BEST OF

9 Best San Diego Mortgage Lenders of 2021

Shopping for San Diego mortgage lenders? Compare our picks for the city’s top mortgage companies to get the best loan options, mortgage rates and more.

NerdWalletJan 26, 2021

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Thanks to white-sand beaches and year-round sunshine, deciding to live in San Diego is a no-brainer. But with scores of mortgage companies to pick from, finding the right one to finance your house can feel more difficult. That’s where NerdWallet comes in. We compared San Diego’s leading mortgage lenders — high-volume national brands along with local options — to identify top options for first-time home buyers and repeat buyers alike.

» MORE: Five tips for finding the right mortgage lender

Thanks to white-sand beaches and year-round sunshine, deciding to live in San Diego is a no-brainer. But with scores of mortgage companies to pick from, finding the right one to finance your house can feel more difficult. That’s where NerdWallet comes in. We compared San Diego’s leading mortgage lenders — high-volume national brands along with local options — to identify top options for first-time home buyers and repeat buyers alike.

» MORE: Five tips for finding the right mortgage lender

Summary of Best San Diego Mortgage Lenders of 2021

Lender	NerdWallet Rating	Min. Credit Score	Min. Down Payment	Learn More
Flagstar: NMLS#417490 Read review	5.0/5 Best for first-time home buyers	620	3%	Read review
Guild Mortgage: NMLS#3274 Read review	3.5/5 Best for first-time home buyers	620	3%	Read review
Quicken Loans: NMLS#3030 Learn more at Quicken Loans	4.5/5 Best for a digital mortgage experience	620	3%	Learn more at Quicken Loans
Fairway Independent Mortgage: NMLS#2289 Learn more at Fairway Independent Mortgage	4.0/5 Best for a digital mortgage experience	620	3%	Learn more at Fairway Independent Mortgage
Caliber: NMLS#15622 Read review	3.5/5 Best for veterans	580	0%	Read review
Navy Federal: NMLS#399807 Read review	4.5/5 Best for a credit union mortgage	N/A	0%	Read review
San Diego County Credit Union: NMLS#580585 Read review	4.5/5 Best for a credit union mortgage	N/A	5%	Read review
Bank of America: NMLS#399802 Read review	5.0/5 Best for face-to-face service	620	5%	Read review
Chase: NMLS#399798 Learn more at Chase	4.5/5 Best for face-to-face service	620	3%	Learn more at Chase

Read review

Flagstar: NMLS#417490

5.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

3%

Read review

Why we like it

Good for: borrowers who want a wide range of choices — not only among mortgage products, but also in the channel they prefer, whether a branch, online or on the phone.

Pros

Offers a wide range of loan types and products, including FHA, VA and USDA.
Has a full suite of online conveniences.
Does well with rate transparency, and monthly payment estimates add mortgage insurance, when applicable.

Cons

Home equity lending is geographically limited.

Read Full Review

Read review

Guild Mortgage: NMLS#3274

3.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

3%

Read review

Why we like it

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

Pros

Offers multiple online conveniences, including a full mortgage application, e-signatures and digital loan process tracking.
Offers a wide variety of loan products, including home improvement and manufactured home loans.

Cons

Does not offer home equity loan products.
Average interest rates and fees are higher than other lenders.

Read Full Review

Learn more

at Quicken Loans

Quicken Loans: NMLS#3030

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

3%

Learn more

at Quicken Loans

Why we like it

Good for: borrowers looking for just about all of the services your neighborhood lender offers — 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 many working Americans.
Offers custom fixed-rate loan terms that are between eight and 30 years.
Provides a wide variety of loan types, including renovation loans and all government-backed mortgage products.

Cons

Quicken Loans doesn't offer home equity loans or HELOCs.
Quicken's lender fees can be stout and it doesn't offset those fees with particularly low mortgage rates.

Read Full Review

Learn more

at Fairway Independent Mortgage

Fairway Independent Mortgage: NMLS#2289

4.0

NerdWallet rating

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 and the convenience of a comprehensive mobile application process.

Pros

Offers a robust suite of loan products, including a variety of renovation loans.
Has a digital application that can be completed in 10 minutes.
Works with some state housing finance agencies to offer mortgages with down payment and closing cost assistance.

