No single lender is the best fit for every borrower. At Rank and Pay, we publish guides on military pay and benefits. Home loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) come from private lenders, such as banks, mortgage companies, and credit unions.
The best VA loan lenders for you are the ones whose quote, fees, and loan types match your situation, so request quotes from more than one. The table below lists lenders that offer VA loans.
Some lenders in the table post sample VA rates on their sites, and the pricing column shows which ones do. Each sample rate assumes set details, such as the 720 credit score one lender uses. Rates depend on the borrower, so you see your own rate only in a quote.
Compare VA Loan Lenders
| Company | Pricing | Best for | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
FeaturedYour company here, pinned above every listingGet featured → | |||
| Veterans United Home Loans | Daily sample VA rates with APR and points | VA purchase and refinance loans | Private lender offering VA purchase loans, streamline and cash-out refinances, and VA jumbo loans, with calculators and a mobile app for tracking a loan. |
| PenFed Credit Union | Posts VA rates and APRs; quoted purchase rate assumes a $995 origination fee | VA streamline refinance for members | Credit union offering VA loans. It advertises a VA Streamline (IRRRL) refinance with no closing costs, and its fine print lists fees and taxes the borrower still pays. |
| Veterans Lending Group | Not published | VA purchase, refinance, construction loans | VA-focused mortgage lender, a trade name of CrossCountry Mortgage, offering purchase, refinance and one-time-close construction loans. Its site takes no New York applications. |
| Veterans First | Not published | VA loans with zero down | Mortgage lender, a trade name of Wintrust Mortgage, offering VA home loans it describes as 100% financing with no down payment for eligible Veterans. |
| loanDepot | Not published | VA loans from a national lender | National mortgage lender with a VA loan program for service members, veterans and some surviving spouses, advertising no down payment and no PMI. |
| VA Nationwide | Not published | VA construction loans | Direct lender advertising VA one-time and two-time close construction loans for eligible borrowers. |
| NewDay USA | Not published | VA streamline and zero-down loans | VA-focused mortgage lender offering streamline refinances, zero-down purchase loans and other options for qualified veterans. |
| PennyMac | Daily sample VA rates with APR and points | VA IRRRL streamline refinances | National mortgage lender that offers VA loans, including the VA Streamline (IRRRL) refinance for borrowers with an existing VA loan. |
| VeteransLoans.com | Not published | VA purchase loans, online pre-approval | VA home loan provider for veterans, active-duty members and surviving spouses, advertising $0 down, no PMI and online pre-approval. |
| Rocket Mortgage | Daily sample VA rates with APR and points | Online VA mortgage application | National online mortgage lender that offers VA home loans and states it is VA-approved but not endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| CrossCountry Mortgage | Not published | Florida homebuyers and refinancers using VA loans | Loan officer site for CrossCountry Mortgage, a licensed lender offering VA purchase and refinance loans, pre-approval letters and applications in Florida. |
| LendFriend Mortgage | Not published | Austin-area buyers wanting a broker comparing lenders | Austin, Texas mortgage broker that arranges conventional, jumbo, VA and non-QM loans through more than 40 wholesale lenders; not a direct lender. |
| Lone Star Financing | Not published | Texas buyers wanting a broker shopping lenders | Southlake, Texas mortgage broker, a DBA of Crestmark Lending LLC, that shops more than 30 lenders for FHA, VA, USDA, conventional and jumbo loans. |
| VA Loans Texas (CrossCountry Mortgage) | Texas Vet 7.25% (7.51% APR); VA rate not published | Texas VA and Texas Vet loan borrowers | Austin loan officer team at CrossCountry Mortgage offering VA purchase, renovation, construction and refinance loans plus Texas Vet loans. |
Pricing is as each company publishes it. Confirm current terms before you sign up. Listed here? Update your listing.
Every company in the table is a private lender, and none is endorsed by the VA. One lender states it is VA-approved but not endorsed by the VA. Treat "VA-approved" as a separate statement from an endorsement, and choose a lender based on the quote you receive. To judge whether Veterans United is a good VA lender for you, read our Veterans United review of its sample rates, fees and credit rules.
How to Choose a VA Loan Lender
Choose a VA loan lender by comparing each lender's rates, fees, loan types, and service, then getting quotes from more than one. Follow these steps in order so you never request a quote for a loan a lender does not offer.
- Decide which loan you need: a purchase loan, an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL) streamline refinance, a cash-out refinance, a VA jumbo loan, or a construction loan.
- Shortlist two or more lenders from the table that offer that loan type.
- Start online pre-approval or contact each lender for a quote, because a sample rate on a lender's site may differ from the rate you get.
- Put the quotes side by side and compare the rate, the fees, and the VA funding fee.
