One point of credit score, 749 to 750, will not change her rate. Credit pricing works in tiers, and both scores sit in the same bucket (common breaks fall at levels like 740 and 760). Chasing that single point is effort spent in the wrong place. The real puzzle is why a zero-point builder quote would sit well above the market par rate at all. Builders usually subsidize the rate through their affiliated lender to help move homes, so a quote far above par signals something else is driving it. Common culprits: - Occupancy. The property is being financed as an investment or second home rather than a primary residence. - Credit beyond the score. Recent derogatories, high balances, or a thin file. - Markup baked into the rate. A strong 749 on a primary residence should not price that high. Get the Loan Estimate and look at the whole file, because the fix is whatever is really elevating the rate rather than one FICO point. Send it over and we are glad to pinpoint it. The 7.125% here is illustrative, not a market quote.