Why run a soft pull first
Depending on the platform, compatible soft pull workflows may be labeled Soft Pull Plus, Power Profile Plus, or Early Assessment. ISC supports these workflows where available.
A hard credit pull generates a hard inquiry on your borrower's credit report. The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act significantly restricts mortgage trigger leads, although certain statutory exceptions remain. A soft-pull-first workflow lets you review the borrower's credit profile before a hard inquiry is generated.
Zero score impact
Your borrower's credit score is not affected by a soft pull. They can engage with you at the earliest stage of homebuying without any concern about score impact.
No hard inquiry
No hard inquiry appears on the credit report. You can assess creditworthiness, build a rescore strategy, and have multiple conversations, all before the hard pull.
Pre-screen efficiently
Filter your pipeline for borrowers who meet your minimum score thresholds before spending the cost of a full tri-merge. Know who to work with before you commit.
Reduce pipeline disruptions
A soft-pull-first workflow lets you review credit before generating a hard inquiry. Move to the hard pull when the borrower is ready for the applicable mortgage process.
Did you know? ISC soft pull reports can also include trended credit data, the same 24-month behavioral history available on tri-merge reports. Ask your ISC support team about adding trended data to your soft pull workflow.
Bureau options, choose what fits your workflow
Single Bureau
Pull from one bureau, Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. This is cost-effective for initial screening of high-volume pipelines.
→ Best for: Initial lead screeningTwo Bureau
Pull from two bureaus for a broader credit picture. Useful for borderline borrowers where a single bureau may not show the complete picture.
→ Best for: Borderline borrowersThree Bureau Soft Tri-Merge
Three-bureau soft pull providing a broader view of the borrower's credit profile without creating a hard inquiry. Ideal for supported pre-application workflows.
→ Best for: Pre-application consultationsSoft pull as a pipeline pre-screening tool
ISC's soft pull prequal is a no-impact credit picture that lets you evaluate a borrower at the earliest stage of the conversation, before any hard pull cost is committed.
Before pulling a full tri-merge on every applicant in your pipeline, ISC's soft pull lets you:
- Filter out borrowers who don't meet your minimum score threshold before spending hard pull costs
- Identify which borrowers may currently meet qualifying thresholds vs. which may benefit from rescore work first
- Prioritize your time and attention on the borrowers most likely to close
- Build a credit consultation strategy before the first formal meeting
Soft pull and the HBPPA, what changed in 2026
The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act took effect in 2026 and significantly restricted the use of mortgage trigger leads. The law limits when consumer reporting agencies may provide mortgage-related prescreening information to other parties, while allowing certain exceptions.
A soft-pull-first workflow can help mortgage professionals engage borrowers earlier in the process without generating a hard inquiry at the initial screening stage.
- No hard inquiry is generated at the soft pull stage, which may help reduce trigger lead exposure
- You can review the borrower's credit profile and discuss potential next steps before moving to a hard pull
- The hard pull can be ordered when the borrower is ready to proceed with the applicable mortgage workflow
When to use a soft pull
- Initial borrower consultation before any formal application or commitment
- Prequalification letters issue a prequal without impacting the borrower's score
- Pipeline screening filter leads before committing hard pull costs
- Early-stage rate conversations review the borrower's credit profile before deciding whether to proceed with a hard pull
- Borrowers not quite ready identify the gap and build a path to qualification without triggering a hard inquiry