If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’ve probably heard the terms soft pull and hard pull — and maybe even worried about what they mean for your credit score.
Let’s break it down in a simple way 
What Is a Soft Pull? 
A soft inquiry is a credit check that does not impact your credit score.
You’ll typically see a soft pull when:
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You check your own credit (Credit Karma, MyFICO, etc.)
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A lender does a preliminary review
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You’re pre-screened for an offer
Different scoring models can be used depending on the situation, but the key takeaway is this:
A soft pull does not lower your score It doesn’t signal to other lenders that you’re actively applying for debtIt’s simply a way to review credit without creating a scoring impact.
What Is a Hard Pull? 
A hard inquiry happens when you formally apply for new credit, such as:
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A mortgage
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An auto loan
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A credit card
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A personal loan
Hard pulls:
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Are initiated by a lender
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May cause a small, temporary drop in your score (often just a few points)
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Appear on your credit report
One hard pull is completely normal when applying for a mortgage. Multiple hard pulls outside of a shopping window, however, can raise red flags.
Are “Shopping Windows” Real? 
Yes — and this is where a lot of confusion happens.
Credit scoring models recognize that buyers shop around for major loans like mortgages and auto loans. Because of this, multiple inquiries within a certain timeframe are typically grouped together and treated as one inquiry.
For mortgage and auto loans, that window is generally 14–45 days, depending on the scoring model being used.
To be safe, we usually recommend completing rate shopping within about two weeks.
How Inquiries Are Counted 
Here’s how it typically works:
• Multiple mortgage inquiries within the window → Count as 1 inquiry
• Multiple auto loan inquiries within the window → Count as 1 inquiry
• A mortgage inquiry and an auto loan inquiry → Count separately
• Multiple auto loan inquiries within the window → Count as 1 inquiry
• A mortgage inquiry and an auto loan inquiry → Count separately
Other types of credit (like credit cards or personal loans) are not grouped the same way.
The Bottom Line 
Credit inquiries aren’t something to panic over — especially when you’re shopping for a home.
A soft pull won’t impact your score A hard pull may cause a small temporary dip Mortgage rate shopping within a short window is normal and expectedIf you’re considering applying but have questions about your credit, we’re always happy to walk through your options before anything is pulled.