Mortgage
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How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

Navy Federal Credit Union Review

Updated on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.

Navy Federal Credit Union

4.5 stars

  Minimum credit score: Not disclosed.

  Minimum down payment: 0% to 5%

  Available loan products and programs: VA, Conventional, Jumbo, Home equity, HELOC

  Our verdict: With a variety of mortgages and a user experience that can be mobile first or in a local branch, Navy Federal Credit Union serves military borrowers and their families.

ProsCons

  You’ll be with a lender that caters to the military community. More than half of its branches are located on or near military installations.

  You can rest assured you aren’t overpaying, since Navy Federal guarantees it will match a competing lender’s rate or pay you $1,000.

  You’ll have conventional loan options without the private mortgage insurance (PMI) requirement.

  You can only get a loan at Navy Federal if you’re a military service member or family member

  You won’t find USDA or FHA loans in Navy Federal’s lineup.

  You may not be near a branch, as Navy Federal has far fewer branches than a typical large bank.

Navy Federal Credit Union is a direct mortgage lender serving members of the U.S. armed forces, veterans and their families. Founded in 1933 and headquartered in Vienna, Va., Navy Federal has more than 11 million members and 350 branches worldwide.

VA

  • VA purchase loans, which are backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), offer veterans and their qualifying family members the opportunity to buy a home with zero-down and no private mortgage insurance (PMI) requirement.
  • VA Interest rate reduction refinance loans (IRRRLs) are available to military borrowers who wish to refinance an existing VA home loan.

Conventional

FHA

  • Not offered by this lender.

Jumbo

  • Jumbo home loans are offered to buyers in the market for high-priced homes. Just be aware that in some cases you may be required to show that you have six to 12 months of cash reserves.

Home equity

  • Home equity loans up to $500,000 are available for those seeking a lump-sum payout that can be repaid with a fixed interest rate.
  • Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) offer borrowers a way to use their home equity to access funds as needed — up to 95% of your home equity — on an ongoing basis. They’re repaid at a variable interest rate over a 20-year period.

Special programs

  • Military Choice loans at Navy Federal may give service members who have exhausted their VA loan entitlement access to loan terms similar to typical VA loan terms — including the ability to put zero down.
  • The RealtyPlus program offers up to $9,000 cash to eligible consumers who buy or sell a house through the RealtyPlus real estate service.
  • Navy Federal’s closing-cost credit may give you up to $1,000 that you can use to cover your closing costs when you buy a home with a Navy Federal mortgage.

Navy Federal publishes mortgage rates online for all of its loan products. These rates include 0.125 to 0.75 mortgage points, also called discount points, which allow borrowers to “buy down” the interest rate to a lower percentage.

For closing costs, Navy Federal advises homebuyers to expect to pay between 2% and 4% of the total loan amount. It also provides a closing costs calculator, which estimates your taxes and insurance costs, origination fees and other fees related to closing.

Mortgage rates published online?
Rate information updated daily or weekly?
Lender fees disclosed?

You can get preapproved for a mortgage with Navy Federal online, in some cases instantly. You can also apply for a loan, track the status of your application 24/7, and more — all from your internet-connected phone or laptop.

Once you’re in your new home, you can use Navy Federal’s app or online portal to manage your payments, see your loan’s amortization schedule or access additional information about your loan. You can even look at recent sales and property values in your neighborhood and track real estate trends through the app.

Navy Federal’s customer service is available by phone 24/7, and you’ll reach a real, U.S.-based human. You also have a number of other options: go into a branch, enter a live chat on Navy Federal’s website, send a secure message from your account or even reach out via Twitter — whatever works best for you.

Navy Federal Credit UnionVeterans UnitedPentagon Federal Credit Union
Lender rating
Minimum credit scoreNot disclosed620620 to 650
Minimum down payment0% to 5%0% to 3%0% to 3.5%
Loan products and programs
  • Conventional
  • VA
  • Jumbo
  • HELOC
  • Home equity
  • Conventional
  • VA
  • FHA
  • Jumbo
  • Conventional
  • FHA
  • VA
  • Jumbo
  • HELOC

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.

Navy Federal’s scorecard: 4.5/5

 Publishes rates online

⭕  Offers standard mortgage products

 Includes detailed product info online

 Shares resources about mortgage lending

 Provides an online application

 = 0 points   ⭕= 0.5 points     = 1 point

Today's Mortgage Rates

  • 6.79%
  • 6.78%
  • 7.44%
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