Best Mortgage Lenders for First Time Home Buyers in California

Jump straight to it: The best California mortgage lender for first time home buyers is Rocket Mortgage.

From choosing the right loan type for you to applying for buyer assistance programs, there are tons of decisions you’ll need to make when you invest in your first home. Before you apply for a mortgage loan or get a refinance quote, make sure you read our complete guide for first time buyers in California. 

Quick Look: Best Lenders for First Time Home Buyers in California

• Best for Digital Support: better.com
• Best for Low Credit Score: Rocket Mortgage®
• Best for VA Loans: Veterans United
• Best for Self-Employed: CrossCountry Mortgage
• Best for In-Person Service: CitiMortgage
• Best for Credit Monitoring: loanDepot

6 Best Mortgage Lenders in California for First Time Buyers

Now that you understand how getting a mortgage works and how to compare loan options, let’s take a look at some of the best mortgage companies in California. 

1. Best for Digital Support: better.com

If you’re looking for a fully digital mortgage application experience, better.com is an excellent place to begin. Better.com is an online mortgage lender that offers a streamlined mortgage process ideal for first time buyers.

They don’t charge any form of lender fees and their agents are strictly salary-based — which means you won’t need to worry about being pressured into a certain loan for an agent’s commission. Providing a fast, direct and convenient way to get approved for a loan at an affordable price, Better.com is our first choice for home buyers in California. 

Why We Love It:

Better.com is highly regarded as a top mortgage lender in California for first-time buyers due to its excellent digital support and user-friendly experience. The online platform allows for a convenient application process from home and offers educational resources to simplify the mortgage process. With a transparent pricing structure and competitive rates, Better.com prioritizes customer service and convenience, making it an ideal choice for new home buyers in California.

Getting a loan with a lower credit score can be difficult. Many lenders require you to have a score of at least 620 points to apply for a conventional loan. If you’re still working on building credit, consider an FHA loan from Rocket Mortgage®.

With Rocket Mortgage®, you can qualify for an FHA loan with as little as 3.5% down and a credit score as low as 580 points. If you have a down payment of at least 10%, you can qualify with a score as low as 500 points. FHA loans from Rocket Mortgage® are an excellent option for both low-income buyers and buyers who have a lower score. 

Why We Love It:

We love Rocket Mortgage® as one of the best mortgage lenders in California for first-time buyers because they offer competitive rates and various mortgage products. They prioritize transparency and no hidden fees, providing essential support and resources to help first-time homebuyers achieve their dream of homeownership.

3. Best for VA Loans: Veterans United

Veterans United is a lender focused on offering a simple and streamlined VA loan process for servicemembers and veterans. Despite the name, Veterans United doesn’t only offer VA loans — they also have FHA, USDA and conventional loans available as well.

Veterans United specializes in helping service members in understanding the VA loan process, and they offer paperwork assistance and credit counseling. Their customer service team is made up of former service members, and help is available around the clock. 

Why We Love It:

Veterans United is the top mortgage lender in California for first-time buyers seeking VA loans, focusing on the needs of veterans and active-duty service members. They provide excellent customer service to simplify the VA loan process and offer competitive interest rates and low down payment options. With educational resources available, Veterans United helps first-time buyers feel informed and confident in achieving homeownership.

4. Best for Self-Employed: CrossCountry Mortgage

If you’re a small business owner or a freelancer, your income likely fluctuates from year to year. This can make getting a mortgage more difficult, as lenders usually want to see proof of consistent income before they’ll offer you a loan. CrossCountry Mortgage’s Asset Qualifier loan is an excellent choice for self-employed men and women.

When you apply for an Asset Qualifier loan, CrossCountry Mortgage will look at the sum of your business assets — not just your income — when they underwrite your loan. This can make it easier to qualify if you’ve recently invested a large amount of money into your business or if you’re in the middle of a slow sales year. 

Why We Love It:

CrossCountry Mortgage is an excellent choice for self-employed individuals in California looking to buy their first home. They offer tailored solutions for freelancers, providing flexible lending options that accommodate non-traditional income. Their exceptional customer service and user-friendly online platform ensure a seamless mortgage application process, helping first-time homebuyers achieve their dreams.

