Golden 1 Credit Union Mortgage Review 2025

At a glance: Golden 1 mortgage options

Golden 1 is a credit union based in Sacramento, California. Loans are limited to borrowers in California. Membership is open to California residents; those who work in California or are members of select employee groups; and existing members’ families. To become a member, simply open a savings account with a balance of $1 or more.

» MORE: How to choose a mortgage lender

Golden 1 special mortgage offers and discounts

Golden 1 offers a few incentives to reduce the cost of homebuying. They include:

• Buyer Advantage Program: Credits members up to 25% of their agent’s commission toward closing costs when they work with a Golden 1 preferred real estate agent.

• Home Loans Relationship Discount Program: Offers rate discounts up to 0.375% based on a member’s eligible deposit balances with Golden 1 checking, savings or investment accounts.

• On My Way Homeownership Program: Helps connect low- to moderate-income buyers with available assistance from multiple sources at Golden 1 and elsewhere — enough to finance 100% of your home and then some, to help pay for closing costs.

Golden 1 is an approved lender with the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) and well versed in specialty loans for first-time home buyer programs in California.

What mortgages does Golden 1 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 Golden 1 handles most often.

Most of the credit union’s loans are conventional, but it handles a good amount of jumbo loans, too.

How we score Golden 1 mortgages

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.

Golden 1 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, explainedThe 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.

Golden 1 mortgage bonus points

Golden 1 earned bonus points for offering assistance to first-time home buyers.

» MORE: How to get the best mortgage rate

Golden 1 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. Golden 1 Credit Union didn’t have sufficient data from either source for NerdWallet to share. We also contacted the lender’s customer support.

Golden 1 mortgage customer service options

Here’s how you can get in touch with Golden 1. You can also send an email or schedule an appointment.

» MORE: How to apply for a mortgage

Alternatives to Golden 1 mortgages

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.

For a lender experienced with jumbo loans, Citi dedicated nearly half of its mortgage business to jumbo loans last year.

For a credit union with more inclusive membership guidelines, Fourleaf Federal Credit Union serves customers in nearly every state.

» MORE: Best credit union mortgage lenders

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