credit card but you pay a deposit up front. If your parents have good credit, ask if they'll let you be an authorized user on their credit card and you'll essentially inherit their credit score, but you also have the risk of your score dropping if they don't make payments. 

I'm not saying you need to do all these things, you really need just one credit line to establish a credit score. After that credit is established, a different kind of borrowing, like an auto loan, may help your credit.

Good luck!

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  • Ryan Fox
    Investor · NV and CA · Member since 2016 · 373 posts · 227 votes
    1mo

    @Paden Aldinger- You'll likely need a credit score to get any reasonable rate on a mortgage. Start with the lowest level of credit / borrowing and work up from there. There are banks that will give you a credit card without a credit score, just do a google search. Also the stores you shop at that offer credit cards generally have lower standards. You could also apply for a secured credit card, which is just like a normal credit card but you pay a deposit up front. If your parents have good credit, ask if they'll let you be an authorized user on their credit card and you'll essentially inherit their credit score, but you also have the risk of your score dropping if they don't make payments. 

    I'm not saying you need to do all these things, you really need just one credit line to establish a credit score. After that credit is established, a different kind of borrowing, like an auto loan, may help your credit.

    Good luck!

    2Reply
  • Gregory AcsPro Member
    Lender · MD · Member since 2025 · 162 posts · 62 votes
    1mo

    You're in a better position than you might think because you're planning a year ahead instead of waiting until you're ready to buy. The lack of a credit score is something to work on now, but it's generally much easier to build credit over the next 12 months than it is to save a down payment at the last minute.

    A simple place to start is opening a credit card, using it for a few regular expenses each month, and paying the balance in full before the due date. That helps establish a payment history without paying interest. Also avoid opening several new accounts at once, since consistency matters more than having a lot of credit.

    Keep saving your down payment and try to avoid taking on new debt if you can. Since you're already working as an electrician apprentice with a steady income history, those pay stubs and tax returns will be valuable when it's time to apply. If you're thinking about house hacking, it can also be worth learning the financing differences between a single-family home, duplex, triplex, and fourplex before you start shopping, since the loan requirements can vary.

    Have you checked whether you truly have no credit file yet, or just no score, and have you decided whether you're leaning more toward a duplex or a single-family house hack?

    0Reply
  • Stacy RaskinBusiness Member
    Lender · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 500 votes
    1mo

    Having credit tradelines (reports on your credit report) are important as it shows you can use credit responsibly. Aiming to have at least three credit tradelines can be helpful. Opening up credit cards and paying them off every month can help to create a higher credit score. Paying them off every month helps you to avoid interest and have a lower credit utilization on your credit cards helps boost your credit score. 

    Different credit score models such as FICO vs Vantage have different factors that impact the credit score models such as age of credit, no missed payments, credit utilization, etc. FICO credit scores are the most widely used in the mortgage industry. Learning about credit can help to put you in the best position you can be to buy a property when you're ready. 

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  • Avi Weichman
    Lender · Member since 2026 · 19 posts · 2 votes
    1mo

    Fastest way to grow your credit score

    Open three cards. (do it on one day for best approval rate as your credit takes a short-term dip when you open new cards)

    • -Your own bank is a good place to start — you already have a relationship there.
    • -Discover was my first. They're fairly easy to get approved for.
    • -Capital One has options for lower/no score. 
    • There are others too; Credit Karma, Dan's Deals, and similar sites are worth reading up on.

    After that, spend 6-10% of your credit limit on the cards each month and pay it off in full, on time, every time.

    Lastly, create a free Experian account so you can track your score as it moves.

    Disclaimer: there are a lot of ways to get to the top. This is what worked for me and what I advise my family and friends.

    -Avi

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  • Kerry Noble JrPro Member
    Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1mo

    I can add you as an authorized user on one of my cards and thatll give you a boost. I can definitely teach you about credit too. Open to connecting

    0Reply
  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1mo

    @Paden Aldinger Get a credit card, pay off every month. Your bank will send you offers all the time. Take one or two. Just pay them automatically on time.  Store cards are ok too, I highly recommend autopay because late payments do more damage.Get a small car loan from a credit union (low interest). Credit scores are built by diversity of loan types too.

    You basically have to borrow money to be able to borrow more money. nobody starts out lending you a couple of hundred thousand dollars.  You will need a good credit score and two years at a job to get a loan. 

