Zillow Home Loans Review 2026
Last updated on October 13, 2026
Written by
Contributing WriterEdited by
Contributing EditorWritten by
Contributing WriterEdited 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.
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- 50+ mortgage lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
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Our Take
4.5
Home loans overall
NerdWallet rating
The Nerdy headline:
Zillow Home Loans offers a range of conventional, FHA and VA loan options, as well as down payment assistance grants for eligible borrowers. You’ll need to look elsewhere if you’re interested in home equity options or USDA loans, though. Most likely to appeal to borrowers looking for convenience with a one-stop shop for home listings and mortgages.
Jump to:Full Review
Min. credit score
620
Min. down payment
3%
Loan types and products
Purchase, Refinance, VA, FHA, Fixed
Pros
- Provides a fully online application and approval process.
- Fast reported turnaround time, with average time to close of just 21 days.
- Sample rates and fees available online.
Cons
- Doesn’t offer specific first-time home buyer programs.
- No home equity loans or HELOCs.
- Lacks alternative mortgage options, like USDA loans, interest-only mortgages and renovation loans.
Full Review
At a glance: Zillow Home Loans mortgage options
Zillow Home Loans is a fully online mortgage lender based in Irvine, California. It offers loans in all states except for New York.
Zillow offers most standard purchase and refinance mortgages, including conventional loans as well as FHA and VA loans. However, if you’re interested in a USDA loan or home equity lending, you’ll need to consider other lenders.
🏠 Common mortgages
• Conventional (fixed- and adjustable-rate)
• FHA
• VA
• Jumbo
• Rate-and-term refinance
🔑 Specialty loans
• Mortgages for self-employed borrowers
💵 Home equity
• Cash-out refinancing
Zillow Home Loans special offers
Zillow offers a few attractive perks to borrowers, including:
- Down payment assistance: Zillow provides down payment assistance grants equivalent to 2% of the purchase price. These grants are available in a limited number of states, and you’ll need to meet both income and credit requirements to be eligible. You must also be able to contribute at least 1% of the purchase price (but no more than 3%) toward the down payment.
- Mortgages for thin credit: You’ll need a credit score of at least 620 to qualify for most of Zillow’s mortgage products. However, this lender also works with borrowers who lack a traditional credit score. Zillow will consider alternative credit data — like payments toward rent and utilities — when making approval decisions for both purchase and refinance loans.
- BuyAbility home search: Zillow operates a BuyAbility tool that lets you personalize your home search based on your budget, credit score, down payment and other details. As mortgage rates change, it updates your recommendations.
- Temporary buydowns: You can get a lower interest rate for the first two years of your loan through Zillow’s 2-1 Buydown program.
How we score Zillow Home Loans
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.
Zillow Home Loans earned a 4.5-star home loans overall rating from NerdWallet. Here’s how that score breaks down across our five weighted subcategories.
Average
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.
Excellent
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.
Fair
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.
Excellent
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.
Zillow Home Loans 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 ratings from Zillow, and we contacted the lender’s customer support.
Zillow Mortgage Lender Customer Rating
4.89
out of 5
Above average rating as of date of publication.
Rating reflects more than 17,000 reviews.
Potential concerns about Zillow Home Loans
Zillow Home Loans has faced its share of legal troubles recently.
Antitrust violations lawsuit
On Sept. 30, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Zillow Home Loans and Redfin over violations of federal antitrust laws.
This was due to an unlawful agreement between the two companies where Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to stop acting as a competitor in the online rental housing market. In return for this payment, Redfin was removed from internet listing services (ILSs) — which are heavily used by Americans to find rental homes — and essentially gave its customers to Zillow.
On Aug. 24, 2026, the FTC — along with five states — filed a proposed settlement that resolved their case against Zillow and Redfin. The settlement:
Required Redfin to reenter the rental market with more listings and to make itself a much stronger competitor through heavy investments.
Eliminated the key term in the agreement that barred Redfin from competing with Zillow.
Class-action lawsuit
On Sept. 19, 2025, a class-action lawsuit was brought against Zillow. It alleged that the company violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), which requires real estate costs to be transparent and bans referral fees. The lawsuit claims Zillow:
- Steered homebuyers into using Zillow Home Loans, which resulted in the buyers having higher borrowing costs overall.
- Forced real estate agents who referred buyers to Zillow to hit strict quotas or face penalties (like withholding high value consumer leads).
- Boosted its struggling mortgage division through artificial means.
A second, similar lawsuit was filed in November 2025.
Here’s how the lawsuit has played out so far:
- On Dec. 10, 2025, the two suits were consolidated into a single case.
- On July 27, 2026, the case was dismissed due to deficient claims by the plaintiffs.
- On Aug. 17, 2026, the suit was refiled.
- On Sept. 21, 2026, Zillow filed a motion to dismiss the latest version of the suit with prejudice.
When shopping for a mortgage lender, make sure to do an online search to see if the company has landed itself in the news and why. It could be the deciding factor on whether or not you want to work with a company.
Zillow Home Loans customer service options
Here’s how you can get in touch with Zillow Home Loan.
Ways to reach Zillow Home Loans
Physical branches . . . . . . 🚫
Phone support . . . . . . . . . ✅
Mobile app . . . . . . . . . . . . ✅
Online chat (bot) . . . . . . . ✅
Online chat (human) . . . . ✅
What the nerds think
A limited app for a fully online lender
With the Zillow Home Loans app, you can view local homes for sale and for rent, plus get pre-qualified for a mortgage. However, its usefulness is limited past these things. Some reviews mention that local listings can have inaccurate information. You also can’t apply for loans through the app. Getting support is a bit of a pain as well. You have to dig through help menus to find customer support options, which include an AI chatbot or submitting a form to have someone from the company get back to you.
Ashley HarrisonContributing Writer
» MORE: How to apply for a mortgage
Alternatives to Zillow Home Loans
While Zillow is a well-known option for online home shopping, it isn’t necessarily the right choice for everyone when it comes to getting a 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.
If you’re looking for another digital-first lending experience, Rocket Mortgage could be an option. For lenders that provide home equity and USDA loan options, consider Rate or US Bank. It’s also worth checking out smaller local banks and credit unions in your area; while they might not offer a fully online experience, you might get more personalized service.
» MORE: Best mortgage lenders
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.