Best Mortgage Lenders 2021
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From small credit unions to large banks, there are over 5,500 mortgage lenders in the United States. Some lenders excel in customer service or offer a smooth application process, while others feature low interest rates or no down payments. Here are some of the best mortgage lenders in the United States in 2021.
Best Mortgage Lenders Overview
- Best for Low Interest Rates: PennyMac
- Best for No Down Payment: Alliant
- Best for VA Loans: Navy Federal
- Best for Convenience: Quicken Loans/Rocket
- Best for Customer Service: Ally Bank
- Best for Poor Credit: Carrington Mortgage Services
- Best for Interest-Only Mortgages: Guaranteed Rate
BEST FOR LOW INTEREST RATES
PennyMac
PennyMac mortgage rates are some of the lowest in the US. PennyMac is currently the second largest lender of government loans. PennyMac VA home loans require no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance premiums. They also offer conventional refinance and cash-out refinances.
PennyMac Loan Services is one of the top three mortgage lenders in the United States and offers mortgages including conventional loans, FHA loans, USDA loans, and VA loans.
BEST FOR NO DOWN PAYMENT
Alliant Credit Union
The Alliant Advantage Mortgage (AAM) program offers low and no down payments on certain mortgages, all without any private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums required. Alliant Credit Union is a not-for-profit that serves its members rather than stockholders. Alliant is one of the largest credit unions in the United States and has been operating for over 80 years.
First-time homebuyers can qualify for a mortgage with 0% down payment for loans of up to $500,000 for adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM), while non-first-time homebuyers can get a mortgage with a down payment as low as 5%, or refinance with 5% equity.
Alliant mortgage rates are offered for both conventional and adjustable-rate mortgages.
BEST FOR VA LOANS
Navy Federal
Navy Federal allows 0% down payment on VA loans, Freedom Lock to lock-in your mortgage rate for up to 60 days, and cash-back bonuses in certain states.
Navy Federal is a not-for-profit credit union for both current members of the military, their families, and veterans. All active duty members and veterans, including those in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard, are eligible for membership. Membership is also open to their family members and Department of Defence civilian employees.
BEST FOR CONVENIENCE
Quicken Loans/Rocket
Quicken Loans makes the mortgage application process easy by making it all online. You can send your information online without the hassle of paper documents, and you can schedule your closing to be whenever you want online. You can view the status of your loan application and manage your mortgage all online as well. Also part of the Quicken Loans family, Rocket Mortgages offers swift mortgage approvals.
For a 30-Year Fixed loan, Quicken Loans requires a minimum down payment of just 3%, and a credit score of at least 620. You can view some of Quicken Loan mortgage rates and Rocket Mortgage rates here.
Quicken Loans is the largest mortgage lender in the United States, and offers a wide variety of products from conventional mortgages, ARM, FHA loans, VA loans, USDA loans, and jumbo loans.
BEST FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
Ally Bank
Named Newsweek's Best Online Bank for Customer Service, Ally Bank makes it easy to get in touch with an agent. You can call, chat, email, tweet, message on Facebook, use their mobile app, or even talk to them through Amazon Alexa.
Ally Bank is an online bank that offers mortgage pre-approvals in as little as 3 minutes. Down payments of as low as 3% are allowed, and first-time home buyers can save on private mortgage insurance. Ally Bank mortgage rates include those for conventional mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages, and jumbo loans.
BEST FOR POOR CREDIT
Carrington Mortgage Services
Carrington Mortgage Services accept credit scores as low as 500 for FHA loans, USDA loans, VA loans, and Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) loans. For conventional loans, a credit score of at least 620 is needed. Homeownership education is required for some loan programs.
BEST FOR INTEREST-ONLY MORTGAGES
Guaranteed Rate
Guaranteed Rate offers interest-only mortgages with terms from five to ten years. An interest-only mortgage can help those looking for a lower monthly mortgage payment rather than the ability to build up home equity.
Besides interest-only mortgages, Guaranteed Rate also offers FHA loans, VA home loans, jumbo loans, conventional mortgages, and mortgage refinance options. Applying for a mortgage can take as little as 10 minutes.
Which Mortgage Lender Is the Best?
These mortgage lenders excel in their categories, whether it is Alliant requiring no down payments, Quicken Loans with a speedy application process, or Ally Bank with 24/7 customer service. While these categories are certainly self-contained, it doesn’t mean that they are separate from one another.
If you’re a first-time homebuyer you might focus on lenders that offer a 0% down payment, but you might also appreciate convenience as well. Those looking for VA Loans might also be interested in getting the lowest interest rate possible, or for lenders that accept low credit scores.
Before choosing a mortgage lender, be sure to compare lenders to find the one that is most suitable for your own needs.