BEST OF

5 Best Oregon Housing and Community Services Lenders of 2021

Oregon Housing and Community Services offers lower mortgage rates, plus down payment and closing cost assistance grants. Here are some of the agency's top participating lenders.

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If you’re a first-time home buyer in Oregon, you may be eligible for help through OHCS to make your homeownership dream come true.

OHCS offers mortgages with below-market interest rates as well as grants to help with down payments and closing costs.

Your first step is to contact a participating lender to see if you qualify. We’ve highlighted our top-reviewed lenders in two categories and listed several other participating lenders we haven’t reviewed. All of the lenders do a lot of business in Oregon.

» MORE: Learn about OHCS first-time home buyer programs

Best Oregon Housing and Community Services Lenders

Fairway Independent Mortgage
Learn more

at Fairway Independent Mortgage

Fairway Independent Mortgage: NMLS#2289

3.5

NerdWallet rating 
Fairway Independent Mortgage

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%
Learn more

at Fairway Independent Mortgage

Why we like it

Good for: borrowers who want access to a wide variety of mortgages, including renovation loans and ITIN loans.

Pros

  • Offers a robust suite of loan products, including ITIN loans for borrowers without Social Security numbers, renovation loans, government-backed mortgages and loans for self-employed borrowers.

  • Receives high marks for customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Zillow.

Cons

  • Mortgage rates for different types of loans aren't posted online.

  • Origination fees are on the high side compared with other lenders, according to the latest federal data.

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Guild Mortgage
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Guild Mortgage: NMLS#3274

3.5

NerdWallet rating 
Guild Mortgage

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%
Read review

Why we like it

Good for: borrowers who value customer service, and first-time home buyers and others who may need the flexibility of a low-down-payment loan program.

Pros

  • Offers a wide variety of loan products, including home improvement loans and mortgages for manufactured homes.

  • Has retail branches in most states.

  • Receives high marks for customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Zillow.

Cons

  • Does not offer home equity loan products.

  • Origination fees tend to be higher, according to the latest federal data.

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loanDepot
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loanDepot: NMLS#174457

4.0

NerdWallet rating 
loanDepot

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

5%
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Why we like it

Good for: borrowers who want an easy online application and a variety of loan types to explore.

Pros

  • Has branches across the country for customers who prefer face-to-face service.

  • Receives high marks for customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Zillow.

  • Mortgage interest rates tend to be on the lower end, according to the latest federal data.

Cons

  • Mortgage rates aren't available online; you'll need to contact a loan officer.

  • Doesn't offer home equity loans or lines of credit.

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Homebridge
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Homebridge: NMLS#6521

3.5

NerdWallet rating 
Homebridge

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%
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Why we like it

Good for borrowers who want a loan officer's help, in person or on the phone, when deciding among the wide range of available mortgage options — including loans to buy and renovate.

Pros

  • Offers a full array of mortgage products, including government and renovation loans.

  • Online portal keeps borrowers up to date on the loan application's progress.

  • Offers home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs.

Cons

  • Doesn't post interest rates on its site.

  • Lender fees are on the high side, according to the latest federal data.

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US Bank
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US Bank: NMLS#402761

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
US Bank

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

5%
Read review

Why we like it

U.S. Bank gets high marks for its loan offerings and online customer conveniences — and has competitive fees and mortgage rates.

Pros

  • Offers a full line of conventional and government loan products.

  • Provides home equity loans and lines of credit.

  • Allows borrowers to apply and track their loan's progress online.

Cons

  • No personalized mortgage rates available online.

  • Published mortgage rates assume an above-average credit score.

Read Full Review

More OHCS participating mortgage lenders

These companies haven’t been reviewed by NerdWallet, but they are among the top-volume lenders in Oregon.

Banner Bank

  • Has an online application for preapproval.

  • Has over 50 branches in Oregon.

  • Provides online rate quotes without requiring personal information.

  • Offers “Rate Watch” service, which emails current rates regularly.

HomeStreet Bank

  • Offers a wide range of mortgages.

  • Has online application to start the mortgage process.

  • Has loan officers in seven Oregon cities.

  • Does not provide mortgage rates online.

Pacific Residential Mortgage

  • Has an online chat feature.

  • Has about a dozen branches in Oregon.

  • Has an online application.

  • Does not publish mortgage rates online.

Umpqua Bank

  • Checking account customers may qualify for a $500 credit at closing.

  • Publishes general mortgage rates online.

  • Has local loan officers throughout Oregon.

  • Offers a broad range of home loans.

More from NerdWallet

Last updated on January 19, 2021

Methodology

NerdWallet's star ratings for mortgage lenders are awarded based on our evaluation of the products and services each lender offers to consumers who are actively shopping for the best mortgage. The five key areas we evaluated include the variety of loan types and products offered, online conveniences, online mortgage rate information, and the rate spread and origination fee lenders reported in the latest available Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. To ensure consistency, our ratings are reviewed by multiple people on the NerdWallet Mortgages team.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Best Oregon Housing and Community Services Lenders of 2021