Best Mortgage Lenders of May 2026
The mortgage lender you choose can cost — or save — you thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. But with so many lenders competing for your attention, figuring out which one is actually right for you can feel overwhelming.
We break down the best mortgage lenders of May 2026 and what makes them top picks, so you can compare your options, understand what you qualify for and choose with confidence.
At a glance: Best mortgage lenders
| Lender | Best for | User ratings | Min. credit score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Best mortgage lender for FHA loans |
(625)
Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.
| 580 | |
 | Best mortgage lender for VA loans |
(2624)
Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.
| 580 | |
 | Best mortgage lender for refinance loans |
(1455)
Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.
| Not disclosed | |
 | Best lender for home equity loans | User reviews coming soon | 700 (home equity loan) | |
 | Best lender for online mortgage experience |
(952)
Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.
| 580 to 700 | |
 | Best for bad credit home loans |
(89)
Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.
| 500 |
Best mortgage lender for FHA loans: Pennymac
Conventional, VA, USDA, jumbo and home equity loans
We chose Pennymac as the best FHA loan lender because they make their FHA rates information easy to find, allow higher maximum DTI ratios than most other top lenders (50% to 55% limit, dependent on credit history) and offer the most popular FHA programs. The only popular FHA loan Pennymac doesn’t offer is an FHA 203(k) loan, which is used for construction.
Pennymac offers home loans in all 50 states and some U.S. territories, and offers an online application.
Best mortgage lender for VA loans: Rocket Mortgage
Conventional, FHA, jumbo and home equity loans
Rocket Mortgage is one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country. The lender offers military homebuyers all of the essential VA loan programs, including purchase loans, the VA cash-out refinance and the VA streamline program — more commonly known as the interest rate reduction refinance loan (IRRRL). VA borrowers can apply online, check out daily VA rates and educate themselves about VA loans by using the resources available on the website.
Best mortgage lender for refinance loans: Rate
Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs)
Rate (formerly known as Guaranteed Rate) specializes in providing a digital mortgage experience for borrowers. Consumers can check out online resources and information about mortgage refinancing to help decide which option fits their financial goals. Rate’s refinance rates are displayed online and updated daily. Borrowers can choose from a range of refinance programs, including various fixer-upper loans.
Best mortgage lender for home equity loans: BMO Harris
Conventional, FHA, VA and jumbo
BMO Harris offers home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) with transparent online information, which includes current rates, product information and educational articles. You can choose a home equity loan and receive a lump sum upfront that you’ll repay in fixed installments. A HELOC, on the other hand, is like a credit card — you can use the credit line as needed and only make payments on the amount charged. Once you’re ready to apply for a home equity loan or HELOC, BMO Harris offers an online application with a guide to help you navigate the information you’ll need to apply.
Best mortgage lender for online mortgage loans: Zillow Home Loans
You’ll have the best chance of qualifying for a mortgage with Zillow if you have:
- LTV ratio of 86% or better
- DTI ratio below 43%
Zillow doesn’t share the exact minimum requirements it uses to approve applications, but most customers had this profile, according to nationwide data from 2024. but most customers had this profile, according to nationwide data from 2024.
Zillow Home Loans provides a wealth of information about purchase and refinance mortgages to help consumers choose the best mortgage type for their needs. Zillow outperforms the competition when it comes to rate transparency, publishing daily mortgage rate updates for various refinance and purchase programs. Consumers can check fixed rates for FHA and VA loans or assess adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) programs.
Best mortgage lender for bad credit home loans: Carrington Mortgage Services
You’ll have the best chance of qualifying for a mortgage with Zillow if you have:
- LTV ratio of 75% or better
- DTI ratio below 50%, though some applicants do qualify with higher ratios
Carrington doesn’t share the exact minimum requirements it uses to approve applications, but most customers had this profile, according to nationwide data from 2024. .
Carrington specializes in helping borrowers who may be struggling to qualify for a mortgage. Unlike many lenders in our pool, it allows borrowers to qualify for an FHA loan with a credit score as low as 500 (while that’s the program minimum, many lenders choose to set a higher bar). If you’re looking for something other than an FHA loan, they’ve got you covered — they also offer conventional, VA, USDA and jumbo loans.
Mortgage types
Click on each mortgage type to learn more.
Conventional loans aren’t guaranteed by any federal government agency. Lenders follow rules set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which tend to be stricter than government-backed loans. You’ll need at least a 620 credit score and a 3% down payment to qualify. For 2026, conventional loan limits for single-family homes are capped at $832,750 for most parts of the country.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures loans made by approved lenders with more lenient qualifying requirements than conventional loans. Borrowers with scores as low as 580 only need a 3.5% down payment, but pay expensive FHA mortgage insurance for the life of their loans. FHA loan limits are lower than conventional loans, with a current maximum of $541,287 for a one-unit home in most of the country’s counties for 2026.
See our current FHA rates today.
Eligible military borrowers can get zero-down financing with a loan backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA loans don’t require mortgage insurance and, in most cases, loan limits don’t apply. However, a VA funding fee may be required depending on the down payment and whether the veteran has used their VA benefit before.
Browse current VA rates today.
