Cardinal Financial

Cardinal Financial Reviews

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About Cardinal Financial

Cardinal Financial (NMLS #66247) offers a wide variety of mortgage products for home purchase or refinancing. Borrowers can use Octane, a proprietary loan origination system, to upload documents and see loan details. Cardinal Financial is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is licensed to lend in all 50 states.

Pros
  • Available nationwide
  • Variety of loan options
  • Free rate quote
  • Proprietary Octane platform for loan management
Cons
  • No mobile app
  • Doesn’t publish current rates or fees

Featured Reviews

Fresh Meadows, NY
Verified purchase
Had a great experience purchasing our first home with the help of Cardinal Financial and Anthony specifically. He and his team worked hard to ensure our experience was smooth and ...

Read more

Maricopa, AZ
Verified purchase
Josh was flawless throughout this entire process. He was very attentive and professional. This was my first time doing a cash-out refinance and he was able to explain the intricat...

Read more

Our editors’ take on Cardinal Financial

We highly recommend Cardinal Financial to buyers and current homeowners who are looking for a lender that goes above and beyond to provide a personalized experience.

A common theme in our reviews are individual Cardinal Financial loan officers called out by name and praised for their honesty, dedication and patience. Many reviewers felt guided and benefited through the confusing mortgage process because of their loan officer.

One Ohio reviewer even said of their loan officer, “I am still in awe and extremely grateful for his advice and guidance. It's rare to encounter someone who is in it for the ‘passion’ of it.”

Another reviewer mentioned of their loan officer, “His steadfast approach to tackling all the different problems that we had along the way, his creative flexibility, in tackling them one at a time or all at once as the situation dictated and his overall "sticktoitiveness" in maintaining accountability in these matters to help us see them through.”

While we think many home shoppers would be satisfied with Cardinal Financial, it is not an ideal fit for those who don’t want a 100% online lender. For those who prioritize an in-person experience, your local bank or credit union for your home loan might be the better option.

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Cardinal Financial Reviews

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    How do I know I can trust these reviews about Cardinal Financial?
    • 4,569,587 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
    • We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
    • We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
    • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 10
    Loan Process

    Reviewed Nov. 18, 2024

    Complete dishonesty!!!! We refinanced our home with Cardinal Financial and the loan originator we worked with promised me they never sell their loans. SHE LIED! Not only that, after they sold us off to Freedom Mortgage (aka) the gate to hell, they sent us documents regarding the sale with different names as mortgage holders, different account numbers and even sent me a letter to Washington - I live in Illinois. They refused to help me correct a ESCROW deficit they forwarded to Freedom Mortgage also. A problem they created.

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    Response from Cardinal Financial

    We apologize for your experience and understand your frustration. At Cardinal Financial, we strive for transparency, and we regret any miscommunication regarding your loan. We are committed to addressing your concerns and would appreciate the opportunity to assist you further in resolving this matter. At your convenience, please contact our Customer Care department at (855) 957-6405 or via email at customercare@cardinalfina­ncial.com. Thank you

    Customer ServiceStaffTransparency

    Reviewed June 25, 2024

    The overall incompetence of Cardinal in this affair is good reason to warn anyone from doing business with them in the future. Their customer service is nonexistent, just a series of e-mails asking for the same information already provided. Setting up the mortgage was mind numbing with this company. We provided requested materials like recent bank statements, but by the time they were reviewed by the Cardinal rep, she notified us that they were not up to date. This went on for months, We use online banking but Cardinal wanted "official monthly statements."

    Account transfers clearly labeled as "Federal estimated income tax payments" were a mystery to the Cardinal people who asked sophomoric questions like, "what was this amount for?" Many of the forwarded documents that were self-explanatory to us were tediously questioned by the Cardinal rep who seemed to have as much understanding of financial papers as a 3rd grader. The coup de grace came one month after closing, the mortgage was transferred to Chase Bank. A year later we came to find out that Cardinal never notified the home insurance firm we had engaged to cover the mortgage that there was a transfer.

