9 best mortgage lenders in Washington

Looking for a digital lender with no origination fees and fast preapproval? If so, Better’s mortgage process may be the right fit for you.

Unlike traditional lenders, Better’s online application is designed to link directly to your financial accounts, so you can get a mortgage preapproval in minutes, not days. In an active housing market like Washington’s, Better’s digitally verified preapproval generally holds more weight for some sellers.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Pay fewer fees. Better doesn't charge lender fees or commissions, helping you to save money on your loan.
  • Digital application. Better offers a fully electronic application process from start to finish, including funding.
  • Lender credits. Receive up to $2000 in lender credits if you use a real estate agent referred by Finche, LLC, dba BRE or dba Better Home Services.

  Cons

  • No mobile app. While a digital company, Better doesn't offer a mobile app.
  • Limited types of loans. Better has FHA loans but doesn't offer VA or USDA loans.
  • Login credentials. You may have to provide login credentials to your bank and tax accounts.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	Refinance: 680 All other loans: 620
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
  State availability	Not available in: HI, MA, MN, NV, NH, VT, VA
  NMLS #	330511

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Won't affect your credit score. LendingTree needs permission to pull your credit score, but it won't affect your credit rating.
  • Competitive loan offers. Because LendingTree's partners compete for your business, you may get more competitive offers.
  • Finds the lowest rates. LendingTree automatically searches for lower interest rates and notifies you when a better rate is found.

  Cons

  • Contact information is shared. Your contact information will be sent to various companies after signing up, and you may receive multiple calls and emails.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Home Equity, HELOC, Reverse, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 500 VA: 620 USDA: 640 Jumbo: 800
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
  State availability	Available in all states
  NMLS #	1136

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • DPA Program. Guild Mortgage's DPA program can increase your buying power and possibly help you avoid mortgage insurance requirements.
  • Help for first-time homebuyers. The Guild Mortgage website is chock full of articles, tools and calculators geared towards first-time homebuyers.
  • 17 Day Closing Guarantee. If your loan doesn't close in a timely manner after signing the sales contract, Guild Mortgage will reimburse you $500 in closing costs.

  Cons

  • Mixed customer reviews. While thousands of customers rate the company favorably, the Better Business Bureau has received several complaints against it.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Reverse, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	Conventional: 600-620
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
  State availability	Not available in: NJ, NY
  NMLS #	3274

If you have been or are currently in the military, Navy Federal could be a smart choice for your refinancing needs. Offering a wide selection of refinance mortgage loans, you may be able to secure a better interest rate, remove your PMI with less than 20% down or get cash out for other needs.

If you’re looking to save, the Navy Federal Credit Union website makes it convenient to view current rates and run the numbers through its mortgage calculator so you can see what your new payment might be.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Rate match guarantee. Navy Federal Credit Union promises that if you find a better rate, the company will match it or give you $1,000. Some conditions apply.
  • VA Streamline loan available. This refinancing option can be used to upgrade an existing VA loan with minimal out-of-pocket costs.
  • PMI may not be required. The credit union has several loan options that don't require PMI with less than 20% down.

  Cons

  • Must be a member. To get a refinance through Navy Federal, you or a family member must be associated with the armed forces, DoD or the National Guard.
  • Longer wait times. Due to an influx of applications, you may have to wait a bit longer with this lender.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, VA, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Other loans: 580 or higher, depending on the loan type
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	0%
  State availability	Available in all states
  NMLS #	399807

Boeing Employees Credit Union was founded in 1935 to help Boeing employees buy tools for their jobs. Today, the popular credit union has over one million members and numerous branches across Washington, offering a wide range of financial products and mortgages for both first-time and experienced homebuyers alike.

The good news is, anyone who lives in Washington State can become a BECU member of this community-minded credit union, but you must have above-average credit to qualify for a home loan.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No origination fees. BECU doesn't charge an origination fee for any of its mortgage products.
  • Interest rates listed. The BECU website advertises its current interest rates for a range of home loan products.
  • Community-minded business. BECU is a nonprofit organization that has donated millions to local initiatives.

