Advertiser disclosure
Fairway Home Mortgage Review 2026
Last updated on May 20, 2026
Written by
Lead Writer & Content StrategistCo-written by
Contributing EditorWritten by
Lead Writer & Content StrategistCo-written by
Contributing EditorMany or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Why trust NerdWallet
Why trust NerdWallet
- 50+ mortgage lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 40+ years of combined experience covering mortgages and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 120+ categories and 5,000+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Our Take
3.5
Home loans overall
NerdWallet rating
The Nerdy headline:
Fairway Home Mortgage stands out for its volume of FHA loans, bonus offerings like title services, insurance quotes and utility transfers, as well as harder-to-find products like physician loans. Most likely to appeal to borrowers looking for a one-stop shop.
Jump to:Full Review
Fairway Home Mortgage: NMLS#2289
Min. credit score
620
Min. down payment
3%
Loan types and products
Purchase, Refinance, Reverse, Jumbo, Fixed, Adjustable, FHA, VA, USDA
Pros
- Services go beyond mortgages, including title services and getting insurance quotes.
- Works with local programs for down payment assistance.
- Offers specialty loans that are rare among competitors.
Cons
- Time to close is not clear.
- Mortgage rates aren’t posted online.
- Average APRs are not among the most competitive, according to the latest federal data.
Full Review
At a glance: Fairway Home Mortgage options
Fairway Home Mortgage is a nonbank lender based in Madison, Wisconsin. Fairway issues mortgages in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
In addition to conventional mortgages and government-backed loans, Fairway Home Mortgage also offers less common products like renovation loans, physician loans and reverse mortgages.
🏠 Common mortgages
- Conventional loans (fixed and adjustable)
- Rate-and-term refinancing
- Jumbo loans
- FHA loans
- VA loans
🔑 Specialty loans
- Renovation loans
- FHA 203(k)
- USDA loans
- Reverse mortgages
- Physician loans
💵 Home equity
• HELOCs
• Cash-out refinancing
» MORE: How to choose a mortgage lender
Fairway Home Mortgage special offers and discounts
Fairway Home Mortgage offers a number of pathways to make homeownership more accessible to customers.
- Works with state and local down payment assistance programs.
- Backs an initiative to support veteran home buyers.
What does Fairway Home Mortgage specialize in?
A lender’s experience with your loan type can make a big difference. We looked at the latest federal data to find the types of mortgages Fairway handles most often.
While conventional loans make up the bulk of Fairway’s home purchase business, it’s also a major FHA lender. FHA loans accounted for nearly a quarter of Fairway’s purchase originations in 2024.
How we score Fairway Home Mortgage
Like to read the fine print? We do, too. Each year, NerdWallet writers and editors review the latest data and research on mortgage lenders, including federal data, and use a consistent method to score them based on what matters most to borrowers.
Fairway Home Mortgage earned a 3.5-star home loans overall rating from NerdWallet. Here’s how that score breaks down across our five weighted subcategories.
Fair
Rates and fees (30%)
Rates and fees determine how much a loan will cost you overall. NerdWallet reviews the latest federal data to score each lender’s average APR spread — a measure that combines interest rates and fees. A higher score means lower typical costs compared to other lenders.
Average
Product accessibility (20%)
We evaluate how widely available a lender’s products are across the U.S. and how accessible they are to different financial profiles. A higher score means broader availability and more flexible requirements. A lower score means fewer options or stricter requirements.
Average
Customer experience (20%)
We evaluate customer experience by testing and reviewing features like the online application, mobile app, and availability of phone or chat support. A higher score means a smoother, more convenient experience and easier access to help. A lower score means more friction or fewer support options.
Average
Loan variety (15%)
We evaluate loan variety based on the range of home loan types a lender offers. A higher score means more options, while a lower score means a more limited selection.
Poor
Rate transparency (15%)
We review how clearly lenders share rate information on their websites, including sample rates and tools to estimate personalized rates. A higher score means it’s easy to find clear, comprehensive details and compare rates. A lower score means less information is available, often requiring you to contact the lender.
