At a glance: Rocket Mortgage home loan options

Rocket Mortgage is a nonbank lender based in Detroit. It's the largest mortgage lender in the United States by volume, and soon to grow even larger with the planned acquisition of Mr. Cooper in late 2025. Loans are available in all U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

» MORE: How to choose a mortgage lender

Rocket Mortgage special offers and discounts

Rocket offers a few programs that can help make buying a home easier, more affordable or both.

• With the One+ loan, eligible borrowers can contribute 1% of the home's cost as a down payment, with Rocket kicking in an additional 2%. Income restrictions apply.

• Rocket offers a closing cost credit called RocketRentRewards. Current renters can receive a discount at closing that's equivalent to 10% of their past 12 months' rent costs, up to $5,000. This program isn't income-capped.

• In July 2025, Rocket Mortgage acquired the online real estate brokerage Redfin. Home buyers who work with a Redfin agent and finance their purchase through Rocket Mortgage can choose to either have their interest rate be one percentage point lower for the first year of their mortgage, or get a closing cost credit worth 0.75% of the loan amount, up to $6,000.

Rocket recently began offering bridge loans, which can help with buying and selling at the same time. If you're a current homeowner, you can take out a six-month bridge loan with interest-only payments. That loan's used to cover the down payment and closing costs on your next home. When your original home sells, the bridge loan is paid off using the proceeds.

What does Rocket 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 Rocket handles most often.

Though conventional loans take the lion's share, FHA loans were a quarter of Rocket's total originations in 2024 (which include both purchase and refinance loans). Last year Rocket was the largest FHA lender by volume among all the lenders NerdWallet reviews.

How we score Rocket Mortgage

Each year, NerdWallet writers and editors dig into the latest data and independent research on mortgage lending. Then, we rate lenders based on categories that matter most to mortgage borrowers.

Rocket Mortgage has a NerdWallet home loans rating of 4.5 stars overall. Here’s a breakdown of this year’s score.

• The Nerdy details: Our rating system, explained The Nerdy details: Our rating system, explained

  Ah, so you’re the “read the fine print” type? We got you. Here’s how our scoring rubric works.

  Average mortgage rates and fees (30%)

  We review federal data (as reported by the lenders) and analyze mortgage lenders’ average fees and interest rates across all loan types. Lenders with the lowest average costs get the highest star ratings. Keep in mind: Loans that are easier to qualify for, like FHA loans, usually have higher rates and fees because lenders see them as a higher risk. Pro tip: Paying some fees upfront can sometimes lower your interest rate.

  Mortgage rate transparency (25%)

  We look at how easy it is to compare mortgage rates online. Lenders get higher transparency ratings if they show sample rates on their website. (Not all lenders do!) The best ratings go to lenders that offer interactive tools that let you customize a rate quote on your own.

  Variety of loan types (25%)

  There’s no one-size-fits-all mortgage. Lenders earn top ratings in this category when they offer a large variety of mortgage types. The more variety, the higher their score. A lender earns points for purchase and refinance; fixed and adjustable rates; FHA, VA or USDA loans; renovation or construction loans; and home equity loans or HELOCs.

  Customer experience (20%)

  How easy is it to work with this lender? Top-rated lenders offer helpful features like online applications, multiple ways to get support, a user-friendly mobile app and clear updates about the loan closing timeline.

Rocket Mortgage bonus points

Rocket earned bonus points for offering loans for borrowers with low credit scores.

» MORE: How to get the best mortgage rate

Rocket 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.

Potential concerns about Rocket Mortgage

On Oct. 21, 2024, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Rocket Mortgage and other defendants, alleging appraisal discrimination. The filing also specifies that Rocket Mortgage illegally retaliated against the homeowner who made the original discrimination claim by canceling her refinance application.

The lawsuit follows an initial investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, finding that the defendants — who include the appraiser, that appraiser's firm and a larger appraisal management company, as well as Rocket Mortgage — engaged in discriminatory practices that violated the Fair Housing Act. The complaint alleges that the appraiser significantly undervalued the home because the homeowner is Black.

NerdWallet reached out to Rocket Mortgage for comment. The company replied in part that, "The law's intent is to determine the home's value without any input or bias from the lender or any other party with interest in the transaction. It is clear the government isn’t interested in their own rules, or facts, and are simply including us in this case to score headlines based on our strong brand and prominent position in the industry."

On Dec. 4, 2024, Rocket Mortgage sued HUD, alleging that the agency's enforcement actions conflict with the lender's legal obligation under the Truth in Lending Act to use an independent appraiser and not influence that appraiser's valuation. In addition, the lender is seeking the dismissal of the DOJ lawsuit.

Because these suits are pending, Rocket's NerdWallet star rating has not been affected. Still, when shopping for a mortgage lender, do an online search to see if the company is in the news, and why.

» MORE: How homeowners facing appraisal discrimination can take action

Rocket Mortgage customer service options

Rocket's extremely digital-first, so it's no surprise that customer service is easily accessible online. Here’s how you can get in touch with Rocket.

» MORE: How to apply for a mortgage

Alternatives to Rocket Mortgage

Our biggest tip: Get offers from at least three different mortgage lenders. Comparison shopping can save you thousands of dollars. You can get rate quotes yourself, or work with a mortgage broker to shop around on your behalf.

Rate is another mortgage lender that offers a digital-first lending experience. If you're looking for low-down-payment loan options, you might consider U.S. Bank.

» MORE: Best mortgage lenders

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