# What are the core pillars of a mortgage credit assessment?

> Lenders look beyond the Beacon score — payment history (35% weighting), credit utilization, file depth, and tolerance for 3–4 mortgage-shopping inquiries all drive the underwriting decision.

Category: Purchasing
Last verified: 2026-02-18
Source: https://ratellow.com/faqs/purchasing/what-are-the-core-pillars-of-a-mortgage-credit-assessment

## Answer
### Data Summary

- Weighting: Payment history accounts for 35% of the score.
- Recent Inquires: Lenders tolerate ~3-4 inquiries for mortgage shopping without penalty.
- Bankruptcy: Most prime lenders require 2 years of discharge + re-established credit.

## Related guide
- https://ratellow.com/guides/credit-score-mortgage-impact

## Sources
- Report on the Guideline on Existing Consumer Mortgage Loans | Canada.ca — https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/programs/research/guideline-mortgage-loans.html#toc0