At Best Company, we believe better data leads to better decisions.
We recently performed an analysis of more than 480 1-star mortgage lender reviews, and have determined common themes and complaints from customers, providing you with reliable data to navigate choosing the best mortgage lender.
The most common customer complaints include the following:
Poor customer service
Lack of transparency
Slow process or delays
Lender errors
High rates or fees
Borrower didn't qualify
Because this is an overview of general complaints, all specific company and reviewer names are removed. To better understand a specific company’s feedback, read its reviews.
Fifty-six percent of 1-star reviews mention poor customer support.
1. Company representatives were difficult to reach.
2. Consumers didn't have a consistent contact point.
3. Company representatives weren’t on the same page.
4. Company representatives were unhelpful.
Test the system.
You can test out more than one lender's customer service before committing. Call or email multiple lenders with your questions and see who responds first. If you’re having a hard time getting in touch with company representatives, this could be a good indication that you won’t have good experiences with customer service later on.
Some things to consider:
Be upfront.
Define and share your communication boundaries and expectations as you shop for a lender. If you know how you’d prefer to be communicated with, don’t be afraid to look for it and ask for it.
Some things to consider:
Be understanding, within reason.
Though you may want to close as quickly as possible, keep in mind that your loan officer is a person too, and typically someone who is trying their best to do their job. Just like you, loan officers get sick, take vacations, and have families. Plus, they have other clients to assist. While this doesn’t excuse miscommunication or lack of communication, patience and understanding can go a long way.
Provide all of your documents as quickly as possible.
Often, loan officers are waiting to complete the underwriting process because the borrower has not returned documents the loan officer has requested. The faster you can provide your loan officer with the required documentation, the faster you can get to closing.
You should be prepared to provide the following documents:
Forty-one percent of 1-star reviews mention a lack of transparency.
1. The lender didn't follow through on a promise.
2. The lender didn't adequately inform the borrower.
3. The lender was dishonest.
Do your research.
Read the terms and conditions under any guarantees listed on a company's website. Generally, lenders reserve the right to change guarantees and promotions at any time.
Ask about fees or prepayment penalties. This may not seem like a big deal up front, but you probably won’t like being hit with a fee at closing that you didn’t think you knew about before.
Be transparent.
You may not be able to control the transparency of your lender, but you can control the details you give them. In your loan application and moving forward, share all relevant details that may impact your eligibility for a mortgage.
Many borrowers are disappointed that their lenders don't identify problematic information until it's too late to resolve the issue before the initial closing date. You can avoid such situations by disclosing student debt, tax debt, and all other financial obligations upfront.
Get a second opinion.
An appraiser decides how much your home is worth, and, in turn, the maximum amount the bank is willing to loan you. As the borrower, you are responsible to pay for the appraiser, but you don't have a lot of control around who does it since your mortgage broker hires the appraiser (often through a third-party appraisal management company). The bank's chosen appraiser is the authority on that particular loan. However, you can hire your own appraiser to serve as a second opinion.
Eighteen percent of 1-star reviews mention a slow mortgage process or delays.
1. Too much paperwork was required.
2. Loan approval and closing took too long.
Gather paperwork ahead of time.
Get a head start on your mortgage by gathering some of the information you'll need before being approved for your loan, including the following, where applicable:
Lock your rate strategically.
Many lenders offer rate lock options in case rates rise. If a rate lock appeals to you, look for a lender that doesn't charge you for this service and that has an extended rate lock period.
Realtor Daniele Kurzweil asks her clients to consult with her before locking their rate.
"From start to finish, the whole process of buying in NYC takes roughly 90 days. What inevitably happens is that a mortgage broker hears that we have an accepted offer and tells the buyer to lock their rate that day.”
"However,” Kurzweil explains, "that doesn't take into consideration the time it takes to finalize the loan" in her local market, including the following steps:
Kurzweil describes the disappointment that can come when things take longer than expected: "All of a sudden, the 60-day rate lock has come and gone and my clients are stuck paying for an extension."
Expect delays.
Some loans will close within a month, but in many cases it can take much longer. If you keep your expectations low, you create space to be pleasantly surprised if the process goes quickly.