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    Response from Cardinal Financial

    We are so sorry to hear about this experience, Bill. These are not the standards we set for ourselves and are greatly concerned by your review. We would like the opportunity to speak with you regarding your experience so that we can gather some more information. At your convenience, please contact our Customer Care department at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

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      Reviewed April 4, 2024

      Cardinal Financial loves to mistreat disabled veterans! Please be careful when choosing this mortgage company!!! We have been battling with Cardinal to honor my husband's disabled veteran status. We DO NOT PAY property taxes! But because of this company's negligence, they have not processed our tax exemption paperwork and are FORCING us to pay an extra $2700 in property taxes per month until they get around to fixing THEIR PROBLEM!! If you are a disabled military member and are property tax exempt, I highly recommend looking elsewhere for a mortgage!

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      Response from Cardinal Financial

      Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We assure you that we would like to assist in ensuring this issue is fixed as soon as possible. Please contact our consumer advocacy department as soon as possible so that we can rectify this situation. Thank you.

      Customer Service

      Reviewed March 21, 2024

      Really bad customer service. I had some technical issues with my bank payments and was explaining why payment was late. Customer service advised me to write email, but there was absolutely no point. It took them 14 days to respond and they still ignored my request. I would not recommend this mortgage company.

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      Response from Cardinal Financial

      Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback and for bringing this to our attention. Please contact the Cardinal Financial Customer Care department so that we can learn more about this issue so that it does not happen again. We look forward to hearing from you.

      Customer Service

      Reviewed Jan. 6, 2024

      I do not recommend Cardinal Financial Mortgage. Their Customer Service, Loss Mitigation, and Customer Advocacy departments are poorly trained. They frequently report inaccurate information to the credit bureaus. They kept stating they transferred my mortgage to another mortgage company when they did not. They also continued debt collection even after my mortgage was paid off. You’re better off using a different mortgage company.

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      Response from Cardinal Financial

      Hello Rose,

      We appreciate your feedback and apologize that you have experienced frustrations. At Cardinal Financial, our consumers are our number one priority and we strive to provide the best possible experience. We apologize if we missed the mark here. Please feel free to contact us directly if you would like to discuss this further. Thank you.

      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed Dec. 23, 2023

      Dealing with Cardinal Financial's Loss Mitigation department is, as I said, an absolute nightmare. Agents are consistently rude, interrupting and talking over you. They don't listen to what you're saying; they're just listening for keywords and phrases, and doing a bad job of extrapolating data. They also give inconsistent and incorrect information about their own services, which leads to further delays in your case, and leading you to fall further behind in payments. Escalations are also never responded to, and no follow-ups are done by supervisors and management. If you never have to deal with Loss Mitigation, Cardinal Financial is fine. But God help you if you ever have to deal with this department.

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      Customer ServicePunctuality & SpeedStaffLoan ProcessTransparency

      Reviewed Oct. 9, 2023

      I recently had the pleasure of working with Cardinal Financial to secure a mortgage for my new home, and the experience was nothing short of exemplary. From the onset, it was clear that I was partnering with a team of professionals who prioritized not just my business, but my peace of mind and clarity throughout the home buying journey.

      Mike **, my main point of contact, was phenomenal. In the world of automated responses and impersonal interactions, Mike was a breath of fresh air. He epitomized professionalism, yet brought a personalized touch that made me feel valued and understood. His depth of knowledge in the complex landscape of mortgages was evident, and every interaction was characterized by clarity, transparency, and assurance.

      What truly set Mike and his team at Cardinal Financial apart was their unwavering commitment to being available and responsive. I was particularly impressed when I received a detailed response to an inquiry early on a Sunday morning. It wasn’t just about securing a mortgage; it was about building a relationship and ensuring that I was empowered with the understanding and confidence needed to make informed decisions.

      Cardinal Financial navigated me through every step of the mortgage process with grace, ensuring every ‘i’ was dotted and every ‘t’ was crossed. I didn’t just feel like a client; I felt like a valued partner whose success was their success. The dedication, attention to detail, and relentless pursuit of excellence embodied by Mike and the entire team turned what could have been a daunting experience into one characterized by ease, clarity, and assurance.

      I am not just a satisfied customer, but a raving fan of Cardinal Financial. The bar has been set for what a mortgage experience should be. In the future, the choice is clear - Cardinal Financial will be my first and only call. To Mike and the team, thank you for turning my dream of homeownership into a seamless reality. Your commitment to excellence is not just appreciated, but celebrated. Cheers to a team that exemplifies professionalism, expertise, and the personal touch that transforms customers into lifelong advocates.

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      Customer ServiceStaffLoan ProcessTransparency

      Reviewed Aug. 21, 2023

      I am in the process of getting a mortgage with them. My loan officer John has been great. He always returns my calls and emails, and he always reaches out to me giving me updates. If you are thinking of doing a mortgage with Cardinal Financial, they have great loan officers.

