Better mortgage review
- Minimum credit score
- Conventional: 620
Refinance: 620
FHA, VA: 580 - Minimum down payment (Conventional)
- 3%
- State availability
- Available in all states
Summary
This fintech lender gets rave reviews from past borrowers — but its loan selection is limited.
- Choose this lender for competitive rates and low closing costs.
- Choose another lender if you want an USDA, construction or commercial loan.
- A good option for tech-savvy borrowers looking for a conventional or FHA loan.
Pros
-
Matching technology
-
Better price guarantee
-
21-day closing commitment
-
Informative website
Cons
-
Not available in all states
-
Limited loan types
-
No branch locations
Details
Features
| Loan products offered | Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance, HELOC, Equity Unlocker |
| Minimum credit score | Conventional: 620 Refinance: 620 FHA, VA: 580 |
| Minimum down payment (Conventional) | 3% |
| State availability | Available in all states |
| NMLS # | 330511 |
Better is not currently available on Finder
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Our take on Better mortgage
Better is a digital mortgage lender that could help you save money over traditional lenders that often charge hundreds in origination and application fees. Because there’s no intermediary or retail locations to support, it’s able to offer competitive rates and charge no origination fees or commissions.
The company gets high marks from customers, who praise the company’s service team and online loan portal, which allows you to track your loan status, communicate with your loan team and send in documents. Better also offers special discounts on its mortgages if you use an affiliated real estate agent.
But its home loan selection is somewhat limited, there’s no in-person branches and it’s not available in all states. As a fully digital lender, Better is best suited for the tech-savvy, cost-conscious borrower who knows their way around a computer and prefers to handle everything electronically.
Better requirements
To find out if you’re eligible for a Better home loan, visit the company’s website. Basic eligibility for a mortgage loan includes:
- Two years’ history of employment.
- A FICO credit score of 580 or higher.
- No history of bankruptcy in the past two years.
Documentation
There are varied documents you’ll need to apply for a home loan from Better.
For employed persons:
- Photo identification
- Past two years’ employment history
- Your most recent pay stub
- W2 statement for the past year
- Most recent personal tax return
- Other documentation
For self-employed persons:
- 1099 statements for the past year
- Most recent two years’ personal tax returns
- Most recent two years’ business tax returns (if filed)
- A year-to-date P&L statement (may not be required)
- K-1 statements (if you own part of an S-Corporation or Partnership)
- Other documentation
Costs and fees
Better doesn’t charge any lender fees, which means you won’t have to pay an application or origination fee. Note that you’ll still have to pay third-party fees such as appraisal fees, title services and recording charges.
How to apply for a mortgage with Better
To get started:
- Go to Better’s website and select Get Started.
- Choose either Are you buying? or Refinancing a home?, then select See rates.
- Answer the questions asked to complete the form. Depending on where you are in the homebuying process, the questions dynamically change to guide you through the appropriate forms.
- As you progress through the forms, you must approve a soft credit pull.
- After completing the application, you can expect to receive a preapproval decision and connection with a loan officer. If additional information is needed, Better customer service will notify you.
What types of mortgages can I get through Better?
- Conventional
- FHA
- VA
- USDA
- Jumbo
Refinance options offered by Better
This lender offers 10-, 15- and 20-year refinance options, and offers the following types of refinancing:
- Cash-out refinance. Replace your loan with a mortgage for a higher amount to access your home equity as cash.
- Rate and term refinance. Lock in a lower interest rate or change the term of your loan to lower your payment, remove your PMI or pay off your loan sooner.
Alternatives to Better
Better offers a streamlined digital application process to afford you more competitive rates and lower closing costs. Disclaimer: The partners on Finder's mortgage comparison tables are sorted in alphabetical order.
But not everyone is comfortable with a digital-only mortgage application process. Better may appeal more to tech-savvy borrowers who upload documents from their smartphone like second nature.
If you don’t fall into this category, you may want to go with a more traditional lender with local branches or one that offers both digital convenience and in-person support when you need it, such as Freedom Mortgage and Guaranteed Rate.
Find your perfect match by comparing lenders and lender marketplaces by the type of home loan you’re searching for, state availability and minimum credit score for a conventional loan. Select See rates to visit the lender’s website for a personalized quote.
Better reviews and complaints
As of January 2023, Better has a 4.15 out of 5 rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has been accredited with the BBB since 2018. It has a B rating for having 235 complaints registered over the last three years.
Several BBB complaints are related to Better’s $550 appraisal fee, which is required to lock in the interest rate. This lender is similarly rated on Trustpilot, with a 4.2 out of 5 star TrustScore from 1,524 customer reviews.
Customer reviews — both positive and negative — tend to focus on how automated the loan process is, with several reviewers comparing it to an assembly line. When everything runs smoothly, loans are completed on time and the process is simple. But when there’s an issue, some users complain that it’s hard to get any personalized help.
Pros and cons of Better
Pros
- Matching technology. Better’s matching technology can help find loans for unique financial situations and personalized discounts for borrowers.
- Better price guarantee. As of August 2022, Better attempts to match any competitor’s offer and credits you $100. If Better can’t match the offer, you get to keep the $100.
- 21-day closing commitment. Better is committed to closing loans in 21 days for eligible borrowers buying single family/detached unit homes.
- Informative website. Better’s website offers a range of resources, including calculators and homebuying guides.
Cons
- Limited loan types. Better doesn’t currently offer VA, USDA, HELOCs, home equity, construction or commercial loans.
- No branch locations. As a digital lender, you won’t be able to meet with a loan officer face to face.
What is Better?
Launched in 2016, Better is a digital lender headquartered in New York, NY. Since its inception, Better has funded more than $25 billion in loans. In 2018, Better launched its Better Real Estate division, which helps match buyers to agents. And in 2019, the company introduced Better Cover and Better Settlement Services to help simplify the home insurance and title insurance process.
Better is not currently available on Finder
Have you considered Rocket Mortgage?
Apply online for free and lock in your rate for 90 days.
Your reviews
Kat Finder
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