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Fairway Independent mortgage review
Lets you apply for a home loan from any device, but its requirements and interest rates are unclear.
finder.com’s rating: 4.1 / 5.0
★★★★★
- Choose this lender for a range of home loans.
- Choose another lender if you want a HELOC.
- A good option borrowers who prefer in-person help.
Details
| Loan products offered | Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Refinance, Reverse |
|---|---|
| Minimum credit score | Conventional: 620 VA: 580 FHA: 580 |
| Minimum down payment (Conventional) | 3% |
| State availability | Available in all states |
| NMLS # | 2289 |
Fairway Independent requirements
To find out if you’re eligible for a Fairway Independent home loan, visit the company’s website. Basic eligibility for a mortgage loan includes:
- Two years’ history of employment
- A FICO credit score of 620 or higher
- No history of bankruptcy in the past two years
Documentation
The documents you’ll need to apply for a home loan from Fairway Independent include:
For employed persons:
- Full name and personal contact information
- Social Security number
- Pay stubs from the past 30 days
- W2s and 1099s from the past two years
- Personal tax returns from the past two years
- Profit and loss statements, if self-employed
- List of your assets — including savings, real estate, car titles, retirement accounts and other investment records
Costs and fees
Fairway Independent 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 Fairway Independent
To get started:
- Go to Fairway Independent’s website and scroll down to select the Apply Now button.
- Choose whether you’re searching for a home, are under contract or want to refinance your existing home.
- Choosing I’m starting my search for a home will take you through the prequalification process requiring a hard credit check.
- Choosing I have a house under contract or I want to refinance my existing home will take you through the loan approval process requiring a hard credit check.
- Enter the loan information, property details, co-borrower information (if any), your personal details, Social Security number, current address, expenses, assets, employment and income information.
- Accept the Credit Authorization Agreement and choose Next.
- Answer the declaration questions and choose Next (loan application only).
- Answer the demographic questions and choose Next (loan application only).
- Review the application and choose Submit.
- Wait for a loan officer to reach out to you about the next steps.
What types of mortgages can I get through Fairway Independent?
- Conventional
- FHA
- VA
- USDA
- Jumbo
Other mortgage products offered by Fairway Independent
Fairway Independent also offers these specialized types of mortgages.
- Physician loans. Offers loan amounts up to $2 million with 95% loan-to-value (LTV), and no private mortgage insurance (PMI) requirement for eligible borrowers.
- Renovation loans. A fixed or adjustable-rate loan that rolls the cost of renovations and a home purchase or refinance into a single loan.
- Mortgage refinancing. This type of loan can help reduce your interest rate, lower your monthly mortgage payment and get rid of PMI.
How Fairway Independent’s mortgage products compare to other lenders
Compared to other lenders, Fairway Independent is a highly rated company that offers a solid range of home mortgage options, including conventional, government-backed and specialized loans. For borrowers with less-than-stellar credit, the company has a Creditool program where a credit analyst reviews your credit report and creates a credit improvement action plan for you at no cost.
Compare mortgage lenders and brokers
Compare these 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 provide the company with basic property and financial details for personalized rates.Fairway Independent reviews and complaints
As of April 2021, Fairway Independent has a favorable 4.97 out of 5 rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website from nearly 3,000 customers. The company has been accredited with the BBB since 2003 and has an A+ business rating, with 36 complaints closed in the past three years.
The company is also top-rated on Zillow, with over 27,350 customers giving it a full 5 out of 5 rating. Customers online speak highly of their interactions with the Fairway Independent team, who they overwhelmingly describe as a pleasure to work with: professional, attentive and responsive. Customers who filed complaints mention problems with billing issues — often after loans were sold — and sales contracts falling through, resulting in financial stress.
Pros and cons of Fairway Independent
Pros
- Mobile app available. In addition to the online application available on its website, Fairway also offers a mobile application process through its FairwayNow mobile app.
- Branch availability. Fairway Independent has 10,000 team members across 690 branch and satellite locations in 49 states. The only state where branches are not available is Alaska.
- Unique loan options. Fairway Independent opens up your property purchasing options with a unique home renovation loan designed to help you tackle the cost of renovations up front.
Cons
- Limited information. Fairway Independent doesn’t offer any information about rates, fees or lending requirements on its website.
- Hard credit check. To process your online application or prequalification, Fairway performs a hard credit check, which could drop your score by a few points. There is no prequalification process with a soft credit pull available.
- Loans sold after closing. Some customers online mention billing issues after their loans were sold to another servicing company.
What is Fairway Independent?
Fairway Independent was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin and Carrolton, Texas. By 2017, it was licensed in all 50 states and had over 6,000 employees under its wing. Today, the company has 10,000 team members and nearly 700 branch locations in the US. The company originated $65.8 billion worth of home loans in 2020, up from $39.2 billion in 2019. Fairway Independent is also one of the nation’s top USDA lenders by loan volume.
Review by
Shannon Terrell
shannon.terrell@finder.comShannon Terrell is a senior writer for Finder who has written over 400 personal finance guides. With a focus on investments and personal finance, she breaks down jargon-laden topics to help others make informed financial decisions. She studied communications and English literature at the University of Toronto.
Expert review
Fairway Independent comes highly rated by past customers, and with its specialized mortgages, such as its HomeStyle renovation and physician loans, Fairway may be a good choice for a range of homebuyer needs. But there is little information about interest rates, fees and lending requirements on the company website, and you’ll need to consent to a hard credit pull to see your available rates.