    0Reply
  • Janice Carter
    Real Estate Broker · Atlanta · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 605 votes
    1mo

    @Paden Aldinger Welcome to the BP community. If you don't have any credit, a good first step is to get a secured credit card and use it responsibly by making small purchases and paying the balance in full each month. That will help you establish a credit history. Keep saving for your down payment and a house hack can be a great way to get started. Best of luck on your investing journey.

    1Reply
  • Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member
    CPA, CFP®, PFS · FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    1mo

    Building credit within a year is doable, a secured credit card or becoming an authorized user on a parent's card, paid in full each month, can get you a usable score within a few months, well ahead of your purchase timeline. Lenders will also look favorably at four years of steady W-2 and 1099 income with tax returns and paystubs backing it up, that consistency matters a lot even without an established credit history.

    Once you do buy, if you go the multifamily house hack route, only the units you rent out get depreciation and expense deductions, the unit you live in doesn't qualify, so keep that split documented from day one based on square footage or unit count. A single-family without house hacking is simpler tax-wise since it's either fully personal or fully rental depending on how you use it, but you lose the immediate rental income to help qualify for the loan in the first place. Worth weighing that tradeoff alongside the credit-building timeline as you decide which direction to go.

    Happy to connect!

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  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1mo

    @Avi Weichman  I agree on Discover my son got a student card through them and still has it but unfortunately they were bought out by Capitol One.  I like capitol one but the interest rate is higher and not sure they will go with beginner cards anymore. 

    0Reply
  • Wale LawalBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Houston | Dallas | Austin, TX · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    1mo

    @Paden Aldinger

    You are fortunate since you have an income that is steady along with sufficient time to plan. It would be best if you got started with establishing your credit record using a secured or beginner’s credit card and paying the card off in full each month. Also you should consult with the local bank right away.

    Good luck!

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    • Paden Aldinger
      OP
      Member since 2026 · 4 posts · 6 votes
      1mo

      @Wale Lawal Ok thanks! You mean talk to the bank about how to build credit or start talking with them about a home loan?

      0Reply
  • Henry ClarkPro Member
    Developer · Member since 2020 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1mo

    OP. Sit down with your bank loan officer and talk with him. 

    Get a card and use to buy gas.

    Buy a tv, sofa, couch, etc for a couple hundred and pay over x years. Put on autopay with your bank account.

    0Reply
  • James Driscoll
    Banker · MA · Member since 2026 · 120 posts · 32 votes
    1mo

    Good setup actually. Four years of W-2 history as an electrician apprentice is solid, and the fact that you're starting this a year out gives you real options.

    The "no score" situation is called a thin file or credit invisible. You're not penalized for bad credit, there's just nothing for the scoring models to read. The fastest fix is a secured credit card: you deposit a small amount (say $200-500) as collateral and it becomes your credit limit. Use it for something small each month, pay it in full before the due date, and after about 6 months you'll typically have a score in the 600s or higher depending on how the rest of your profile looks. Some people add a credit-builder loan through a local credit union alongside this to get a second trade line moving. The goal going into a mortgage application is at least 2 open accounts with 12 months of history. A year is enough time to hit that if you start now.

    On the mortgage side: FHA loans allow for nontraditional credit (utility payments, rent history, insurance payments) when a borrower has no score at all, but it requires manual underwriting and not every lender does it. It's doable, just more friction. If you build even a thin score over the next year, you'll have more options and a smoother process.

    For house hacking specifically, FHA is worth looking at. You can put 3.5% down on a 1-4 unit property as long as you live in one of the units. The rental income from the other units can help you qualify. There are also down payment assistance programs worth researching for Oregon first-time buyers, though what's available shifts over time so check what's current when you're closer to being ready.

    The electrician income is a real asset here. Stable W-2 income with a multi-year track record is what lenders want to see. Just get that credit file started now and you'll be in a reasonable position 12 months from now.

    James Driscoll

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  • Hamp Lee IIIPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 832 votes
    1mo

    You're starting early to get ahead of things! I'll share one program you can consider now.

    Check out the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) program. They boast to have America's best mortgage.

    NACA was formed in 1988 and provides an affordable option for potential first-time buyers:

    ✅ No down payment

    ✅ No closing costs or fees

    ✅ No mortgage insurance

    ✅ No consideration of credit score

    ✅ Below market fixed interest rate

    There are several requirements to be eligible, starting with attending one of their workshops.

