Explore the country’s top lenders based on your unique circumstances.
How do I choose the best home equity lender?
Choosing the right lender can be a challenge if you’re not sure what to look for. A few features to compare while you’re shopping around:
Types of loans. There are several types of mortgages — including jumbo, conventional, fixed rate, adjustable rate and government insured. Not all lenders offer all types, so knowing which kind you want can help you narrow down your options.
Mortgage rates. Generally speaking, the lower the rate on a home loan, the less you’ll pay over time.
Down payment requirement. If the amount you’re able to put down on a home is limited, the lender’s requirements based on your financial situation can make or break your purchasing power.
Cost and fees. Some are less than transparent. Comb through the fine print and ask about all fees involved.
Prepayment penalties. Some lenders penalize you for paying off your loan early, while others don’t. If you plan on paying off your mortgage ahead of time, look for a lender that won’t charge you a fee for it.
Credit score flexibility. Different lenders have different requirements when it comes to credit scores, and some are more strict than others. Knowing where your score stands can help you find the lenders most likely to approve you.
Face-to-face service. Many modern digital lenders lack brick-and-mortar branches. If in-person service is important to you, a more traditional lender might be a better fit.
Home loans ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
We analyze top home loan providers and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. These factors include: rates and fees, product selection and borrower experience.
Michael Benninger is lead editor of banking at Forbes Advisor and a former writer at Finder, specializing in banking. His work and analysis has been featured in Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates and the Los Angeles Times, among other top media. He holds a B.A. in business administration and marketing from Rowan University in New Jersey.
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Advertiser Disclosure
finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
