Mortgage Lender Reviews
from Experts You Can Trust

You’ll want to choose a mortgage lender that has the best combination of rates, fees, and loan terms for your situation.

Start by thinking about your main goals: Do you want the smallest down payment? Lowest monthly payment? Lowest interest overall? Then use online reviews (you can see ours below) to find out which lenders offer the types of loan programs you need based on those goals.

Pick a few lenders, compare quotes (also called “Loan Estimates”), and see which one offers the best deal. You should also make sure the loan officer answers all your questions thoroughly, and that you’d be comfortable working with that loan officer and company long-term.

To find the best deal on your mortgage, you should give all the same information to each lender you speak with. And you should ask them all the same questions. That way, you can be sure you’re comparing apples-to-apples quotes — and you’ll get a feel for which lender has the best prices and service.

Questions you should ask prospective mortgage lenders include:

• What interest rate do you qualify for?
• Does the interest rate the company quoted include “discount points” that you pay to lower your rate?
• Is your quoted interest rate for a fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) or an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)?
• Can the company offer you a lower interest rate? (You may be able to use lower rate quotes from other companies as a bargaining chip)
• What are your closing costs estimated to be?
• What types of loan programs does the lender offer?
• What loan program would the lender recommend based on your financial situation?
• What are the major benefits of that program versus others?
• Will you have to pay for mortgage insurance? (This is often the case if you put less than 20% down)
• Do you qualify for any kind of down payment assistance or closing cost grants? These programs are usually state-run, but your lender may be able to help you find one if you need assistance

We recommend checking in with at least three lenders before choosing one for your mortgage. You can get started right here >>

We wish we could tell you flat out which companies have the best mortgage rates. But of course, it’s never that simple. Every company has different rates and specializes in different loan programs. That means one lender might have the best rates for lower credit, one might have the best rates for FHA loans or VA loans, one might have the best rates for jumbo loans, and so on.

So in truth, the only way to find out who has the best rates is to compare personalized mortgage quotes. When you’re looking at rate quotes, keep two things in mind:

1. Does the quoted rate include discount points? The more discount points or “mortgage points” included, that more you have to pay in closing costs to actually get the rate you’re quoted
2. What’s the APR quoted alongside the interest rate? The APR is your “effective” rate with fees included, so looking at this is just as important as looking at the interest rate

Comparing rate quotes takes a little work. But just a few hours work saves homeowners $300 per year, on average — so it’s worth it in the end.

You have options when shopping for your home loan. You can work with a mortgage broker or bank. Both have pros and cons. A broker works with multiple lenders, and can help you compare loan options and rates to find the best deal. But sometimes, broker fees are higher than bank fees. A bank, on the other hand, may offer you a lower-priced loan. But you’ll have to do the work of comparison shopping on your own. You can learn more about mortgage brokers vs. banks here >>

To get pre-approved for a mortgage, you have to contact a lender and supply them with some of your financial information. You can either do this online or over the phone — whichever you’re comfortable with. The lender will usually ask for a bank statement and a recent pay stub to verify your assets. They’ll also pull your credit.

Getting pre-approved is a little more work than getting pre-qualified, but it gives you a verified document stating what you can afford. Sellers won’t accept an offer on a house without a pre-approval letter. Learn more about getting preapproved here >>