Gateway Mortgage
Is This Your Business?Author: Kaitlyn Short
Gateway Mortgage Group, a division of Gateway First Bank, is an online mortgage lender, providing home purchase, refinance, and home renovation or construction mortgage solutions to homebuyers in select states across the nation.
Gateway Mortgage provides a variety of tools to simplify and personalize the mortgage process, and has been recognized as a Top 100 Mortgage Company by Mortgage Executive Magazine every year since 2012.
Continue reading for more information about this lender or jump down to read Gateway Mortgage reviews from real customers.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Streamlined Online Application Process
- Variety of Mortgage Options
- Mortgage Refinance Options
- Specialty Loan Programs
- Homebuyer Tools and Resources
- Gateway Gives Back Program
Streamlined Online Application Process
Gateway Mortgage makes it easy to apply for and close on a home loan quickly with its online application. You can submit your application and connect your Gateway accounts from any device.
In addition, you can upload documents, sign documents, and track each step of the mortgage process online. Once you've closed on your Gateway Mortgage home loan, you can make payments online through your Gateway account.
Variety of Mortgage Options
Gateway Mortgage offers a variety of mortgage solutions for a home purchase, a home refinance, or home renovations or construction. The following loan options are available:
- Conventional Loan
- Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Loan
- FHA Loan
- VA Loan
- USDA Loan
- Lock & Shop Loan
- Down Payment Protection
- Fannie Mae’s HomeReady
- Freddie Mac Home Possible and Home Possible Advantage
- Bonds and Down Payment Assistance Programs
- Condo Loans
- Manufactured Home Loan
Compared to larger online lenders, Gateway Mortgage offers a larger variety of home purchase mortgage loan options. It is worth noting its condo and manufactured home loan options, two loan types that aren’t offered by many lenders.
In addition, Gateway Mortgage also offers the following renovation/construction loan options:
- One-Time Close Construction Loan
- Fannie Mae’s HomeStyle Loan
- FHA 203(k) Mortgage Loan
- FHA 203(h) Loan
The majority of lenders don’t offer renovation of construction loan options. Thus, if you are planning on financing extensive renovations or building a new home, Gateway Mortgage could be a good option for you.
Mortgage Refinance Options
If you are seeking to refinance your current mortgage to secure a lower rate or adjust your loan terms, Gateway Mortgage offers the following mortgage refinance options:
- Cash Out Refinance
- VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan (IRRRL)
- RefiNow™ and Refi Possible℠
Specialty Loan Programs
In addition to traditional mortgage loan options, Gateway Mortgage offers specialty loan programs to meet the unique needs of homebuyers. The company offers the following specialty loan programs:
- Lot Loan — allows borrowers to finance land now and build later
- Jumbo Loan — financing for high-cost and/or luxury properties
- Jumbo Buster — an option to combine a first and second mortgage to avoid typical jumbo loan terms and requirements
- Second Lien (Piggyback) Loan — an option for taking advantage of loan programs with a large down payment or to alleviate the need for private mortgage insurance (PMI)
- Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program — government-backed loan program for Native American and Alaskan Native homebuyers
Gateway Mortgage is committed to connecting homebuyers to local mortgage professionals who can assist in specializing your home loan.
Homebuyer Tools and Resources
To assist homebuyers in the mortgage process, Gateway Mortgage has a variety of tools and resources, including a variety of mortgage calculators and a homebuyer's guide.
Gateway Gives Back Program
Gateway Mortgage is committed to providing personalized mortgage services to homebuyers, but it is also committed to supporting the communities which it serves.
Gateway Mortgage team members supported over 200 nonprofit organizations and has donated more than 5,300 volunteer hours since Gateway Gives Back's launch in 2018.
The company works with Folds of Honor, an organization that provides scholarships to those who have fallen or been injured in military service.
In addition, Gateway Mortgage has established its own programs, Gateway Christian School and Gateway Youth Ranch, to assist children and youth locally and internationally.
The Bad
- Rate and Term Transparency
- Not Available in All States
Rate and Term Transparency
Gateway Mortgage does not provide an interest rate range or credit score requirement on its website, making it difficult for potential customers to discern whether the company is a good fit for them and their needs.
To check your rates, you will need to pre-qualify for a Gateway Mortgage loan. This application should only take a few minutes and shouldn't impact your credit score.
In addition, minimum down payment, closing costs, and additional fees are not made clear on the Gateway Mortgage website, making it difficult to know what other costs you may incur. However, it is likely that these costs and fees vary by loan type. But, closing costs generally range from 2 to 5 percent of the loan amount in the mortgage industry.
Not Available in All States
Gateway Mortgage is currently available in only 40 states, including Washington, D.C. It is not licensed to operate in the following states:
- Alaska
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
The Bottom Line
Gateway Mortgage is a trusted lender in the mortgage industry, setting itself apart by offering a wide variety of loan options that many other lenders don't provide.
In addition, if you are interested in working with a company that is heavily involved in giving back, Gateway Mortgage could be a good choice for you. Through its past charitable programs and current initiatives, Gateway Mortgage proves that it cares about the individuals and communities it serves.
However, the company is not transparent about rates, fees, and borrower requirements on its website, making it difficult to know exactly what you might be paying on your loan overall.
Gateway Mortgage reviews are currently limited and so it is difficult to know exactly what the customer experience is like with this company, leading us to recommend looking into other mortgage lending companies before making a final decision.
