In the real world, it would be pretty expensive to live like Barbie — especially when it comes to housing.
Consider Airbnb’s life-size Barbie Dreamhouse rental in Malibu, an all-pink mansion decked out in Barbie décor, for example. Although the listing is no longer accepting bookings, guests who did manage to snag a stay will get to live like Barbie for a night, free of charge.
But if you wanted to buy the multistory property, you’d probably need millions of dollars and a credit score of at least a 750 to get it, Tony Mariotti, CEO of RubyHome, a Malibu-based luxury real estate company, tells CNBC Make It.
That’s a pretty high credit score; any score between 740 and 799 qualifies as “very good,” according to Experian. It’s just one step down from “exceptional.”
While the oceanfront estate is privately owned and isn’t actively for sale, several real estate companies have given varying estimates of what it may be worth.
RubyHome estimates the pink mansion is worth about $10 million, Mariotti says. However, Zillow prices the home at about $5.3 million and Redfin estimates it would run you about $3.3 million.
The credit score you need to buy your own dream home
Don’t panic if your credit score isn’t high enough to buy a property like Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse.
The typical score you need to buy a home is much lower, usually ranging between 500 and 700, according to Experian. The exact score you need depends on the type of mortgage loan you’re trying to get and the lender you choose.
For a conventional loan, which you would typically get from a bank and isn’t backed by a government agency, you would need a minimum credit score of 620, according to Experian. However, some lenders may require a minimum of 660 or higher.
Some potential buyers may want to consider a Federal Housing Administration loan, which is a mortgage loan insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. If you have a credit score of 580 or higher, you may be able to get an FHA mortgage with a down payment as low as of 3.5% of the cost of the home.
If you can make a 10% down payment, you could qualify for an FHA loan with a credit score between 500 and 579.
It’s important to note that all FHA loans require you to pay a mortgage insurance premium, which is similar to private mortgage insurance on conventional loans, regardless of the down payment amount. Additionally, FHA loans tend to have lower limits and can only be used for a primary residence.
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