The credit score bar is rising for home buyers seeking the best mortgage rates, according to real estate data firm Zillow Inc.
It also says about 30 percent of Americans remain unlikely to qualify for a mortgage.
Borrowers with credit scores under 620 who requested loan quotes this month were unlikely to receive a loan offer, unchanged from three years ago, even if they offered down payments of as high as 15 to 25 percent.
More than 28 percent of Americans have a credit score of 620 or lower, according to myFICO.com.
The best mortgage rates now are reserved for borrowers with a credit score of 740 or higher, compared to 720 or higher in 2010.
Almost half of borrowers in September had credit scores of 720 and above.
