San Diego County Credit Union Mortgage Review 2024

Good for: Californians who are looking for a conventional or jumbo mortgage and want to shop rates online.
Last updated on January 31, 2024
Written by 
Abby Badach Doyle
Lead Writer
Johanna Arnone
Edited by 
Johanna Arnone
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
Abby Badach Doyle
Written by 
Lead Writer
Johanna Arnone
Edited by 
Johanna Arnone
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked

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Our Take

4.0

Home loans overall
NerdWallet rating
The Nerdy headline:

SDCCU offers conventional and jumbo mortgages and provides customized rate information on its website. Home equity loans and lines of credit are available, but it’s not a source for FHA, VA or USDA loans.

Jump to:Full Review
San Diego County Credit Union
San Diego County Credit Union: NMLS#580585

Min. down payment
N/A
National / regional
Regional
Loan types and products
Purchase, Refinance, Home Equity, Jumbo, Fixed, Adjustable

Pros

  • Offers purchase, refinance and jumbo mortgages, plus loans for second homes and home equity products.
  • Provides customized rate and fee quotes without requiring contact information.
  • Interest rates are notably low, according to the latest federal data.

Cons

  • No FHA, VA or USDA mortgages.
  • Loans are available in California only.
  • Mobile app has low ratings.
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Min. down payment
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Full Review

SDCCU’s mortgage loan options

  • 3 of 5 stars

San Diego County Credit Union offers a variety of purchase and refinance loan types, including jumbo loans and mortgages for second homes. The lender doesn't offer FHA, VA or USDA mortgages, or renovation or construction-to-permanent loans.

SDCCU offers fixed- and adjustable-rate mortgages, including an adjustable-rate mortgage with no closing costs.

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SDCCU HELOC and home equity loan

The lender also offers a home equity line of credit, or HELOC, and home equity loans. These second mortgages are a way for homeowners to access existing home equity without refinancing or selling their home. Funds obtained with a second mortgage can be used for expenses such as home improvements, education costs or debt consolidation.

SDCCU offers HELOCs with variable rates and 10- or 15-year term home equity loans with fixed rates to members living in California.

What it’s like to apply for a SDCCU mortgage

  • 3.5 of 5 stars

San Diego County Credit Union allows members to apply for a mortgage and track the progress of a loan application online. Online chat is available, but a phone number for mortgage questions is hard to find. You can upload documents and e-sign required paperwork. If you prefer, you can apply over the phone or in person. SDCCU has a mobile app available for Apple and Android devices, but users give it low ratings.

Membership in the credit union is available to anyone who lives or works in Southern California, specifically Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara or Ventura counties. Members of the Financial Fitness Association, an organization that helps people develop money-management skills, can also join.

SDCCU’s mortgage rates and fees

  • 4 of 5 stars

  • SDCCU earns 3 of 5 stars for average origination fee.

  • SDCCU earns 5 of 5 stars for average mortgage interest rates.

NerdWallet analyzes federal data to compare mortgage lenders’ origination fees and offered mortgage rates. We measure annual averages across all loan types, as reported by the lenders. Compared with other lenders, SDCCU’s origination fees are typical and its interest rates are notably low.

Borrowers should consider the balance between lender fees and mortgage rates. While it's not always the case, paying upfront fees can lower your mortgage interest rate. Some lenders will charge higher upfront fees to lower their advertised interest rate and make it more attractive. Some lenders just charge higher upfront fees.

SDCCU’s mortgage rate transparency

  • 5 of 5 stars

SDCCU lets you see customized rates after answering a few brief questions through an online form. When we checked, the tool displayed the interest rate, annual percentage rate, discount point assumptions and an estimated monthly payment. You don't need to enter contact information.

What borrowers say about SDCCU mortgages

NerdWallet’s lender star ratings assess objective qualities, including rates, fees and loan offerings. NerdWallet assesses borrowers’ subjective experiences with lenders using customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and Zillow. San Diego County Credit Union didn’t have sufficient data from either source for NerdWallet to share.

Alternatives to a home loan from SDCCU

Here are some comparable lenders we review that borrowers can consider.

Golden 1 Credit Union is another option for California residents, and Bethpage Federal Credit Union serves customers in almost every state.

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Methodology

NerdWallet’s overall ratings for mortgage lenders are evaluated based on four major categories: average mortgage rates and origination fees, rate transparency to consumers, variety of loan types (purchase, refinance, fixed and adjustable, for example) and customer experience. Among the factors we consider in these categories are: options to apply for home loans online, typical time to close, mobile app experience, level of detail about mortgage rates on lender websites, and NerdWallet’s own analysis of the rates and fees lenders reported in the latest available Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. These and other items inform detailed rubrics, which generate ratings from 1 star (poor) to 5 stars (excellent). Read more about how we rate mortgage lenders here.

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