A great mortgage lender provides you with plenty of options, including different types of mortgage loans and products. The right lender should also give you plenty of support throughout the process, have an easy application process, strong reviews, and competitive rates.
Based on these factors, we’ve selected six of the best mortgage lenders for homebuyers:
- Rocket Mortgage: Best online experience
- Guild Mortgage: Best home buying assistance programs
- Chase: Best for first-time homebuyers
- Better Mortgage: Best for rate transparency
- U.S. Bank: Best lender for traditional banking
- Pennymac: Largest variety of loan options
Best Home Mortgage Lenders of 2025 Compared
| Starting interest rates for 30-year fixed (May 2025)* | Minimum credit score** | Loan types offered | Average Turn Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Conventional: 7.125% FHA: 6.375% VA: 6.49% | 620 |
| Closing typically takes 30-60 days |
 | Does not provide interest rates | 620 |
| 17-day closing guarantee |
 | Conventional: 6.75% FHA: 7.125% | 620 |
| As little as three weeks with a closing guarantee (only eligible on some mortgage products) |
 | Conventional: 6.625% FHA: 6.125% VA: 6.5% | 620 |
| Average turn time is 42 days |
 | Conventional: 6.75% FHA: 6.625% VA: 6.5% | 620 |
| Underwriting can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks |
 | Conventional: 6.9% FHA: 6% VA: 6.125% | 620 |
| Average turn time is 30 days |
| *Rates can change on a daily basis. Check with the provider for the latest rates. **Minimum credit score requirement varies per loan program. Indicated requirements are for conventional 30-year fixed loans. Check with the provider for the requirements of other programs. |
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Rocket Mortgage: Best online experience
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Why we like Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage is a popular online lender with multiple mortgage options, including programs for first-time homebuyers like “One+” and “Home Ready & Home Possible.” It offers a seamless online experience, with interactive calculators, housing trend charts, detailed articles to answer common questions, a live chat, and a fast and easy application process. You can also easily view the interest and APR rates for each different type of loan they have and read details about the terms of each mortgage loan.
Guild Mortgage: Best homebuying assistance programs
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FHA mortgage terms:
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Why we like Guild Mortgage
Guild Mortgage is an online lender that offers the largest variety of homebuying assistance programs. In addition to the huge variety of mortgage types and homebuying assistance programs, it also offers four layers of homebuyer protection with every mortgage. This includes a 17-day closing guarantee, credit approval cap (CAP), a 120-day interest rate lock, and a payment protection program. If you need a boost to be able to purchase a home, Guild Mortgage is the obvious choice.
Guild Mortgage’s homebuying assistance programs include:
- 1% down: Qualified homebuyers can buy a home with only 1% down and 2% of Guild Assistance.
- 3-2-1 Home Plus: This program gives low-income homebuyers up to $2,500 toward closing and $2,000 toward Home Depot.
- Down payment assistance programs: Guild offers over 500 different programs across the country to help first-time homebuyers.
- MyPath2Own: Combines a personalized homeownership plan, homebuyer education, and assistance up to $4,000
- ZeroDown: Provides the option to buy a home with a $0 down payment for qualified buyers
Chase: Best for first-time homebuyers
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Conventional mortgage terms:
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Why we like Chase
Chase is a nationally recognized bank with great mortgage options for first-time buyers. It offers a few of the most common types of mortgages, along with a first-time homebuying mortgage program called the “DreaMaker.” This program offers a lower down payment, plus the possibility of a $2,500-$5,000 grant from Chase.
Another reason that it is one of the best home mortgage lenders for first-time home buyers is its local support. Chase has in-person branches in every state, and you’ll work one-on-one with mortgage professionals throughout the process.
Better Mortgage: Best for rate transparency
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Why we like Better Mortgage
Better Mortgage is a top-ranked mortgage lender that uniquely offers an AI-powered mortgage application and approval process. Applying for a mortgage takes three minutes, and there’s no hard credit check.
On top of that, it provides its interest and APR rates for every type of mortgage being offered at all times. Its rates page is updated daily, and rates are customized by zip code. There are also a variety of interactive online calculators to help you calculate your mortgage payment and the cost of renting vs. buying.
