

Kate Wood
Barbara Marquand
Johanna Arnone
This service is free and will not affect your credit score.
Best for flexible lending options
Our take on New American Funding
New American Funding offers a large menu of loan products, as well as programs like first-time home buyer assistance, but personalized mortgage rates aren't available on its website.
Best for competitive rates and fees
Our take on NBKC
NBKC stands out for its attractive interest rates and fees, and is primarily an online lender — though its app does not have mortgage features and chat support is not geared toward mortgage borrowers.
Best for fast closing
Our take on CrossCountry Mortgage
CrossCountry Mortgage stands out for its wide range of loan types, including FHA loans and less common options. Down payment assistance is available. However, the lender earns relatively low marks for customer satisfaction during origination.
Best for nontraditional credit histories
Our take on Rate
Rate boasts a streamlined application process, with full underwriting in as little as one business day — though for all its online conveniences, you'll still work with a human.
Best for first-time home buyers
Our take on PNC Bank
PNC Bank has solid options for budgets large and small. Though average interest rates are on the high side, its wide selection of loans (even for lower credit scores) could be a good pick for first-time home buyers seeking a streamlined digital experience.
Best for fast closing
Our take on PrimeLending
PrimeLending stands out for its harder-to-find mortgages, including renovation loans and options for self-employed borrowers, though online rate shopping isn't available. Most likely to appeal to buyers who need help with closing costs or want to finance a fixer-upper.
Best for North Carolina borrowers
Our take on State Employees' Credit Union
State Employees’ Credit Union in North Carolina is worth checking out for those in the Southeast who meet its narrow membership criteria — especially first-time home buyers eligible for generous grants and specialty loans. But it doesn’t offer government-backed mortgages.
Best for nontraditional credit histories
Our take on Guild Mortgage
Guild Mortgage offers a wide range of products that may attract nontraditional borrowers, including loans with 0% or 1% down. However, interest rates aren’t published online, making it harder to shop around.
Best for nontraditional credit histories
Our take on Carrington
Carrington Mortgage offers specialty loans for people who might have trouble getting a mortgage elsewhere, like self-employed borrowers or those with heavy debt. Average rates are low, though fees are on the higher side.
Best for streamlined process
Our take on loanDepot
LoanDepot, one of the country’s largest mortgage lenders, has faced negative headlines recently. It offers a wide range of mortgages, including the harder-to-find FHA 203(k) renovation loan. Federal data tells us average mortgage rates are on the low side, but that’s not easy to discover: LoanDepot doesn’t post rates on its website.
Best for Wells Fargo customers
Our take on Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo has significantly shrunk its mortgage business in the past two years, dropping from the third largest mortgage originator in 2023 to the twelfth largest in 2024. It was still the fourth largest jumbo loan originator in the country last year.
40
Lenders reviewed
10
Categories assessed
300+
Data points analyzed
5.0
Overall score
