First-time homebuyers can now use their history of consistent, on-time rent payments to help secure approval for a home loan. This credit-building approach allows mortgage lenders to consider positive rental data during the underwriting process, helping renters transition into homeownership even if they have limited traditional credit histories.

How does the rent payment history program work?

According to Synergy One Lending, first-time homebuyers who have consistently paid rent for at least 12 months can utilize that positive rental payment history to qualify for a mortgage. This process helps individuals who might otherwise struggle to secure a loan due to a thin credit file. According to Fannie Mae, approximately 20% of the U.S. adult population had little credit history as of 2022.

By looking at a borrower's actual history of paying rent, lenders can get a clearer picture of financial responsibility. For example, according to Synergy One Lending, a first-time homebuyer named Kyle used his positive rent history to secure approval for a conventional home loan in Raytown, Missouri, in 2023.

What is the broader impact on the housing market?

This underwriting feature has expanded access to homeownership for thousands of buyers. According to Fannie Mae, more than 21,000 borrowers have benefited from on-time rent payment reporting as of 2026.

The system has proven highly effective at identifying qualified buyers who were previously overlooked by traditional credit scoring. According to Fannie Mae, within less than a year of launching the positive rent payment feature in September 2021, more than 2,000 loan applications became eligible for purchase that otherwise would not have been.

Furthermore, this shift has had a notable impact on demographic access to housing. According to Fannie Mae, approximately 41% of the borrowers who became eligible through the automated rent payment data feature in its first year identified themselves as Black or Latino/Hispanic.

What this means for you

For anyone looking at the broader economic landscape to decide where to allocate capital, changes in mortgage underwriting directly influence the real estate market by bringing new buyers into the pool.

To understand the environment these new buyers are entering, we can look at recent housing market data. According to Redfin Data Center, the U.S. median sale price in 2026-05 was $440,411. During that same month, according to Redfin Data Center, U.S. homes sold was 432,015, while U.S. inventory was 1,397,071, and U.S. new listings was 540,197.

These shifting dynamics and underwriting policies are felt across several major investment sectors. If you are tracking where capital is performing well, consider how different industries are moving year to date as of 2026-08-11, according to Yahoo Finance (chart endpoint) daily adjusted closes:

  • **Energy:** According to Yahoo Finance, Up 36.5% year to date.
  • **Infrastructure:** According to Yahoo Finance, Up 22.2% year to date.
  • **US Real Estate:** According to Yahoo Finance, Up 11.9% year to date.
  • **Agriculture:** According to Yahoo Finance, Up 9% year to date.

When mortgage accessibility programs expand the pool of eligible homebuyers, they directly support demand in the residential property market, which in turn influences the broader real estate sector and related infrastructure development.

Sources

  • Synergy One Lending
  • Fannie Mae
  • Redfin Data Center
  • Yahoo Finance

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Educational content. Not an offer, an investment recommendation, or legal or tax advice.