Twelve percent of 1-star reviews mention lender errors.
1. Important financial details were missed.
2. The lender had a typo or misclick.
3. The lender incorrectly handled escrow funds.
Repeat yourself.
Be willing to share and re-share important details relevant to your loan, even if you've already included them in your loan application, including names, birth dates, assets, and debts. Don't assume your lender will catch any discrepancies because they might not, or they might not catch it until it's too late.
Audit paperwork.
Where possible, look over the paperwork before it's sent to underwriting and again before closing documents are finalized. Work with your loan officer to do this face to face if there's a branch location near you, or over email, video chat, or a secure document sharing platform.
Verify your taxes and insurance.
To make sure your property tax payments from your mortgage servicer are going through, call the city or visit the property appraiser’s website yourself to confirm. You may also want to contact your home insurance provider, as yearly home insurance premiums are usually bundled in your escrow payments.
Eight percent of 1-star reviews mention high rates or fees.
1. The lender charged too many fees.
2. The rates were too high.
Be aware of standard fees.
It's the norm for buyers to pay for some services out of pocket before obtaining a loan.
You'll be responsible for some or all of the following fees, most of which are non-refundable:
Some fees, such as origination fees, escrow fees, and home insurance, are generally bundled within your loan amount to be paid off over time. Plan to spend anywhere from 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price of the home in closing costs.
Prepare financially before you buy.
To improve the interest rates for which you qualify, take steps to improve your credit. Pay off your other loans and debts where possible.
Shop around.
You can compare quote estimates from several mortgage lenders before initiating a hard credit pull and before committing to one. Getting multiple quotes from multiple lenders can help you explore how your mortgage terms may change based on down payment, credit score, location, and home value with online financial calculators.
Five percent of 1-star reviews mention instances where a borrower didn’t qualify for a mortgage loan.
1. The borrower "should have" been approved.
2. The borrower was given false hope.
Don't take it personally.
If you've been turned down for a mortgage purchase, even at the last minute, it doesn't mean the lender doesn't like you. These decisions are almost all about numbers.
Reapply.
Your eligibility for a particular loan type can improve over time as you improve your credit and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, among other factors. Plus, sometimes lenders change their standards or add additional mortgage products that may better fit your situation. Lenders often approve applicants with subprime credit for FHA loans.
Don't let a loan rejection from one lender stop you from applying elsewhere.
Focus on your credit.
Credit scores are probably the single most important factor in what rates and mortgage programs a borrower will be offered, according to Terence Michael of Omni-Fund Mortgage Brokerage. "Make sure that you do not owe more than 30 percent of the total available credit on any one of your credit cards, even for a day," Michael advises. "This is one of the best hacks for either boosting your credit score or keeping it from dipping right when it’s checked by a lender or bank."
If you are denied for a mortgage, taking the time to build or repair your credit can help ensure an approval next time.
"Keep in mind that you cannot fix your credit overnight," explains credit industry analyst Greg Mahnken at Credit Card Insider. "It takes time to build a strong credit file and demonstrate your worthiness as a borrower. You’ll need to demonstrate that you can make payments on time, keep your utilization low, minimize your applications for new credit, and have a healthy credit mix. The age of your credit accounts is also a factor, so keep that in mind before closing any credit card accounts."
Other ways to build your credit include using a credit builder loan and adding rent and utility payments to your credit reports. Your loan officer should also have resources to help you improve your credit score.
Compare top-rated mortgage lenders on BestCompany.com, based on customer reviews.
CompareMortgage Lenders
By Guest
April 12th, 2023
Mortgage Lenders
By Guest
April 12th, 2023
Mortgage Lenders
By Guest
October 27th, 2022
Sign up below to receive a monthly newsletter containing relevant news, resources and expert tips on Mortgage Lenders and other products and services.
We promise not to spam you. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy
We're on a mission to empower consumers to make the best decisions and connect confidently with companies that deserve their business.
© 2024 BestCompany.com LLC - All rights reserved Privacy Policy | Terms | Do Not Sell My Personal Information