Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own. Advertiser Disclosure
Northpointe Bank mortgage review
Find an array of loans for first-time, unconventional and investor borrowers with low down payments and rates.
Northpointe Bank offers some 20 programs that can benefit both conventional and nontraditional borrowers, like property investors, select professionals and those with compromised credit. This range of loans combined with high-interest checking and savings options might be right for you, if you’re comfortable with digital banking.
Details
| Loan products offered | Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Home equity loan, HELOC, Refinance |
|---|---|
| Minimum credit score | Conventional: 620 |
| Minimum down payment (Conventional) | 5% |
| State availability | Available in all states |
| NMLS # | 447490 |
Northpointe Bank requirements
Credit score and other financial requirements depend on the loan. But this bank includes many of its requirements in the loan option descriptions, including the following:
- Conventional and construction loans require at least a 5% down payment.
- The New Start mortgage program requires 20% down and a FICO score of at least 660.
- Doctor loans may not require a down payment, but you must have an employment contract with a start date within 60 days of the note date.
Check your specific mortgage loan program on the Northpointe Bank Loan Options page to see if you meet the base qualifications listed. Your eligibility will typically depend on your credit history, your debt-to-income ratio and the loan-to-value ratio of your home.
Documentation
Typically, the personal and financial documents required with your loan application include:
- Last two years of W-2 statements
- Two most recent pay stubs
- Total assets from the past two months, such as bank statements
- Most recent Social Security award letter, if applicable
- Contact information of your homeowner’s insurance agent
Costs and fees
Like many other banks, Northpointe Bank doesn’t disclose a list of potential fees online. But it recommends homebuyers prepare for:
- $400 nonrefundable application fee
- $300 to $400 appraisal in most areas
- Origination fee around 1% of the purchase price
- Title search fee
- Attorney fees
- Survey fee
- Recording fees
- Escrow fees
How to apply for a mortgage with Northpointe Bank
You can’t complete a loan application on Northpointe Bank’s website, but when you apply for prequalification, a loan officer will help you fill out the rest.
- Go to Northpointe Bank’s homepage and select the Home Lending tab.
- Select either Simple Process and then Get started under step 2, or select the Loan Option you want and hit Get Quote.
- Answer some basic questions about the loan you want and enter your contact information. Select Get Started.
- Wait for a loan officer to review your application and follow up with your prequalification.
What types of mortgages can I get through Northpointe Bank?
- Conventional
- FHA
- VA
- USDA
- Jumbo
Other mortgage products available at Northpointe Bank
Northpointe expands on typical mortgages and home loans to support compromised credit, construction needs, select professionals and more.
- Mortgage refinancing. Refinancing options range from conventional to government-backed loans.
- Home equity products. Borrow against the equity you’ve built with a home equity loan or a HELOC.
- Investment loans. Get financing for rental properties of one to four units, new condo projects that don’t meet conventional requirements and more.
- Renovation and construction loans. Streamline renovations, construction and land purchases into one loan and vacant land loans with low down-payment options.
- Loans for low or minimal credit. Options are available for unique borrowers that include self-employed individuals and those recovering from bankruptcy or a short sale.
- HomeReady. This Fannie Mae homeownership program allows for down payments as low as 3%. It also offers flexible underwriting that lets you add coborrowers who don’t live in the home — such as parents — on the mortgage.
- Loans for professionals. Practicing physicians or doctors completing their residency may qualify for a loan of up to $1 million with $0 down payment and no mortgage insurance. Lawyers and other established professionals can finance homes without mortgage insurance and a down payment as low as 3%.
How Northpointe Bank’s mortgage products compare to other lenders
In addition to more common mortgage products, such as conforming and government-backed home loans, this lender offers over 20 mortgage options. They cover everything from a first-time homebuyer with little to no down payment to jumbo loans for professionals and new construction loans for borrowers who want to build their own home.
The Homeownership Opportunities Program (HOP) allows qualified homebuyers who have not owned a home in the past three years to receive a grant for up to $5,000 toward a new down payment or closing costs with Northpointe.
Northpointe’s Tribute to Freedom program allows home purchasers to choose a military-based charity, such as USO or the Headstrong Project, for a $125 donation from the bank.
Compare mortgage lenders
Compare top brands by home loan type, state availability and credit score. Select See rates to provide the lender with basic property and financial details for personalized rates.
Northpointe Bank reviews and complaints
As of August 2021, Trustpilot doesn’t have any user reviews for Northpointe Bank. But it’s accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), earning an A+ rating based on the BBB’s internal criteria that includes its response to customer complaints. It has answered 33 customer complaints over the last three years and averages 1 out of 5 stars from 14 reviews. Yelp reviews average 3.5 out of 5 stars with 72 reviews.
Positive reviews praise individual loan officers and a smooth process, while other customers complain of loan officer mistakes that adversely affected homebuyers and warn that you should carefully review your contract, statements and bills to stay on top of errors.
Pros and cons of Northpointe Bank
Look at both sides of this lender to see if it’s suitable for you.
Pros
- State Bond programs. Northpointe’s website lists low down payment options for homebuyers, organized by state in Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington.
- Suite of 20+ loan options. Northpointe Bank’s many options range from conventional to government-insured as well as special financing for established professionals, investors and low-credit borrowers.
- A loan program for fast closing. Borrowers with straightforward documentation can qualify for a loan program that closes within 15 business days — or you’re eligible for a $300 rebate.
Cons
- Limited branch locations. Northpointe Bank branches are only in 24 states, limiting face-to-face for those who live elsewhere.
- No online application. You’ll enter basic information to get started on your application, but you must work with a loan officer to finish your application, which for most people means being comfortable sharing your financial details over the phone.
What is Northpointe Bank?
Northpointe Bank is an FDIC-insured bank based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1999, the bank offers its services nationwide, but its physical branch locations are available in the following 24 states:
- Alabama
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
Northpointe Bank also offers a range of car, home and renters insurance through a partnership with Insuritas.
Review by
Kimberly Ellis
kimberly.ellis@findercrew.comKimberly Ellis is a writer at Finder. She hails from New York City with a BA from Queens College and a New York State teaching certificate. After teaching in both public and private schools, Kimberly decided to take the world by storm and dive into the media industry — where she covers everything from home loans and investing to K–12 education and shopping. She’s also an aspiring polyglot, always in a book and forever on the hunt for the perfect classic red lipstick.
Expert review
If you’re a square peg in a round hole when it comes to borrowing, Northpointe Bank is worth a look. The lender’s more than 20 programs focus on a range of borrowers beyond the conventional, including loans for those with low credit and legal or medical professionals looking to purchase a home.
Investors can find combination loans that include construction and land to streamline financing. Drawbacks include limited branch locations and frequent customer complaints of errors throughout the homebuying process, so take care when reading your contracts and bills.