Overall, Better Mortgage offers the most rate transparency and the simplest application process. If you want to quickly and easily see what your interest rates could be, Better Mortgage should be your first choice.
U.S. Bank: Best lender for traditional banking
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Conventional fixed-rate terms:
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Why we like U.S. Bank
If you’re looking for the best mortgage lenders with in-person support, U.S. Bank should be at the top of your list. While the prequalification process is done online and takes only five minutes, the rest of the lending process is done one-on-one with your mortgage officer. While communication may happen online, you’ll have unrivaled personal support with U.S. Bank.
U.S. Bank offers many types of loans, including first-time homebuyer assistance programs like the “American Dream Loan” and “Access Home Loan.” On the other hand, it also offers loans for real estate investors. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home or your hundredth, U.S. Bank is the best choice for in-person support.
Pennymac: Largest variety of loan options
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| Conventional fixed-rate terms: Conventional 30-year fixed terms:
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Why we like Pennymac
Pennymac is an online home loan aggregator, which means that it connects homebuyers to a variety of potential lenders for a variety of different mortgage types. This makes it the best choice for those who want access to the widest variety of loans and lenders to ensure they get the best option for their needs. Besides that, it offers multiple incentives for using its platform, like 1% off your interest rate for a year, a $1,000 bonus at closing, and even up to $9,500 when you find a real estate agent through Pennymac.
How to choose the right mortgage lender for you
There are an unlimited number of home mortgage lenders, which can make it challenging to find the right one. There are a few important factors you should consider to find the best fit for your needs. Here’s what you should consider as you evaluate your options:
- Your finances and qualifications: Objectively look at your income, savings, credit score, and credit history. Based on this information, you may determine that you need homebuyer assistance, reduced closing costs, or a program for low credit scores.
- Interest rates & fees: The fees for your mortgage are incredibly important, so you should determine the interest rate, APR, closing costs, and private mortgage insurance (PMI, a type of insurance required when buyers put down less than 20%) of each mortgage provider.
- Types of mortgage loans: Conventional and FHA mortgage loans are the most common, but many of the top-ranked mortgage lenders have additional programs for specific types of buyers. Make sure to check out all of the mortgage programs from each lender, because this might illuminate the perfect product for your needs.
- Support options: The best lenders for home loans will have plenty of support options, including interactive calculators, detailed articles, live chat, and a contact phone number. Make sure that the lender you choose offers multiple ways to get support throughout the process.
Methodology: How we evaluated the best mortgage lenders
At The Close, our methodology is to provide real estate professionals with accurate and objective information on every topic. To help you find the right home loan mortgage lender for your needs, our team of real estate professionals, researchers, writers, agents, and investors did thorough research.
Our criteria for evaluating the best mortgage lenders include:
- Pre-approval process: We searched for home lenders with a simple, easy-to-follow online application process and prioritized those that didn’t affect your credit.
- Product variety: We selected lenders that offer multiple types of mortgages, like conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo loans.
- Technology and ease of use: Since our audience is all over the U.S., we prioritized home mortgage lenders with a strong online platform to make it easy for buyers to understand their loan options and apply for a mortgage.
- Customer service and support: Buying a home is a huge financial commitment, so we heavily considered each lender’s support options. The best lenders for home loans should make the process simple and easy to understand.
- Rates and fees: We considered the interest rates and fees of each lender, prioritizing those with transparent rates for each type of mortgage.
- Reputation and reviews: We only chose mortgage lenders who have a strong reputation in the real estate industry and thousands of strong online reviews.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How do I get preapproved for a home loan?
To get preapproved for a home loan, you have to choose a home mortgage lender. You’ll need financial and identity documents to validate your income, debt, and credit, such as pay stubs or W2s, tax returns, and bank statements. After your chosen lender evaluates all of this information, they will give you a preapproval letter with your maximum loan amount.
What is the best bank to get a mortgage from?
We’ve chosen Chase and U.S. Bank as two of the best banks to get a mortgage from, based on specific criteria like their mortgage products, ease of use, and customer service.
What’s the difference between a broker and a lender?
A mortgage lender is a company that supplies you with the funds to buy a home, while a broker is a mortgage professional who can help you find the best lender and help you through the process.
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