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      Customer ServicePunctuality & Speed

      Reviewed July 28, 2023

      I would caution anyone regarding a mortgage where Cardinal Financial is paying off the credit cards. I had my credit rating adversely affected due to the length of time it took them to pay off the credit cards. Kept writing and kept getting the same answer but no action. I did not make my the last payment knowing that we had signed an agreement and the credit cards would be paid off. It was not done on a timely basis. I would not recommend Cardinal Financial for a mortgage.

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      Customer Service

      Reviewed June 28, 2023

      Zach helped me refinance my condo a couple of years ago. His office is in the same building I reside in and he was a choice of convenience. I also wanted to support a local business. I went back to him a couple of times for preapproval as we have been casually looking at properties but had a few offers declined. Zach has been responsive when I reached out. His industry knowledge and service level are decent. However, my wife and I ended up talking to another broker who was a preferred partner with Lexington properties, which was part of the requirement to buy a new property from them.

      However, when we decided to go with a property in the secondary market, we ended up getting estimates from that broker as we had found him impressive and by far one of the best in the industry. More importantly, we knew Cardinal could not match some of his offerings. Nonetheless, I reached out to Zach to extend him the courtesy to match the offer from the other broker. Unfortunately, Zach's response was very unprofessional and he attacked me personally.

      In this rate environment you would be foolish not to shop around. Any broker who does not respect that, does not deserve your business. If you want to be called names for talking to another broker, Zach is the guy for you. Sadly, he does not know his boundaries and I will stay away from Cardinal for my future mortgage needs.

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      How we rated Cardinal Financial

      We gave Cardinal Financial the top score for many factors, including the application process, loan types and requirements. Not only did Cardinal Financial have glowing reviews for these aspects, but it makes it easy to find information about requirements and more through its website.

      Cardinal Financial was downgraded to a good rating for its rates and closing costs only because it does not publish this information on its site. Reviewers were happy with both, but full transparency online would have been helpful for buyers still in the research phase.

      Rates: Good

      Cardinal Financial doesn’t post its starting mortgage rates online, which is one of the reasons why we rated the lender as good rather than excellent. However, you can get a free rate quote; start the process by answering a few brief questions on the website, and a representative will contact you shortly after.

      A handful of reviewers mentioned that while Cardinal Financial’s rates were on par with other lenders, it was the level of customer service that ultimately led them to work with the lender.

      “Many of the rates were similar, but [the loan officer’s] responsiveness beat out the competition,” said Nina from Florida.

      Another customer from Texas said, “Cardinal Financial really delivers great customer service and highly competitive rates—enough so that we switched from another lender during our refinancing process.”

      Cardinal Financial doesn’t post its starting mortgage rates online. However, you can get a free rate quote; start the process by answering a few brief questions on the website, and a representative will contact you shortly after.

      Cardinal Financial offers both fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). ARMs have a relatively low introductory rate for a set length of time (generally three to seven years). Then the rate adjusts based on a benchmark index and margin used by the lender. The low introductory rates are attractive to borrowers, but it can be a shock when the rate reset comes if monthly payments increase.

      An ARM could be a good choice if you plan to own your home for a few years and then sell it before the introductory rate resets. But with interest rates rising lately, it's important to carefully think about all possible future scenarios.

      Compared with other lender rates, Cardinal Financial’s rates on home purchase loans were right around the national average from 2019 to 2021.

      Cardinal Financial average home purchase rate vs. national average

      Information pulled from public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. Rates reflect noncommercial home purchase loans only.

      Application process: Excellent

      You start the application process by requesting a free rate quote on the company’s website. The online form starts by asking you if you’re purchasing or refinancing.

      If you’re purchasing, you then answer questions about the type of property, how you plan to use the property, where you are in the homebuying process, the location where you’re buying, the estimated purchase cost, your down payment amount and your credit history.

      If you’re refinancing, Cardinal Financial asks about your objective (e.g., lowering your payment, getting cash out), the value of the property and your remaining mortgage balance.

      A loan originator then contacts you to provide loan recommendations, answer questions and guide you through the process, beginning with getting a certified preapproval letter. After this initial call, you should receive a link to Octane, Cardinal Financial’s origination platform. This is where you upload supporting documentation and track your loan progress.