- Pick the lender whose numbers fit your budget and whose answers to your questions were clear.
Request every quote for the same loan type and the same loan amount. If two quotes use different amounts, you cannot compare them line by line.
Our advice to get two quotes changes if only one lender in the table offers your loan type in your state. In that case, ask that lender to explain each fee on its quote before you sign.
Check that you qualify on the VA home loan eligibility page before you request quotes. Your lender can request your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA, and the COE shows the lender that you qualify.
What VA Loans Offer
Lenders market VA purchase loans as 0% down with no private mortgage insurance (PMI), for eligible borrowers and within VA loan limits. With full VA loan entitlement, the VA sets no loan limit, though your lender still approves the amount. If you do not have full entitlement, your county loan limit affects how much you can borrow with no down payment, so look it up on the VA loan limits page before you start shopping.
The VA funding fee is a one-time payment, set as a percentage of your loan amount, that you can pay at closing or include in the loan. If you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, you do not pay it. None of the lenders in the table lists the fee on its homepage, so look up the current rates on the VA funding fee page before you compare quotes.
VA Loan Types Offered by Lenders in the Table
VA loan options offered by lenders in the table include five loan types, with construction loans in two forms. This table shows what lenders list for each type and what to ask before you apply.
| VA Loan Type | What Lenders List | What to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase loan | 0% down with no PMI for eligible borrowers within VA loan limits | The rate, total fees, and funding fee for your loan amount |
| IRRRL streamline refinance | For borrowers with an existing VA loan. One lender lists no closing costs and no monthly PMI | Whether the lender's streamline refinance carries closing costs |
| Cash-out refinance | Can refinance a non-VA loan into a VA-backed loan. Terms not published on homepages | The rate and fees for your loan amount |
| VA jumbo loan | Offered by lenders in the table. Terms not published on homepages | The loan amount where the lender's jumbo option starts |
| Construction loan | Offered as one-time-close and two-time-close options | Which close type the lender offers and whether it lends in your state |
Who the Best VA Loan Lenders Serve
VA home loan lenders in the table serve the groups the VA lists as eligible: veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and some surviving spouses. The lender and the VA check eligibility, so a lender's advertising does not decide whether you qualify. The IRRRL has a narrower audience: it is for borrowers who already have a VA loan.
To compare an IRRRL with a VA cash-out refinance, see our VA IRRRL vs cash-out refinance comparison.
What to Compare Between Lenders
Compare VA loan companies on five points: the loan types each one offers, its rate and fees, streamline closing costs, the planning tools on its site, and where it lends.
- Loan types. An IRRRL is only for borrowers who already have a VA loan. If your current mortgage is not a VA loan, ask VA loan refinance lenders about a VA cash-out refinance, which can refinance a non-VA loan into a VA-backed loan. If you plan to build, shortlist lenders that offer one-time-close or two-time-close construction loans.
- Rate and fees. A sample rate on a lender's site assumes a set credit score and points, so your quote is where you see your own rate and fees. Ask for the funding fee as its own line, and compare it with the current rates on the VA funding fee page.
- Closing costs on a streamline refinance. One lender advertises its VA Streamline Refinance with no closing costs and no monthly PMI, and its fine print lists fees and taxes the borrower still pays. On an IRRRL, the VA lets you add closing costs to the new loan or take a higher rate so the lender pays them, per the VA IRRRL page. Ask every lender on your shortlist whether its streamline refinance carries closing costs and whether a no-closing-cost offer comes with a higher rate.
- Planning tools. Some lenders, such as Veterans United and Veterans Lending Group, offer funding fee, county loan limit, Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), and affordability calculators, so you can run your own numbers before you ask for a quote.
- Where it lends. Several lenders in the table advertise nationwide service. If you expect to buy in another state, ask each lender on your shortlist whether it lends there.
Before You Apply
Before you apply, decide on your loan type and confirm you are in an eligible group on the VA eligibility page. Then prepare the same questions for every lender you contact.
- Read the program basics on the VA home loans page and the current rates on the VA funding fee page.
- If you do not have full entitlement, look up your county loan limit on the VA loan limits page.
- Start online pre-approval with at least two lenders from the table.
- Ask each lender the questions below and write down every answer.
Questions for the Best VA Loan Lenders You Shortlist
- What rate and total fees do you quote for my loan type and loan amount?
- Which VA loans do you offer: purchase, IRRRL, cash-out, jumbo, or one-time-close or two-time-close construction?
- What VA funding fee applies to my loan?
- Does your streamline refinance carry closing costs?
- Do you lend in the state where I plan to buy?
- Are you VA-approved?
When you ask every lender the same questions, you can line up the answers in one column per lender. Pick two lenders from the table that offer your loan type and request a quote from each this week to compare the best VA loan lenders on real numbers.