🤓
NerdWallet’s ratings are objective and well-researched (we have the spreadsheets to prove it). But choosing a mortgage lender isn’t just about a star rating or a score breakdown. It’s also about finding the right lender for your unique situation. So yes: you can learn a lot from how the mortgage Nerds scored Fairway Home Mortgage. But you’re the expert when it comes to the features of your own best-match mortgage lender.Nerdy Tip
Fairway Home Mortgage reputation and customer experience
NerdWallet’s star ratings look at objective factors like rates, fees and loan options. To give you a sense of what the borrower experience is really like, we pulled the latest customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and Zillow and we contacted the lender’s customer support.
2025 J.D. Power U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study
772
out of 1,000
Above-average satisfaction score: average = 760.
Mortgage origination covers the application through closing.
Zillow Mortgage Lender Customer Rating
4.95
out of 5
Excellent rating as of the date of publication.
Rating reflects roughly 38,000 customer reviews.
Potential concerns about Fairway Home Mortgage
In 2024, Fairway reached a legal settlement over illegal redlining allegations in Birmingham, Alabama that met our criteria to impact the lender’s NerdWallet star rating.
Redlining is the practice of restricting or denying loans to qualified borrowers based on location. Even though redlining was outlawed by 1968's Fair Housing Act, the effects are still seen today, for example, in lower levels of Black homeownership.
The CFPB and DOJ complaint against Fairway Home Mortgage noted that the lender made many fewer loans in majority-Black neighborhoods than its peers. Additionally, all Birmingham Fairway branches were in majority-white neighborhoods, with marketing targeting these areas even though the lender claimed to serve the entire metro area.
Per the settlement, which was approved by the court for the Northern District of Alabama on December 3, 2024, Fairway paid $1.9 million to the CFPB victims' fund, and is providing $7 million to create a loan subsidy program for home purchases, refinances and renovations in majority-Black neighborhoods.
A further $1 million was ordered for outreach counseling within majority-Black neighborhoods, as well as for partnerships with organizations that provide assistance to homeowners in financial distress.
Fairway's NerdWallet star rating was impacted by this settlement for one year. This scoring penalty has since been lifted.
When shopping for a mortgage lender, do an online search to see if the company is in the news, and why.
🚩 The Nerdy details: How penalties work
Our writers research recent headlines and highlight any red flags here. Not all concerns affect a lender’s star rating — only actions that directly harmed consumers. A lender loses points when its mortgage business was the subject of regulatory action and fined $1 million or more. The scoring penalty remains for up to one year after the fine was paid.
Fairway Home Mortgage customer service options
Here’s how you can get in touch with Fairway.
Ways to reach Fairway
Physical branches . . . . . . ✅
Phone support . . . . . . . . . ✅
Mobile app . . . . . . . . . . . . ✅
Online chat (bot) . . . . . . . ✅
Online chat (human) . . . . 🚫
🤓 Our Nerds say... Fairway agents were helpful over the phone
Taylor Getler, lead writer, mortgages
When we called Fairway’s customer support, we navigated a phone tree and were put on a brief hold before connecting with a US-based agent. This agent was able to answer all of our questions. For borrowers who prefer in-person assistance, branches are available in every state and Washington, D.C. with the exception of Alaska and West Virginia.
» MORE: How to apply for a mortgage
Alternatives to Fairway Home Mortgage
Borrowers who want a lender with a similar FHA specialization may be interested in Freedom Mortgage, which also has better average interest rates than Fairway. If you like Fairway’s assistance with insurance and title services, Better offers these and more.
For fans of Fairway’s focus on down payment grants, Rocket Mortgage offers a proprietary mortgage with just 1% down — and it won NerdWallet’s awards for Best Lender for First-Time Home Buyers in 2026.
More from NerdWallet
Methodology
NerdWallet rates mortgage lenders based on what matters most to borrowers: rates and fees, product accessibility, customer experience, rate transparency and the range of loan options.
We review more than 40 lenders and score them using a weighted system that prioritizes affordability and a smooth borrowing experience. Lenders earn higher scores for offering lower borrowing costs, making loans widely available, clearly displaying rate information and supporting borrowers from application through closing.
We use a mix of lender-provided information, publicly available data and our own research and analysis to evaluate each lender. Recent regulatory actions may affect a lender’s score.