9 Best Nebraska Mortgage Lenders of 2020

If you are looking to buy or refinance a home in Nebraska, NerdWallet can help you choose from some of the best mortgage lenders in the state.

Owning a home in Nebraska puts you close to natural beauty, amazing outdoor activities and frontier cities teeming with a work hard/play hard ethic. Buying or refinancing that home shouldn't dampen the enthusiasm for where you live.

NerdWallet has researched major mortgage lenders in Nebraska and identified those that excel in one aspect or another of the home loan lending process. Whether you're a first-time buyer or a downsizing retiree, there's a financial fit for you.

Summary of Best Nebraska Mortgage Lenders of 2020

Lender	NerdWallet Rating	Minimum Credit Score	Minimum Down Payment	National / Regional	Learn More
New American Funding Learn more at New American	4.5 /5 Best for: first-time home buyers	700	3%	National	Learn more at New American
Guild Mortgage Read review	4.0 /5 Best for: first-time home buyers	620	3%	Regional	Read review
USAA Read review	3.0 /5 Best for: military-connected borrowers	620	3%	N/A	Read review
Navy Federal Read review	4.5 /5 Best for: military-connected borrowers	N/A	0%	National	Read review
loanDepot Learn more at LoanDepot	4.0 /5 Best for: refinancing	620	3.5%	National	Learn more at LoanDepot
Quicken Loans Learn more at Quicken Loans	4.5 /5 Best for: refinancing	620	3%	N/A	Learn more at Quicken Loans
Wells Fargo Read review	4.0 /5 Best for: face-to-face service	620	3%	N/A	Read review
US Bank Learn more At U.S. Bank	3.5 /5 Best for: HELOC	N/A	N/A	National	Learn more At U.S. Bank
Veterans United Learn more at Veterans United	4.5 /5 Best for: government-backed loans	660	0%	National	Learn more at Veterans United

Learn more

at New American

New American Funding: NMLS#6606

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

700

Min. Down Payment

National / Regional

National

Learn more

at New American

Why we like it

Ideal for borrowers who need to be evaluated on the basis of nontraditional credit. New American Funding offers FHA and VA loans, works with down payment assistance programs, and helps borrowers whose credit histories don't fit the mold of traditional banking.

Pros

Uses manual underwriting to evaluate creditworthiness.
Offers full online mortgage application, rate quotes, document upload and loan tracking.
Home equity lending sets it apart from most non-bank lenders.

Cons

Services not available in all 50 states.

Read Full Review

Read review

Guild Mortgage: NMLS#3274

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

Read review

Why we like it

Ideal for borrowers with a relatively high credit score who may need down payment assistance or help from a state housing agency.

Pros

Works with loan programs offered by state and local housing agencies.
Specializes in mortgages for first-time home buyers.
Almost half of its loans are low-down-payment government mortgages.
Considers alternative credit, such as history of payments on rent and utilities.

Cons

With a concentration of offices in the West and South, Guild has little presence in the Northeast and Midwest.
Jumbo borrowers may find that banks are more competitive when it comes to large loan amounts.

Read Full Review

Read review

USAA: NMLS#8722

3.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

Read review

Why we like it

Ideal for military members and their relatives who are interested in a VA loan.

Pros

VA loans are the bulk of USAA’s business, so it knows the ins and outs of eligibility.
Lots of experience assisting first-time home buyers.
Offers online pre-qualification.

Cons

Doesn’t offer FHA or USDA loans.
Alternative credit is not considered.

Read Full Review

Read review

Navy Federal: NMLS#399807

4.5

NerdWallet rating

National / Regional

National

Min. Down Payment

Read review

Why we like it

Ideal for military members and their families. Navy Federal Credit Union offers a wide range of mortgage products, an online application and considers alternative credit data for certain loan types.

Pros

Wide range of affordable mortgage products designed for military members.
Willing to look at nontraditional credit data, such as rent payments, as part of its credit evaluation for certain products.
Online application for preapproval with quick decision.

Cons

Website does not provide customized mortgage rates based on credit score or other factors before you apply.

Read Full Review

Learn more

at LoanDepot

loanDepot: NMLS#174457

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

National / Regional

National

Learn more

at LoanDepot

Why we like it

Ideal for anyone who wants online convenience with face-to-face options. Loan Depot has affiliated locations nationwide and is well-rated for low customer complaint volume.