5. Best for In-Person Service: CitiMortgage

While online mortgage applications are convenient, they may be confusing for less tech-savvy buyers. Citibank is a large-scale lender offering both online and offline mortgage application services though their CitiMortgage branch. You can get a purchase quote or apply for a loan online, or you can stop in at one of their branches for assistance.

CitiMortgage offers discounts on mortgage fees for Citibank customers, low down payment options and services multiple types of conforming and government-backed loans. 

Why We Love It:

We love CitiMortgage, a leading mortgage lender in California because they offer personalized assistance through knowledgeable loan officers, ensuring borrowers understand their options. With a variety of loan products designed for first-time homebuyers, CitiMortgage is dedicated to customer service and is an excellent choice for new homeowners.

6. Best for Credit Monitoring: loanDepot

loan Depot is a non-bank lender that gives you convenience and efficiency online with the option to visit one or over 200 branches across the country. loanDepot offers fixed-rate and adjustable-rate conventional mortgages. You could also secure jumbo, FHA or VA loans, although conventional loans made up most of LoanDepot’s mortgage originations last year. LoanDepot also offers 10-, 15-, 20- and 30-year mortgage terms. 

In addition to mortgages and home refinancing, LoanDepot offers free credit score monitoring to help you prepare to apply for a mortgage. You'll need a minimum credit score of 620 and at least 5% downpayment. 

Why We Love It:

loanDepot is an excellent choice for first-time homebuyers in California due to its credit monitoring services that assist in the mortgage application process. Their platform allows borrowers to track credit scores and receive personalized improvement tips. They offer various mortgage options tailored for first-time buyers and have a dedicated support team to guide them through the home buying process, reducing stress and promoting informed decision-making.

The Housing Market in California: An Overview

Understanding the housing market in California can help you get a better idea of how much you should spend on a home. Let’s take a look at some statistics on California and the current market climate. 

Total Households: 13,550,586

Median List Price: $769,900

3 Most Expensive Cities in California to Buy a House:

• San Jose: $1,614,185
• Los Angeles: $960,594
• San Diego: $946,976

3 Most Affordable Cities in California to Buy a House:

• Bakersfield: $389,950
• Ridgecrest:$304,000
• Clearlake: $198,000

Preparing for a Mortgage

Before you start shopping for homes, you’ll need to get a mortgage pre-approval. A mortgage preapproval is an estimate of how much money you can get in a mortgage loan. Though it might be tempting to jump right into shopping for a home, getting a preapproval first has a few benefits.

• You’ll have a better budget. A preapproval tells you how much you can afford to borrow. This gives you a great “jumping off” point when it comes to shopping for a home.
• You’ll be able to give a stronger offer. A pre-approval tells real estate agents and sellers that you won’t have trouble financing your home purchase. This allows you to submit a stronger offer when you find a home you want to buy.

Before you apply for a mortgage preapproval, you’ll need to compare lenders and loan types. There are a few different types of loans that you can use to buy a home as a first time buyer. We’ll go over these loan options in greater detail in later sections.

Your lender will ask you for some financial documentation when you apply for a mortgage loan. This information gives them a closer look at your finances before you apply. Some of the things your lender will probably ask for include —

• Your last 2 W-2s
• Your last 2 bank statements
• Your last 2 pay stubs

If you’re self-employed, you may need to provide more information.

Lenders also look closely at your credit score before they offer you a loan. Different lenders have different minimum credit standards you must meet before you can qualify for a loan. Let’s take a look at a few California lenders and their minimum credit scores.

Once you’ve got your paperwork, chosen a lender and ensured that your score is up to snuff, you can apply for a mortgage preapproval. 

Mortgage Options

Lenders for first time buyers offer a multitude of home loan types. Let’s take a look at a few different types of loans available to first time buyers.

