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Our verdict

A lender offering assistance programs for locals, but customer reviews are mostly negative.

Though it offers loans nationwide, Wintrust Mortgage may be best for borrowers in the Chicago area for its multiple down payment assistance programs only available in that area. With programs that provide grants and loans to qualified borrowers, you may only need to put 1% or $1,000 down.
For borrowers outside these areas, Wintrust Mortgage still offers a variety of mortgage products and a large footprint of physical locations throughout the country. But with so many negative customer reviews, you'll need to tread carefully through the process, making sure to watch out for missing documents that can affect your closing date and increases to your interest rates before you sign.

Pros

Physical locations throughout the country
Down payment assistance
Offers a suite of loans

Cons

Interest rates not posted
Poor customer service

Wintrust Mortgage may be a good option for first-time homebuyers with its suite of conventional and government-backed loans available in all 50 states. But you won’t find rates and fees posted online, and the vast majority of customer reviews are negative. Ask your loan officer to lock in your rate when you’re ready — reviewers have complained in the past of rates changing shortly before closing.

Details

Features

Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, HELOC, Refinance
Minimum credit score	Conventional: 640 FHA: 620
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
State availability	Available in all states
NMLS #	449042

Special assistance programs

The following down payment assistance programs are available in specific counties in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Wintrust Homebuyer Grant Program. Qualified first-time homebuyers could benefit from up to $2,000 for a down payment. There’s an option to pair this program with federal, state and local grants, and borrowers need to complete an approved homebuyer counseling program.
Down payment assistance programs. Wintrust also offers a few programs to help buyers in the Chicago area with their down payment.
- Cook County Homebuyers Assistance Program. First-time homebuyers who complete a HUD-certified course and have a credit score of at least 620 can qualify. The homebuyer must contribute 1% of the purchase price or $1,000, whichever is less.
- Federal Home Bank of Chicago Down Payment Plus Program. Qualified borrowers in Wisconsin and Illinois can be eligible for grants from $3,000 to $6,000, depending on their down payment contribution.

Wintrust Mortgage pros and cons

Pros

Physical locations throughout the country. For those who want to work in person with a loan officer, Wintrust has more than 65 lending offices and 175 bank branch locations across the US.
Down payment assistance. Homebuyers in certain counties in Wisconsin and Illinois can apply for down payment assistance programs through Wisconsin.

Cons

Interest rates and fees not posted. To see Wintrust’s interest rates or fees, you have to submit a loan application to get a quote or call and ask to speak with a loan specialist.
Poor customer service. Users on the Better Business Bureau report poor communication with agents, misplaced documents and interest rate increases prior to signing.

Wintrust Mortgage requirements

This lender requires a 640 FICO score for its conventional loan, which is slightly higher than the more typical 620 credit score requirement from most banks and lenders. And if you don’t qualify for one of its down payment assistance programs, you’ll need to come up with at least 3% as a down payment.
Here’s what you typically need to provide for Wintrust Mortgage to process your application.

Documentation

Contract for purchase.
W2 forms and tax returns from the previous two years.
Bank statements from the previous two months.
Pay stubs from the previous 30 days.
Business tax returns and K1 forms for the previous two years, if self-employed.
Contact information for your realtor, insurance agent and real estate attorney.

Costs and fees

We contacted Wintrust Mortgage directly to ask about its fees since it doesn’t publish them on its website. A representative from the financing department told us that while Wintrust Mortgage’s lender fees vary depending on the type of home loan, they’re typically around $1,300 in total. This is as of December 2021.
The representative also told us that homebuyers are responsible for paying various third-party fees.
Some common third-party fees include:

Flood certification.
Transfer taxes.
Title company.
Attorney costs.
Appraisal fees.
Closing fees.

How to apply for a mortgage with Wintrust Mortgage

Start the loan application online and check your application status on the Wintrust Mortgage website. To get started:

Go to Wintrust Mortgage’s website, select Get Started from the navigation menu and then Start the Process.
Follow the prompts to answer questions about where you are in the mortgage process, information about you and a coborrower, if you have one, as well as information about the property you want. Select Continue to move through the prompts.
List your assets, income sources and any real estate you currently own.
Answer a few declarations and questions about your demographic. Select Continue.
Follow the remaining prompts to submit your loan application. A loan officer should contact you with next steps.

What types of mortgages can I get through Wintrust Mortgage?

Conventional

USDA

Jumbo

This company accepts mortgage refinance applications.

Other mortgage products Wintrust Mortgage offers

New construction. Called “Construction-To-Perm ‘All In One’ Loans,” these loans allow you to combine the purchase price and construction costs into one loan. Finance up to $5 million with an adjustable-rate mortgage and 15% down.
FHA 203(k). Insured by the federal government, these loans cover both the property purchase and renovations. Finance up to $35,000 into your mortgage for subsequent renovations.
Investment property or second Home. Designed for investment properties and vacation homes. Offers more flexible underwriting, such as using specific assets as a source of income.
VA IRRRL. Also known as VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loans, these loans are available to veterans who want to reduce their monthly mortgage payments

Wintrust Mortgage reviews are negative

Wintrust Mortgage doesn’t have any customer reviews on Trustpilot. However, the company is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an A+ rating, mostly because it responded to the 44 customer complaints registered with the BBB over the last three years.
As of July 2022, Wintrust Mortgage has 28 customer reviews earning 1.25 out of 5 stars. We found only one positive review from a customer who refinanced with the lender. The remaining reviews are 1-star, complaining of poor customer service and response, billing errors and interest rates increasing right before closing.

3 fast facts about Wintrust Mortgage

Get to know this lender a little better before you apply.

Wintrust Mortgage is a bank-owned retail mortgage originator that started in Denver, Colorado in 1979.
Today, the company is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois and originates over $4 billion in loans annually across all 50 states.
It is an affiliate of Wintrust Financial Corporation and a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A.

Alternatives to Wintrust Mortgage

If you’re interested in working with an online lender that has more of a customer reputation, Rocket Mortgage has thousands of customer reviews for you to peruse and is fully accredited with the BBB. For home equity products, which Wintrust doesn’t offer, you may consider comparing the lenders on our best home equity loan lenders and best HELOC lenders guides.
You may end up choosing Wintrust in the end, but shopping around is the best way to ensure you make the right choice. And you can start below by comparing 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.

Disclaimer: The partners on Finder's mortgage comparison tables are sorted in alphabetical order.

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Product	Loan products offered	State availability	Min. credit score
Rocket Mortgage	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance, Home equity loan	Available in all states	620	Apply online for free and lock in your rate for 90 days.	See rates More Info Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Veterans United	Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, Refinance	Available in all states	620	Veterans United stands out from other lenders for its focus on serving the military community.	See rates More Info Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Kimberly Ellis is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking and financial literacy. After teaching in public and private schools, Kimberly zeroed in on personal financial education to help families and kids develop lifelong money skills. She hails from New York City, graduating summa cum laude from Queens College with a BA in elementary education and mathematics, as well as a New York State teaching certificate. She’s also an aspiring polyglot, always in a book and forever on the hunt for the perfect classic red lipstick. See full profile