There are quite a few mortgage lenders but finding the one that fits you best isn’t always very easily.
But if you are someone who prefers online mortgage lenders over the traditional brick-and-mortar ones, then you will find this Better Review very helpful.
Summary
| Guide | Better Review |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| Features | Online process, customized loan options and more |
| Minimum credit score | 620 or above |
| Downpayment cost | 3% |
| Required debt-to-income ratio | 50%- 55% |
| Rating | 4.5\5 |
| Website | Click here |
What Is Better?
Better is a digital mortgage lender that started operating in 2014 with the aim to make the home buying and refinancing process smooth for its customers.
It is based in New York City and offers mortgages in 46 states and Washington DC.
Better promises to lend you a mortgage with zero origination fee, pre-approval in less than three minutes, and a complete 100% online process.
It offers comparatively few varieties of mortgage loans, including Jumbo loans, FHA, and conventional loans except VA loans, USDA, home equity loans, home improvement loans, and lines of credit.
Let us look into Better mortgage closely and discuss other important things to determine if it is the ideal mortgage lender or not.
Features Of Better
- Zero commissions.
- Zero lender fees.
- Close up to 10 days faster than average.
- Get pre-approved in as little as 3 minutes.
- Reach anytime 24/7.
- Easy to use.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Effortless online process.
- Better cash offer and guarantee program.
- Get customized mortgage rates.
- Do not charge commissions or fees.
- Get a preapproval letter in less than three minutes.
Cons
- Doesn’t offer loans on VA, USDA home equity, home improvement, and lines of credit.
Types Of Loans Offered
Let’s have a look at the type loans Better offers and the ones that it doesn’t:
- Conventional
- FHA
- Jumbo
- Fixed-rate
- Rate-and-term and cash-out refinancing
- Adjustable-rate
- Bridge loans
It does not offer the following loans:
- VA loans
- USDA
- Home equity loans
- Co-op units
- New home construction
- Mixed-use properties
- Home improvement loans
- Multi-family homes containing five or more units
- Lines of credit
Borrowing Requirment
Different mortgage lenders have a different set of requirements that one must qualify in order to apply for the loan.
In the case of Better, these are a bit liberal. Let’s have a look at Better mortgage’s borrowing requirements one by one:
Minimum Credit Score
In order to apply for a mortgage loan on Better, you must have a median credit score of a minimum of 620 for conventional loans generated by three major credit bureaus, namely, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. And a credit score of 700 for Jumbo loans.
Minimum Down Payment
Better require a downpayment of 3% for conventional loans, 3.5% for FHA loans, 10% for Jumbo loans, and so on.
Debt-to-Income (DTI) Ratio
The DTI to apply for a loan on Better is ideally 50%, but in unique circumstances, they consider your application with a DTI of 55%, which is really generous as compared to the industry standard of 43%.
Fees
Usually, a fixed-rate mortgage locks in your rate of interest for the entire loan period. Better, however, offers 15, 20, or 30-year fixed-rate loans.
Lender fees
Better does not charge lender fees or origination fees or application, or underwriting fee\processing fees.
How To Apply?
The entire lending process is carried out digitally on Better. In order to apply, you are required to go to their website and click on the “Get started button.”
Now you will see a page asking whether you want to buy or refinance your home.
If you choose “buying option,” then you will be redirected to narrow down your search to more options like “I’m making offers” or “I’m just researching.”
And if you choose the refinancing option, then you will have to enter some details about yourself, your property, etc.
After that, you will get a basic pre-approval that will tell you about your eligibility criteria.
Better Guarantees and Cash Offer Program
Better boasts that if you choose their real estate loan approval, they will close it on time, and if they fail to do so, they will pay you $2000.
In order to get this, it is crucial that you work with a partner agent or Better agent to lock your mortgage rate.
Better Mortgage Rate
| Purchase Rate/APR | Mortgage type |
|---|---|
| 4.750% / 4.922% | 15-year fixed* |
| 4.990% / 5.198% | 20-year fixed* |
| 5.000% / 5.163% | 30-year fixed* |
Additonally you may go to their website and use the laon calulator to determine whether you are eligible for the loan or not.
Customer Service
You can contact Better’s customer service by calling them at 415-523-8847 anytime 24×7 or email them at [email protected]
If you have any questions about the loan, then you can email them at [email protected] between 9 am-and 9 pm ET or call them at 646-849-2409.
Our Experience
Just to understand their eligibility and service standard, we called Better to get a quote on a home loan and to determine our eligibility.
We must admit, everything went effortlessly, the online portal was very easy to use, and the lady who picked up our call answered all our questions.
Overall, we had a good experience with Better Mortgage.
What Differentiates It?
Better is a great option for those who are looking for affordable mortgage loan options.
We were particularly impressed by their Debt to income ratio of 50%, which is so generous as compared to other similar options.
Also, the downpayment is as low as 3%, and the fact they guarantee to close your real estate deal on time just adds all the more.
All these differentiating factors make Better one of our favorite mortgage options to choose from.
Alternatives
Rocket Mortgage Vs. Better
If there is any other similar online mortgage option that we personally can’t stop recommending, then it is Rocket Mortgage.
Rocket Mortgage has become one of our highly rated platforms with a downpayment of as low as 3.5%, a minimum credit score of 580 (lower than Better), and an effortless online process.
If you want to know about its cons in detail, you can look at our detailed review by clicking on the link below.
Better Vs. AmeriSave Mortgage
AmeriSave asks for a down payment of as little as 3% and offers many types of loans, including USDA, FHA, and VA, among many others.
Since Better does not offer VA and USDA loans, you can choose AmeriSave if that is what you are looking for.
PenFed Vs. Better
Again PenFed charges a downpayment of as low as 0% for VA loans and 3% for other conventional loans.
They not only offer mortgage loans but also offer other loans such as student loans, home loans, refinancing, and much more.
In order to know about all these options in detail, you can read our PenFed review.
Final Verdict
When it comes to people who are looking for a hundred percent online mortgage platform, Better remains the best choice.
Given it does not have an option for VA loans, FHA loans, etc., if that is not your requirement, you can consider it as your financing option.
We hope you found what you were looking for in this Better review.
FAQ’s
Is Better Legit?
Yes, better operates in 47 states and Washington D.C. and is also accredited by Better Bureau Business which makes it a hundred percent legit entity.
Do I have to pay any processing fee on Better?
No, Better does not charge any processing fee.