    I wish you all the best in creating generational wealth through real estate!

    0Reply
  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1mo

    @Paden Aldinger Do you have an account at a major bank? IF you have some saving they should be making a credit card offer by email or mail.  If not a gas card or similar. You can get your credit score free annually from each of the 3 credit reporting agencies. If you haven't borrowed for a car or another loan they won't give you a score.  If you paid the cable company or your phone company significantly late that sometimes shows up. On time not always. 

    0Reply
  • Adam S.
    Member since 2026 · 72 posts · 30 votes
    1mo
    Quote from @Paden Aldinger:

    Hi I am 22 and still live at home with my parents in the Portland, Oregon area. I want to get into real estate investing and am saving for the down payment for my first house in a year from now. Possibly a house hack with multi family or single family. Not sure yet. I don't believe I have any credit score. I tried looking up my score and couldnt find any score. I have never had a credit card or any payments that would give me a score (like rent or car payments). I'm trying to figure out how to either get a loan without a credit score or the best way to build credit within a year. I don't know much about how credit scores work. I have a good paying job as an electrician apprentice and have tax returns and paystubs to show proof for the last couple of years. And I have tax returns and paystubs for a construction job for two more years before I was an electrician apprentice. So I have four years total of records. Any help or advice would be great!


     Go to a credit union and look for one that does manual underwriting of loans.  I also believe Churchill Mortgage may also handle manual underwriting of mortgages too.

    0Reply
  • Shiloh LundahlPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Gilbert, AZ · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1mo

    You have to pay to play. in other words, if you want other people or banks to lend you money, you need to show them that you're somebody who gets lungs and pays them back. Almost every loan has interest tied to it somehow. So in order to be able to prove to others that you are somebody that can get along and pay it back. You're likely going to need to pay interest on the loans that you get. 

    Some of the loans that I think are the easier ones to get with low credit include:

    1. credit cards
    2. low loan to value loans on vehicles. in other words, if you have a car worth $10,000 and then get a loan on it for $2000 - $4000. Your payment won't be that much, but it will show that you took out a loan that you paid it off.

    3. CD secured loans. This is where you put money in a CD and then you take a loan out for the same amount of money. You usually pay two or 3% higher than the money you're earning in the CD but it's very easy to get this long since you're securing the loan with money that the bank is holding the CD for you then you can just keep that money in the bank and set up auto payments to pay back the loan. This will show up as a loan on your credit as well.

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  • Chris Watkins
    Lender · Eugene, OR · Member since 2021 · 245 posts · 154 votes
    1mo

    Hey there, if your parents are willing to be co-borrowers on a loan, you don't necessarily have to have a credit score to qualify for both conventional and FHA loans. There will be some trade-offs, but it's a great way for a young investor to get started with a house hack.

    DM if you want to talk more about it, as well as buying & owning in the PDX area.

    0Reply
  • Erin Bishop
    Member since 2026 · 4 posts · 0 votes
    1mo

    Establishing credit is very important and not just for borrowing for a house. Employment, insurance and many other life events look at your credit. Do you pay anything on a regular basis like car insurance, rent to your parents, fitness membership or mobile phone? Having trackable payment history is important.

    Ask your parents to add you as a co-signer on an established credit card. This is different from an authorized user. As a co-signer, your ss# is on file, reports to credit bureaus and the age of the account really helps your score. Start now. I agree apply for a bank credit card (Mastercard, Visa). Avoid multiple retail credit cards as things can actually hurt. Keep balance below 33% of limit on any credit cards.

    0Reply
  • Mohammed Rahman
    Real Estate Broker · New York, NY · Member since 2020 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1mo

    Hey Paden,

    I’d start building credit now rather than trying to avoid it. Even something simple like a secured credit card, using it for a small recurring expense, and paying it off in full every month can get you started. You don’t need to carry a balance to build credit.

    I’d also talk to a few lenders now so you know exactly what they’ll want to see from you over the next year. That way you’re not guessing when it’s time to buy.

    Keep saving, keep your income documented, and you’ll be in a much stronger position a year from now.

    Best of luck! I do a lot of house hack deals with new investors in my markets, feel free to reach out if you have any more questions - my DMs are always open!

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