When my wife and I were deciding where to buy our first home, Livingston County was at the top of our list. We wanted a community that was safe, stable, and built for families. We saved carefully, did our homework, and trusted that the system guiding our mortgage had been held to the same standard. That trust matters and right now, Washington is testing it.
The federal government recently approved VantageScore 4.0 as a new credit scoring model for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the FHA. As someone who has spent his career in government — from the Michigan Attorney General’s office to Livingston County — I know that decisions framed as technical upgrades often carry consequences that are anything but technical.
This rollout should give every Mid-Michigan homebuyer reason to pay attention. VantageScore is owned by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the same three bureaus whose data it depends on. Meanwhile, FICO, the proven standard that has governed responsible lending for decades, is being sidelined with no clear explanation. That is not competition. And without proper oversight, it raises real questions about who this change is actually designed to serve.
Expanding homeownership access is a goal worth pursuing. But the families buying their first homes in communities like Livingston County deserve a mortgage system that has been fully vetted, not one that was rushed through before anyone asked the hard questions.
Congress should be asking them now.
Sean Jackson
I understand the concern, but as a mortgage lender, I think one important clarification is needed: FICO is not going away.
This change allows VantageScore 4.0 as an additional approved scoring option in certain mortgage channels. It does not eliminate FICO, and it does not mean lenders are suddenly ignoring risk. FHFA has stated that Classic FICO remains an approved credit score model for loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and lenders may currently use Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0.
Our company began using the VantageScore 4.0 model about a month ago for eligible loans, with the exception of FHA. On my files, I run both reports simultaneously so I can review the full credit picture instead of relying on one score alone.
In practice, this can help qualified borrowers who have strong payment histories that an older scoring model may not fully capture. I have already seen situations where this gives borrowers a more accurate evaluation, and in some cases, helps them qualify with better pricing than they may have received under one model alone.
I agree that oversight and transparency matter. But framing this as FICO being “sidelined” is not accurate. This is not about removing standards. It is about allowing more than one validated model to evaluate credit risk.
For families in Livingston County and across Michigan, the real issue should be whether the system is fair, accurate, and responsibly underwritten. More complete data can help with that.
If anyone has questions about how this may affect their ability to qualify, their interest rate, or their loan options, I am always happy to help explain it from the lender side. No pressure, no politics, just real information.
Thank you for informing us of this issue. I had no idea that FICO is being sidelined.