A jumbo loan is a mortgage with a loan amount above the conforming loan limits set each year by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. You’ll likely need a jumbo loan if you’re buying a home in an expensive part of the country. You’ll also need a higher credit score and a larger down payment to qualify and typically pay a higher rate.
See current jumbo mortgage rates today.
A USDA loan is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA loans offer borrowers in rural areas no-down-payment mortgages and low rates. You’ll need to fall under certain income limits to qualify for a USDA loan. See if you qualify with the agency’s income eligibility map.
Current mortgage rates
The mortgage interest rates forecast for 2026 is for rates to remain relatively high compared to pre-pandemic levels. So far this year, however, rates have been on a downward trajectory, and market-watchers predict rates will hold relatively steady from here — potentially ending the year around 6.1%.
For now, the housing market is expected to remain sluggish due to high rates and low affordability.
Is it a good time to get a mortgage?
Due to high interest rates and home prices, it’s not an ideal time to buy a house for most borrowers. However, the decision to buy a home isn’t solely based on numbers — it also depends on your needs, long-term goals and financial situation. Major life events, such as a job relocation or a growing family, may outweigh market conditions. Ultimately, the right time to buy is a personal decision — one that should take into account both the numbers and your individual circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the mortgage program, but most conventional lenders require a 620 score or higher. You can qualify for an FHA mortgage with a lower score — 580 with a 3.5% down payment or 500 with a 10% down payment.
Before shopping for mortgages, it’s important to understand the loan size you can afford. Use LendingTree’s mortgage calculator to estimate your monthly payments based on your home purchase price, loan term, down payment and mortgage rate. Once you have the number, plug it into your budget to see if it leaves enough wiggle room for your other expenses.
Closing costs generally range from 2% to 5% of the loan amount and include various expenses, such as:
- Application fees
- Loan origination fees
- Home appraisal charges
- Real estate lawyer fees
- Mortgage points
- Initial escrow payment
The best mortgage lender is usually the one that offers you the lowest interest rate, along with the lowest costs and fees. In the simplest case, a buyer will gather several loan estimates and compare rates and fees. However, if you have unique needs to consider, weighing your options can be a bit more complicated. You may have to pay a higher interest rate to get a low- or no-doc mortgage, for instance. And if you’re interested in down payment assistance (DPA), you’ll need to choose a DPA-approved lender.
Several factors affect the mortgage rate you’ll qualify for, including your credit score, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, down payment amount and chosen loan program. You can lower your rate by shopping around for the best deal, buying mortgage points or getting a rate lock.
How LendingTree chose the best mortgage lenders
We reviewed more than 40 lenders to determine the overall best mortgage lenders. LendingTree reviews and fact-checks our top lender picks annually by gathering loan program and requirement details directly from lenders and analyzing data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) government database.
We review five key factors: loan programs offered, digital application availability and ease of use, product and lending information accessibility, in-person branch footprint and LendingTree’s expert star rating.
LendingTree best lender categories
LendingTree experts considered the range of loan programs offered by each individual lender. This ensures the lender offers a variety of options to users for their chosen loan type so customers can choose the best loan for them.
The loan types assessed by LendingTree were:
To be considered as a potential best lender pick by LendingTree experts, the lender must provide users with an online loan application experience that is relatively easy to follow and complete.
This means the lender must provide a user-friendly website and make their customer service contact information easy to find online.
To qualify for “best lender” consideration by LendingTree experts, the lender must provide users with an online experience that helps borrowers make sense of the mortgage lending process.
This means the lender must provide free, online learning materials to help homebuyers understand the lender’s offered products, basic loan qualification requirements and high-level rates information.
Lenders must offer mortgages in at least 35 states across the U.S. to be considered a best lender pick. This allows a wider range of users to potentially choose the lender for their home loan, improving accessibility when customers need to contact the lender or get a rate quote.
For lenders to qualify for consideration as a best lender pick, they must have at least a four-star lender review rating from LendingTree experts. This rating indicates that the lender meets most — if not all — of the five criteria considered when assigning ratings. Here is the LendingTree star rating system for this year:
- Publishes rates online (+1 star)
- Offers standard mortgage products (+1 star)
- Includes detailed product info online (+1 star)
- Shares resources about mortgage lending (+1 star)
- Provides an online application (+1 star)
LendingTree mortgage experts’ process for choosing the best lenders
LendingTree gathers data directly from lenders through their websites, disclosures and, in some cases, direct communication with company representatives. Lenders that clearly present product details and terms are viewed more favorably in our evaluation.
The LendingTree editorial team applies consistent criteria to every lender. We also verify and update information periodically. Lenders cannot pay to influence our ratings. Read LendingTree’s editorial guidelines for more information.
Why trust LendingTree’s methodology?
As the lead editor for all purchase, refinance and home equity content, I rely on my 14+ years of personal finance experience to manage a team of staff writers and contributors who create consumer-friendly guides.
Together, our team aims to make LendingTree a reliable and helpful resource for readers as they navigate the complex mortgage lending process.
Mortgage lenders reviewed by LendingTree
View mortgage loan offers from up to 5 lenders in minutes