      Once your application is complete, you can expect an approval decision within 24 hours.

      “This was the fastest and easiest process to refinance our home. In Less than a month we were signing closing papers and loan ready to go,” said Adrianna from Texas.

      Curtis of Michigan shared similar praise for the process, saying, “Cardinal Financial has a very efficient web portal to submit documentation, receive copies of reports and appraisals and obtain real time updates on the mortgage application process.”

      Cardinal Financial application features

      Loan types: Excellent

      Cardinal Financial offers a variety of mortgage products, including conventional loans with fixed and adjustable rates and jumbo loans. In addition, the company offers government-backed FHA, VA and USDA loans. Conventional loan terms can range from 10 to 30 years. You can also refinance an existing home loan with Cardinal Financial, whether you’re aiming to cash out or get a lower interest rate.

      Cardinal Financial also offers specialized financing for home renovations and repairs, buying a condo and buying a tiny home.

      In 2021, Cardinal Financial took in 63,165 loan applications for purchase loans. Of those applications, 39,660 (62.8%) turned into closed loans, while 17,013 (26.9%) were denied.

      Even when one Florida reviewer couldn’t get their original loan type approved, their loan officer still worked with them to secure a different loan.

      Marissa from Virginia was one of the reviewers who used Cardinal Financial for a VA loan and said that the whole process “was a breeze.”

      Loan applications for home purchases only by year

      Information pulled from public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. Includes conventional, USDA, VA and FHA mortgages.

      Refinancing

      In 2021, most of the loans Cardinal Financial originated were for refinancing (about 62%, combining rate-and-term and cash-out refinances). A little over a third (about 38%) of loans were home purchase loans.

      In 2020 and 2021, many homeowners refinanced their loans in an environment of historically low interest rates. Borrowers could save money in the long run by locking in a lower interest rate, even after accompanying fees and closing costs.

      Since that time, interest rates have risen. Today’s higher rates may make refinancing less attractive to borrowers this year.

      Home purchase vs. refinance loans by year

      Information pulled from public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Data. Includes conventional, USDA, VA and FHA mortgages.

      Requirements: Excellent

      Each type of mortgage from Cardinal Financial has its own set of borrower requirements to determine eligibility and how much you can borrow.

      Cardinal Financial clearly states its borrower requirements online. The company requires a 620 credit score and a minimum down payment of 3% for its conventional loans. FHA, VA, and USDA loans require a 580 credit score; FHA loans require a down payment of at least 3.5%, while VA and USDA loans don’t require any down payment. Jumbo loans require a credit score of at least 660.

      “When I didn't [qualify] several months ago [the loan officer] continued to assist me with specific instructions on how to negotiate and clean up my credit (this took months),” said Lorrie, a reviewer from Georgia. “Then I finally qualified for a loan. He assisted me with all problems/issues as they came up morning, noon, and night, and by text, telephone, and email.”

      Cardinal Financial mortgage requirements by type

      Cost and fees: Good

      Cardinal Financial doesn’t disclose specific loan costs and fees. Closing costs are usually between 2% and 5% of the loan amount, according to the company. Closing costs can include loan fees, title fees, taxes and insurance.

      After you apply, Cardinal Financial is required by law to provide a Loan Estimate with estimated loan fees and costs. Before you close on the loan, you’ll receive a Closing Disclosure with exact amounts for fees and costs, including how much cash you need to bring to the closing.

      One cash-out refinance customer was able to pay off all of their debt with Cardinal Financial. They said, “There were no hidden fees/costs which is why I chose this company over any other lender.”


      Compare Cardinal Financial to other lenders

      Cardinal Financial FAQ

      How does Cardinal Financial work?

      To start, visit Cardinal Financial’s website, click “Get Started,” answer a few questions about what you’re looking for and your financial situation and provide your contact information. A loan originator will contact you; they can recommend a loan type and answer your questions. The loan originator will assist with next steps, including preapproval, getting set up online with the Octane platform, applying for a mortgage, locking in your rate and proceeding through underwriting to closing.

      Is Cardinal Financial legit?

      Cardinal Financial is a legitimate mortgage lender with a variety of loan options for purchasing and refinancing. It has been in business since 1987.

      Where is Cardinal Financial available?

      Cardinal Financial is available in all 50 states.

      Cardinal Financial Company Information

      Company Name:
      Cardinal Financial
      Website:
      cardinalfinancial.com