Cons

Mortgage rates aren't posted online.

Read Full Review

Read review

Caliber: NMLS#15622

3.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

580

Min. Down Payment

0%

Read review

Why we like it

Good for: first-time home buyers, veterans and those who may have credit challenges to overcome.

Pros

Offers extensive educational resources for military borrowers.
Provides digital tools for a streamlined application process.
Participates in some state down payment assistance and first-time home buyer programs.

Cons

No mortgage rates displayed online.
Doesn’t offer home equity loans or lines of credit.

Read Full Review

Read review

Navy Federal: NMLS#399807

4.5

NerdWallet rating

National / Regional

National

Min. Down Payment

0%

Read review

Why we like it

Good for: military members and their families looking for low-down-payment mortgages.

Pros

Offers a wide range of affordable mortgage products designed for military members.
Has an online application for preapproval.
Offers low rates compared with most lenders.

Cons

Website does not provide customized mortgage rates based on credit score or other factors before you apply.
Credit union membership is limited to veterans and current military members, their families, and certain federal employees, retirees and contractors.

Read Full Review

Read review

San Diego County Credit Union: NMLS#580585

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Down Payment

5%

National / Regional

Regional

Read review

Why we like it

SDCCU offers low-interest mortgage rates and charges relatively low origination fees, and discloses plenty of detail about them to shoppers. But it doesn't offer VA, FHA, USDA or home improvement loans.

Pros

Offers purchase, refinance, home equity and jumbo mortgages, plus loans for second homes.
Provides customized rate and fee quotes without requiring contact information.
Charges lower rates and origination fees than most other lenders.

Cons

No FHA, VA, USDA or home improvement mortgages.
Doesn’t offer online loan process tracking.

Read Full Review

Read review

Bank of America: NMLS#399802

5.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

5%

National / Regional

National

Read review

National / Regional

National

Why we like it

Good for: first-time home buyers looking for low-down-payment options and existing customers who may get a discount on fees.

Pros

Allows borrowers to apply entirely online.
Offers down payment and closing cost assistance programs.
May give existing customers a discount on mortgage lender origination fees.

Cons

Does not offer renovation loans.

Read Full Review

Learn more

at Chase

Chase: NMLS#399798

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. Credit Score

620

Min. Down Payment

3%

Learn more

at Chase

Why we like it

Good for: borrowers who want a name-brand bank, with offices in more than half the states, that charges lower rates and fees than many other lenders.

Pros

Allows electronic submission and tracking of loan documents.
Carries a wide variety of mortgage types and products.
Generally offers good rates and charges reasonable fees.

Cons

Doesn't offer home improvement loans, such as FHA 203(k) and HomeStyle.
You have to speak with a home loan advisor to complete the application.

Read Full Review

Local mortgage lenders in San Diego

The following lenders have not been reviewed by NerdWallet. However, they do a significant volume of mortgage lending in San Diego and are popular among the city’s mortgage shoppers. Check them out if you prefer to include a local lender or two in your search for the best mortgage.

Union Bank

Several low-down-payment loans.
Loan options with no closing costs and no mortgage insurance.
Mobile app available.
Multiple branch locations in San Diego.

CrossCountry Mortgage

Pre-qualification requires a phone call with a loan officer.
Loan programs for foreign nationals and self-employed borrowers.
Will finance all types of condos.
Several branch locations in and around San Diego.

Bay Equity Home Loans

Conventional, government and jumbo loan options.
Offers refinancing and reverse mortgages.
Only one branch location in San Diego.

AIMLoan (American Internet Mortgage)

Website provides instant customized rate quotes.
Offers 3% down conventional loans.
Claims to charge a flat, guaranteed lender fee.

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 San Diego Mortgage Lenders of 2021

Flagstar: Best for first-time home buyers
Guild Mortgage: Best for first-time home buyers
Quicken Loans: Best for a digital mortgage experience
Fairway Independent Mortgage: Best for a digital mortgage experience
Caliber: Best for veterans
Navy Federal: Best for a credit union mortgage
San Diego County Credit Union: Best for a credit union mortgage
Bank of America: Best for face-to-face service
Chase: Best for face-to-face service