Conventional Loans

Conventional loans are the most common type of mortgage loan. You can use a conventional loan to buy any type of property, and almost every mortgage lender offers conventional loans. These loans have higher credit and income standards than government-backed loans, but offer lower interest rates.

FHA Loans

FHA loans are government-backed loans for low-income individuals who have bad credit or no credit. It’s possible to get an FHA loan with a score as low as 500 points if you have a 10% down payment. You must meet income and home requirements before you can get an FHA loan.

USDA Loans

USDA loans are government-backed loans for people who want to buy a home in a rural area. A USDA loan can allow you to buy a home with as little as $0 down. Your home must meet livability standards and be in a qualified rural area to get a USDA loan. You must also meet income standards before you qualify.

VA Loans

VA loans are government-backed loans for veterans and members of the armed forces. A VA loan can allow you to buy a home with a 0% down payment, just like a USDA loan. You must meet service requirements before you can qualify for a VA loan.

Jumbo Loans

Jumbo loans are high-value loans used to buy very expensive properties. If you want to buy a more expensive home, you may have no choice but to take out a jumbo loan. Jumbo loans have the highest credit, income and debt standards because they’re the riskiest for lenders to take on. 

First Time Home Buyer Programs in California

As a first time home buyer in California, you have access to a number of state programs through the California Housing Financing Agency (CalHFA). Let’s take a look at a few of the programs you may qualify for.

MyHome Assistance Program

The MyHome Assistance Program is a deferred-payment loan that can help you cover the cost of your down payment and closing costs. You can borrow up to 3.5% of your home’s value through this program, and you won’t need to pay the loan off until you refinance, sell your home or pay off your mortgage.

Cal-EEM + Grant Program

This grant program can help you get a 30-year FHA-insured Energy Efficient Mortgage with additional funds to make energy-efficient improvements to your home.

You can read more about each of these programs on the CalHFA website. 

Current Mortgage Rates in California

No matter which type of loan you choose, you’ll pay your lender interest in exchange for giving you a loan. Most lenders calculate interest as a percentage of your remaining loan principal. There are a ton of different factors that can affect what you’ll pay in interest, ranging from the type of loan you take out to your credit score to the overall health of the housing market.

Interest rates change on a daily basis. We update our interest tables frequently to reflect the most recent data. Let’s take a look at what you might expect to pay in interest on your home loan in California. 

Closing a Mortgage

After you submit an offer to a seller and the seller accepts, it’s time to move onto closing. Closing is a series of processes that eventually culminate in you taking control of your new property and signing the documents on your mortgage loan. Most closing processes include the following steps.

Home Appraisal

An appraisal is an estimate of how much the home you’re buying is worth. A property value expert called an appraiser will visit your property and give you a rough estimate of the value of the home. Lenders require appraisals because they cannot loan out more money than a home is worth. Your lender will usually schedule your appraisal on your behalf and pass the cost to you at your closing meeting.

Home Inspection

A home inspection isn’t the same thing as an appraisal. During a home inspection, an inspector will test your home’s systems and tell you about any issues he or she finds. Home inspections aren’t required to get a mortgage, but you should get one to make sure your home doesn’t have any major issues before you buy.

Underwriting

During the underwriting process, your lender will look over your financial documentation and double-check that you qualify for a loan. Almost 100% of the underwriting process takes place behind-the-scenes at your lender’s office.

Closing Meeting

The final stage of buying a home is the closing meeting. At closing, you’ll pay your down payment and closing costs and take control of your new home.

The entirety of the closing process may take anywhere from 2 weeks to half a year depending on where you live and your lender. Let’s take a look at a few different lenders’ average time to close. 

Taking Your Mortgage Into Your Own Hands

The word “mortgage” literally translates from old French into “a pledge until death.” While you certainly won’t be trapped in your mortgage loan for life, a mortgage can easily be a 15- to 30-year commitment. Before you apply for a loan or choose a lender, make sure you do your research and compare the benefits and drawbacks of each of your options. Take your time before you apply for a preapproval to ensure that you’re getting the best rate possible when you finally do find that perfect property. 

Frequently Asked Questions