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Veterans United is currently the largest lender of VA loans, and it earned "best overall" in our guide to the best VA mortgage lenders. It's a good option for several types of mortgages — though VA loans are its strongest products. The lender ranks extremely high in customer satisfaction, and it also offers free credit counseling for VA borrowers who don't yet meet its credit requirements.
Veterans United Home Loans Veterans United Home Loans, NMLS 1907 Insider’s Rating A five pointed starA five pointed star
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection. Perks Offers free assistance to borrowers with poor credit scores Recommended Credit Types of Loans Offered Conforming, jumbo, FHA, USDA, VA, refinanceVeterans United is currently the largest lender of VA loans, and it earned "best overall" in our guide to the best VA mortgage lenders. It's a good option for several types of mortgages — though VA loans are its strongest products.
Veterans United is the largest originator of VA loans in the U.S., according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The company has been around since 2002, and it has a ton of experience working with VA loan borrowers and helping them close on their loans.
Veterans United specializes in VA mortgages, but it also offers:
It can be hard to find information for non-VA loans on its website.
Veterans United originates mortgages in all 50 states and Washington, DC. You can apply online, over the phone, or get started at a branch near you. Veterans United has branches in the following states:
In our review of the latest Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, we found that Veterans United's rates are slightly higher than average.
You can see sample VA mortgage rates for different credit score ranges on the Veterans United website. But you'll need to start an application or talk to a loan officer to see rates for other types of mortgages, or to get a personalized rate.
In 2022, the average borrower getting a conventional loan from Veterans United paid $2,700 in origination charges, according to HMDA data. This is slightly low compared to other lenders. VA loan borrowers paid $2,125 on average.
Veterans United has pretty standard loan offerings, including both conventional and government-backed mortgages. But you won't find any home equity options or niche mortgages types with this lender.
Veterans United earns points in affordability for having multiple low down payment mortgage options and low average fees. It also offers free credit counseling for hopeful VA loan borrowers who don't meet the loan's credit requirements. But its average rates are a bit high compared to other lenders.
Veterans United doesn't qualify to rank in the J.D. Power 2023 Primary Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Survey because it doesn't meet certain criteria, but J.D. Power notes that the lender would rank highly if it was eligible.
This lender also has a lot of positive online customer reviews. On its Zillow lender profile, it earned a 4.78 out of 5 stars based on over 5,000 customer reviews. On TrustPilot, it has a 4.9 out of 5 star rating based on over 11,000 customer reviews.
The Better Business Bureau gives Veterans United an A+ rating. A strong BBB score indicates a company responds effectively to customer complaints, advertises honestly, and is transparent about business practices.
Veterans United doesn't have any recent public scandals.
Veterans United has more than two decades of experience lending to veterans, military families, and other borrowers. It's currently the largest VA loan lender in the country.
This experience and expertise is reflected in customer reviews and its J.D. Power rating. Though the lender didn't meet the criteria to rank in J.D. Power's satisfaction study, it earned a higher score than the No. 1 lender, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation.
If you want to get a VA loan with this lender but your credit score isn't high enough to qualify, you may be eligible for free credit counseling from Veterans United. They may recommend opening a secured credit card or resolving previous defaults to boost your score.
While Veterans United's loan options should meet most borrowers' needs, if you're looking for a less common type of mortgage (like a reverse mortgage or a physician loan), you'll need to look elsewhere.
It also doesn't offer home equity loans or HELOCs.
Business Insider looked at positive and negative customer reviews, online forums, BBB complaints, and other sources to understand what borrowers think about Veterans United.
This lender stands out for offering excellent customer service. In reviews, previous borrowers said their Veterans United loan officers were extremely helpful and kept them informed throughout the process. We also saw many comments that the mortgage process with this lender was smooth and quick.
Navy Federal Credit Union also ranks high in customer satisfaction (though not as high as Veterans United), and it has a number of affordable mortgage options for both VA and non-VA borrowers.
Navy Federal's Military Choice and Homebuyers Choice programs offer 0% down mortgages for those who have exhausted their VA loan benefit or borrowers who don't qualify for a VA loan. It also offers home equity loans and HELOCs. But unlike Veterans United, it doesn't offer FHA or USDA loans.
USAA Mortgage offers an extremely limited range of mortgages that includes conventional and VA loans. USAA is a popular VA loan lender, and you might like it if you have a USAA membership.
But USAA doesn't rank as high in customer satisfaction compared to Veterans United. If customer service is important to you, you might prefer Veterans United.
Does Veterans United have high closing costs? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Based on the latest HMDA data, Veteran United's origination charges (which make up part of your closing costs) are on the low end compared to other lenders.
Is Veterans United a direct lender? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Yes, Veterans United is a direct lender. This means it originates its own loans, as opposed to a mortgage broker, which connects borrowers with multiple lenders to find the best match.
Are Veterans United's rates better than other lenders? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
When we reviewed HMDA data, we found that Veterans United's mortgage rates were slightly high compared to other lenders.
Does Veterans United offer good customer service? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Veterans United has a reputation for offering great customer service, and earns high satisfaction ratings from previous borrowers.
Can anyone get a loan through Veterans United? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Veterans United doesn't require a membership like some other popular VA lenders do, so anyone who qualifies can get a loan from this lender.
Should I use Veterans United or a local lender? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Since Veterans United is such a large lender, you may also want to get a quote from a smaller, local lender to compare their rates and fees. Many times, local lenders can be more affordable.
What are some alternatives to Veterans United? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
You might want to explore some other lenders that specialize in VA loans, like USAA or Navy Federal. There are also many lenders that don't focus on VA loans that are still good VA lenders. Do some research and get multiple quotes to see who can offer you the best deal.
At Business Insider, we look at four factors — loan types, affordability, customer satisfaction, and trustworthiness — and give each a rating between 1 and 5. Then we average these individual ratings for the overall lender rating. Lenders get higher ratings if they offer a high number of loan types with affordable features, have positive customer reviews, and don't have any recent public controversies.
Molly Grace Mortgage ReporterWestern Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier Earn 5.31% APY on your entire account balance – more than 10 times the national average
5.31% annual percentage yield (APY) is accurate as of 7/11/2024 and subject to change at the Bank’s discretion. Minimum deposit required to open an account is $500 and a minimum balance of $0.01 is required to earn the advertised APY. Accurate as of the time of publication. The national average rate referenced is from the FDIC’s published National Rates and Rate Caps for Savings deposit products, accurate as of 8/19/2024. See the FDIC website for more information. https://www.fdic.gov/resources/bankers/national-rates/index.html
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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