Churchill Mortgage Review
Churchill Mortgage at a glance
 | Minimum credit score: 620 Minimum down payment: 0% to 3.5% Available loan products and programs: Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, HELOC, jumbo, no-credit-score loans |
Our verdict: Churchill Mortgage is a good fit for borrowers with at least a 620 credit score to buy a home. They also offer a “no-score” program for borrowers who are avoiding using credit but need a loan to buy a home.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Mortgage options available for borrowers with no credit scores Wide variety of loan programs including standard government loan programs Full credit approval program for borrowers who haven’t found a house | No online mortgage rate information No online lender fee information Offers HELOCs, but no home equity loan products |
In operation since 1992, Churchill Mortgage is a full-service mortgage company that operates in 49 states and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn.
Churchill Mortgage products
Conventional
Churchill Mortgage offers a number of different conventional loan products including:
- Loan terms of 10, 20 and 30 years
- Programs with down payments as low as 3%
- No mortgage insurance on loans with a 20% down payment
Refinance options are available that allow qualified homeowners to:
- Lower their monthly mortgage payment
- Remove private mortgage insurance if they have enough equity
- Switch to a shorter term (such as a 15-year fixed rate) to pay their balance off faster and reduce the total interest they pay
- Replace an FHA loan or adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) with a conventional loan to save money or avoid a rate increase in the future
FHA
Churchill Mortgage is approved to offer loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Homebuyers may qualify for an FHA loan if:
- Their credit score is at least 620
- They have a 3.5% down payment
- They are living in the home they plan to buy as a primary residence
VA
Borrowers retired from or currently serving in the military may be eligible for loans backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Features of Churchill Mortgage’s VA loans include
- Financing up to 100% of your purchase or refinance value
- No mortgage insurance regardless of your down payment
HELOC
Churchill Mortgage offers a home equity line of credit (HELOC) product, which allows existing homeowners to borrow a portion of their available home equity. The lender may also offer an interest-only payment option during the HELOC’s draw period.
Jumbo
Borrowers who need a loan above the conforming loan limits in their area can choose Churchill Mortgage’s jumbo loan options. Expect a larger down payment and a higher minimum credit score requirement to qualify.
Special programs
USDA home loans. USDA loans are zero-down programs designed to help borrowers who want to purchase homes in rural areas. The U.S. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) backs the program and sets income limits that usually change every year.
Churchill Certified Home Buyer program. This program allows borrowers to receive a full underwriting review of their application and all financial documents before they are under contract to buy a home. With a standard mortgage preapproval, the loan package isn’t submitted to an underwriter until after you have an accepted purchase offer.
No-score loans. Churchill Mortgage offers a loan for borrowers that have no credit score because they are debt free. The process involves something called a “manual underwrite,” which means the lender determines your eligibility for the loan without a traditional credit score.
Churchill Mortgage rates and fees
Rates
Compared to other large national lenders, Churchill’s rates are reasonably competitive, and on average came in around 0.6 percentage points above the average prime offer rate (APOR) in 2022. The APOR is a benchmark rate that captures what is, in effect, the lowest APR a bank is likely to offer in the current market. Mortgage loans aren’t typically considered “higher-cost” until they reach 1.5 percentage points over the APOR.
Churchill Mortgage doesn’t post its mortgage rates online.
Fees
The lender’s fees also aren’t disclosed on the website. However, we do know that the average total cost of taking out a mortgage with Churchill was $6,427 in 2022, according to data from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). That included an average of $3,037 in origination fees.
| Mortgage rates published online? | |
| Rate information updated daily or weekly? | |
| Lender fees disclosed? |
Churchill Mortgage’s application experience
Clicking on the site’s “Get Started” button takes users to a contact form that is forwarded to a Churchill Mortgage loan officer for a phone call or email. Borrowers can also apply via Churchill’s mobile app and upload documents digitally.
How to boost your loan approval odds
Churchill doesn’t disclose the exact minimum requirements it uses to approve or deny your application. However, based on nationwide data from 2022, we can say that Churchill approved customers who — on average — had a 78% loan-to-value (LTV) ratio or better. Most had a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio below 40%.
In that same year, Churchill only denied about 6% of its mortgage applications. That’s uncommonly low when compared with other large, national mortgage lenders. For comparison, most large lenders have denial rates ranging from the low teens to the mid-thirties.
Churchill Mortgage’s customer service experience
Homeowners with a current Churchill Mortgage loan can contact the lender by:
- Calling 1-888-665-8407
- Emailing the support team at the email address listed on the website.
- Filling out a contact form on the loan servicing center page
There is an interactive map of the U.S. you can click on to find branches and loan officers in your area. You can also call 1-888-562-6200 with general questions.
How does Churchill Mortgage compare to other lenders?
| Churchill Mortgage | AmeriSave | Wintrust Mortgage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lender rating | |  | |
| Minimum credit score | 620 | 580 | Not published |
| Minimum down payment | 0% to 3.5% | 0% to 20% | 0% to 3.5% |
| Loan products and programs |
|
|
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| Rate spread* | 0.60% | 0.34% | Not available |
*Rate spread is the difference between the average prime offer rate (APOR) — the lowest APR a bank is likely to offer any private customer — and the average annual percentage rate (APR) Churchill offered to mortgage customers in 2022. The higher the number, the more expensive the loan.
How we rated Churchill Mortgage
LendingTree’s mortgage lender rating is based on a five-point scoring system that factors in several features, including digital application processes, available loan products and the accessibility of product and lending information.
LendingTree’s editorial team calculates each rating based on a review of information available on the lender’s website. Lenders receive a half-point on the “offers standard mortgage products” criterion if they offer only two of the three standard loan programs (conventional, FHA and VA). In some cases, additional information was provided by a lender representative.
Churchill Mortgage’s scorecard: 4/5
Publishes rates online
Offers standard mortgage products
Includes detailed product info online
Shares resources about mortgage lending
Provides an online application