Pros

Offers conventional and government-backed refinance mortgages.
Offers a “lifetime guarantee” on future refinances: no lender fees and reimbursal of appraisal cost.
Advertises a "no steering" policy for refinance loans.

Cons

Must provide personal information to get a customized refinance rate quote.
Has fewer high-tech refinance tools than other lenders, such as no mobile app.

Read Full Review

Learn more

at Quicken Loans

Quicken Loans: NMLS#3030

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

Learn more

at Quicken Loans

Why we like it

Ideal choice for convenience and quick-response customer service. Quicken Loans provides just about all the services your neighborhood lender does — with online convenience.

Pros

Quicken Loans couples a fully online application with available mortgage advisors for those who want a human touch.
Instantly verifies employment and income for more than 60% of working Americans.
Offers custom fixed-rate loan terms that are between eight and 30 years.
Provides FHA-backed loans, USDA loans as well as products offered by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae that require down payments as low as 3%.

Cons

Quicken Loans doesn't offer home equity loans or HELOCs.
If you’re a “look me in the eye” type of customer, you’re out of luck.
Doesn’t consider alternative credit data. It just looks at credit scores and debt-to-income ratios, the way most mortgage lenders always have.

Read Full Review

Read review

Wells Fargo: NMLS#399801

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

Read review

Why we like it

Ideal for borrowers looking for a national lender with a complete selection of mortgage products for home buyers in all financial stages.

Pros

Loan programs to educate and assist first-time home buyers, union members and others.
Relocation and employee mortgage programs for many large companies.
Accepts down payments as low as 3% on fixed-rate mortgages through its yourFirst Mortgage program.

Cons

Government actions and scandals have damaged consumer trust.

Read Full Review

Learn more

At U.S. Bank

US Bank: NMLS#402761

3.5

NerdWallet rating

National / Regional

National

Max LTV

90%

Learn more

At U.S. Bank

Why we like it

Ideal for borrowers who want low fees. No closing costs and annual fee is waived for HELOC borrowers with an eligible checking account

Pros

Equity borrowing available from $15,000 to $750,000 (up to $1 million for properties in California), depending on credit history, property's equity and monthly debts.
With a variable-rate HELOC, up to three fixed-rate options can be locked.
Originates loans in all 50 states with loan officers physically present in 28 states.
Mortgage options include a "piggyback" or 80/10/10 loan.
Alternative credit sources can be used in some cases.
No closing costs with a cash-out refinance.

Cons

Limited opportunities for face-to-face banking with offices in only 28 of 50 states.
Average score in J.D. Power 2017 consumer satisfaction survey (US Bank has 3 stars out of 5).
Online capabilities are currently limited.

Read Full Review

Learn more

at Veterans United

Veterans United: NMLS#1907

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

660

Min. Down Payment

Learn more

at Veterans United

Why we like it

Ideal for veterans and active-duty service members. Veterans United is the nation's largest VA home purchase lender but also offers an excellent selection of other government and conventional loans.

Pros

Also offers FHA, USDA and conventional loans.
Offers 24/7 customer service.
You can complete a loan application and pre-qualify online.
Registers a low volume of complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Offers free credit score education and assistance.
Provides a client advocate team staffed by former senior enlisted leaders from each branch of the armed forces.

Cons

Doesn’t offer home equity loans or HELOCs.
Loans are available in all 50 states, but Veterans United has offices in only about half.

Read Full Review

More from NerdWallet

Last updated on January 2, 2020

Methodology

NerdWallet's selection of mortgage lenders for inclusion here was made based on our evaluation of the products and services that lenders offer to consumers who are actively shopping for the best mortgage. The six key areas we evaluated include the loan types and loan products offered, online capabilities, online mortgage rate information, customer service and the number of complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as a percentage of loans issued. We also awarded lenders up to one bonus star for a unique program or borrower focus that set them apart from other lenders. To ensure consistency, our ratings are reviewed by multiple people on the NerdWallet Mortgages team.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best Nebraska Mortgage Lenders of 2020

New American Funding: Best for first-time home buyers

Guild Mortgage: Best for first-time home buyers

USAA: Best for military-connected borrowers

Navy Federal: Best for military-connected borrowers

loanDepot: Best for refinancing

Quicken Loans: Best for refinancing

Wells Fargo: Best for face-to-face service

US Bank: Best for HELOC

Veterans United: Best for government-backed loans