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First Home Mortgage review
A guided mortgage process for first-time or experienced homebuyers.
First Home Mortgage services 21 states throughout the northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southern regions, offering numerous loan types. You’ll have a dedicated loan officer from prequalification to closing, but the few customers who have shared their feedback felt this service was lacking. If you’re looking for a lender with strong reviews or are simply buying a home outside the First Home Mortgage service area, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
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Conventional: 620
Minimum credit score
3%
Minimum down payment (Conventional)
Only available in: CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV
State availability
Details
| Loan products offered | Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Refinance |
|---|---|
| Minimum credit score | Conventional: 620 |
| Minimum down payment (Conventional) | 3% |
| State availability | Only available in: CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV |
| NMLS # | 71603 |
Review by
Matt Miczulski
matt.miczulski@finder.comMatt Miczulski is an investments writer at Finder, where he covers market news and digs into brokerages and investments to help readers make informed financial decisions. His expertise and writing have been featured on CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Before joining Finder, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. He earned a BA in history from William Paterson University.
Expert review
First Home Mortgage offers first-time and experienced home buyers alike to choose from a variety of mortgage products. The lender’s guided mortgage process gives you a dedicated loan officer to work with from the very beginning stages, which can be helpful if it’s your first time navigating the homebuying process. However, if you live outside the lender’s servicing area or are hoping to find a lender that doesn’t charge fees, you’re probably better off comparing other mortgage lenders.
First Home Mortgage is not currently available on Finder
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First Home Mortgage requirements
Meet the following criteria to qualify for a mortgage:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a US citizen, permanent resident alien or nonpermanent resident alien
- Get prequalified for a loan
Documentation
The exact documents required to apply for a loan with First Home Mortgage vary depending on your situation, but in general you need to provide:
- Photo ID.
- A Social Security number.
- Checking and savings account statements from the previous three months.
- Pay stubs covering the past 30 days of employment.
- Federal tax returns from the previous two years.
- W-2s, K-1s and/or 1099s from the previous two years.
- Evidence of other assets, such as stocks and bonds.
- Contact information for someone who can verify your employment.
Costs and fees
First Home Mortgage charges a flat $1,395 application fee and a $575 appraisal fee as of June 2021.
In addition, you’re responsible for paying any third-party fees associated with buying a new home. These include costs such as title fees, title insurance and closing fees.
How to apply for a mortgage with First Home Mortgage
The first step toward obtaining a mortgage with First Home Mortgage is getting prequalified for a loan. Here’s how to get prequalified with First Home Mortgage:
- Go to First Home Mortgage’s website, select Get Started/Login from the navigation menu, then choose Find A Loan Officer.
- Locate an office nearest you, select View Loan Officers, and choose a loan officer by selecting View next to their name.
- Choose Get Pre-Qualified and then select either Purchasing or Refinancing, depending on your situation.
- Create an account and log in using your new username and password, then locate the draft of your application and hit Start.
- Provide information regarding the purpose of your loan, property details and coborrower information. Choose Next when finished.
- Provide additional personal information, including your name, date of birth, Social Security number, contact information, address, monthly housing expenses, assets, employment information and gross monthly income.
- Complete the credit authorization and eConsent agreements and fill out the declarations and demographics forms.
- Review your application and select Submit.
What types of mortgages can I get through First Home Mortgage?
- Conventional
- FHA
- VA
- USDA
- Jumbo
Other mortgage products First Home Mortgage offers
- Renovation and Construction Loans. Whether you’re looking to remodel your current home, buy a new home and make immediate renovations or build a custom home, a renovation or construction loan will make it happen.
How First Home Mortgage’s mortgage products compare to other lenders
First Home Mortgage offers a variety of loan types, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, refinance and renovation and construction loans, which is on par with most mortgage lenders.
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First Home Mortgage reviews and complaints
As of September 2021, First Home Mortgage has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though the company isn’t BBB accredited. Three of the four reviewers rated First Home Mortgage 1 out of 5 stars, citing unprofessionalism, disorganization and poor customer service. One customer rated the lender 5 out of 5 stars, commending the quality of service they received from their loan officer.
Reviews are more plentiful on Zillow – and much more positive. Customers on Zillow have rated First Home Mortgage 5 out of 5 stars based on more than 6,900 reviews. Many highlight the lender’s quality of service and positive experience as a first-time homebuyer.
First Home Mortgage pros and cons
Compare the perks and drawbacks of a mortgage lender to understand whether it’ll suit your needs. Here’s where First Home Mortgage stands out:
Pros
- Numerous loan options. First Home Mortgage offers a variety of mortgage products, including conventional, government and renovation and construction loans.
- Guided mortgage process. You’ll be assigned a dedicated loan officer from the get-go who will walk you through everything from getting prequalified to closing on your new home.
- Mobile app. View your loan status, scan required documents and quickly access your loan officer’s contact information with the First Home Mortgage mobile app. Available on both iOS and Android devices.
Cons
- Limited availability. First Home Mortgage only services the northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southern regions.
- Difficult contacting First Home Mortgage. The lender provides an email form and two phone numbers on its contact page. One number is the mainline, and the other is for their loan servicing department. We called several times during regular business hours but to no avail. The number for the loan servicing department went straight to a full mailbox, so we couldn’t even leave our contact info to have our call returned. We finally reached someone after contacting several different offices throughout Maryland.
- Steep lender fees. First Home Mortgage charges a flat $1,395 application fee regardless of the amount borrowed. Application fees, underwriting fees, origination fees are also known as “junk fees,” and lenders charge them to make money. These fees are negotiable, so don’t be afraid to discuss them with each lender as you shop around.
What is First Home Mortgage?
First Home Mortgage is a full-service, residential lender headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1990 by David Waters, the company has since expanded into 44 offices that serve 21 states in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southern regions.