What if my credit score is below 680?

The guarantor does not need to be on title or contribute money. A parent, sibling, or partner willing to sign the guaranty satisfies the requirement, and because qualification runs on a soft pull, asking someone to be checked costs them nothing on their own report.

If no qualifying guarantor exists today, look at the calendar. Scores recover faster than most borrowers expect: paying a maxed revolving line below 30% utilization can move a score 20–40 points in one or two reporting cycles, and disputes on genuine errors resolve in about 30 days. A 650 in March is often a 685 by June.

What does not work is hoping the collateral covers a shortfall. Strong land at low leverage does not waive the credit floor — the 680 is a fixed gate, not a negotiable one. Better to solve it with a guarantor or a short delay than to shop lenders who skip credit entirely and charge hard-money pricing for the privilege.