  Cons

  • No USDA loans. BECU doesn't offer United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans.
  • Higher interest rates. BECU's mortgage rates are higher than some of the other lenders we compared.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance, HELOC
  Minimum credit score	FHA - 600 Conventional - 620
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
  State availability	Only available in: AZ, CA, ID, IL, KS, MO, OR, PA, SC, WA
  NMLS #	490518

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Digital application process. Synergy One Lending can link directly to your financial accounts for immediate verification of assets.
  • S1 Connect app. This mobile app lets you apply over your phone, compare rates, upload documents, electronically sign, track your application and connect with your loan officer.
  • Eliminates guesswork. You can track your mortgage application in real-time using the S1 Connect app.

  Cons

  • Logins required for account verification. While optional, the account verification feature requires you to provide login credentials to your financial accounts.
  • Costs and fees not listed. This lender doesn't list its costs and fees online.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Reverse, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	620
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
  State availability	AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY
  NMLS #	1907235

Do you have less-than-stellar credit? Mr. Cooper may be able to help. Previously known as Nationstar Mortgage, Mr. Cooper offers a solid range of mortgage options, including FHA loans and the FHA streamline refinance loan with reduced paperwork requirements.

While the company isn’t rated #1 for customer service, it does offer customers the benefits of underwriting flexibility, a useful mobile app for making payments and a Close On Time guarantee.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Handy mobile app. Customers like Mr. Cooper's mobile app, which can be used to track your home's equity and make no-fee digital payments.
  • Rate discounts. If you're an existing customer, you may be eligible for lower rates on a second home mortgage or refinance.
  • Doesn't sell its loans. If you get a loan through Mr. Cooper, you don't need to worry about your loan being sold to another company.

  Cons

  • Mixed reviews. Mr. Cooper has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 on ConsumerAffairs.com, with some customers complaining about poor service.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	5%
  State availability	Available in all states
  NMLS #	2119

If you’re looking for a low interest rate mortgage in Washington, Summit Funding could be your ticket to a lower payment. It has the lowest interest rates of all the lenders we compared in Washington and features a well-designed website for anyone looking to start the loan application process.

Summit Funding also offers a range of loan programs, including FHA, VA, USDA loans, as well as Jumbo and reverse mortgage loans.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Low down payment loans. Summit Funding offers loans for owner-occupied properties with as little as 3% down.
  • Good customer reviews. The company has a 4.85 out of 5 rating from SocialSurvey, with customers reporting being happy with the service, communication and expertise provided.
  • Reverse mortgages. Summit Funding offers reverse mortgages in addition to its standard loans.

  Cons

  • No HELOCs. Summit Funding doesn't offer home equity lines of credit.
  • Rates not listed online. Summit Funding doesn't disclose its interest rates or fees online. You'll need to contact the company for more information.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Reverse, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 580 VA: 620 USDA: 620 Jumbo: 680
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
  State availability	Not available in: AK, CT, IA, MA, MT, NY, ND, PA, RI, SD, WV

Originally founded in 1948 for Group Health employees, Salal Credit Union membership is now open to anyone who lives or works in Washington State. The credit union offers a wide range of financial products and mortgage loans, including loans to business owners and employees in the cannabis industry, physician’s loans and nurse’s loans.

Salal claims to have lower rates and fees than the industry average, and we found its rates to be competitive compared to other lenders in Washington.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Well-designed website. Salal Credit Union has an intuitive website, making it straightforward to apply for a loan or contact a loan officer.
  • Most services in-house. The Salal Credit Union keeps most of its servicing in-house, which can help make for a smoother process.
  • HomeAdvantage. This is an exclusive free member service offered by Salal that provides homebuyer tools and cash rewards.

  Cons

  • Rates not listed. Salal Credit Union doesn't list interest rates online, so you'll need to fill out an application to see your rates.
  • Fees not listed. The credit union doesn't list its mortgage fees and closing costs online.

• More details

  Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, Home Equity/HELOC, Refinance
  Minimum credit score	None specified, but most lenders require a score of 620
  Minimum down payment (Conventional)	5%
  State availability	Only available in: CA, OR, UT, WA
  NMLS #	416045