CrossCountry Mortgage Reviews

CrossCountry Mortgage does not publish its starting rates on its website. However, in 2021, the company’s average home purchase rate was 0.07% higher than the national average.

CrossCountry Mortgage offers both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). Most borrowers prefer fixed-rate mortgages because the interest rate won’t change, which means stable monthly payments.

However, you may consider an ARM if you’re fairly certain you’ll sell your home in a few years. ARMs usually offer a low rate for a short period of time, like five years, so you could take advantage of the interest savings for that time.

CrossCountry Mortgage states its most common ARMs are 3/1, 5/1, 7/1 and 10/1. With a 3/1 ARM, for instance, you’ll have a fixed rate for three years, then the rate will reset and change every year after that. Before you decide on an ARM, consult with a loan advisor about your situation.

CrossCountry Mortgage average home purchase rate vs. national average

You can complete an application directly on the company’s website or by calling a loan officer in your area (the company provides a search tool to access contact information). CrossCountry Mortgage uses technology from Blend, a digital lending platform, for its online applications.

You’ll start by answering questions about the loan’s purpose (purchase or refinance). You’ll also input your demographic and financial information. It may be helpful to have the following documents handy as you complete the application: the prior year’s tax returns, W-2s, recent bank account statements and retirement account statements. The company may require you to upload these documents to the portal.

CrossCountry Mortgage will also ask for your Social Security number and authorization to pull a credit report. The company uses credit information to determine your loan eligibility and amount.

Once you submit your application, a loan officer should reach out to finalize the details and give you a timeline for a preapproval decision. CrossCountry Mortgage promises most loan closings in 21 days or fewer.

CrossCountry Mortgage application features

CrossCountry Mortgage offers several loan options, including conventional (with fixed or adjustable rates), FHA, VA, USDA and jumbo loans. Loan terms range from 10 to 30 years. You can also refinance your existing mortgage with CrossCountry, whether it’s a conventional, FHA, VA or USDA loan. The company also offers reverse mortgages for borrowers 62 and older.

CrossCountry Mortgage also provides a selection of renovation loans, including FHA 203(k), VA Renovation, Fannie Mae HomeStyle and Freddie Mac Choice Renovation loans. Some of these options have low or no down payment requirements.

For the past three years, CrossCountry Mortgage has seen a notable increase in home purchase applications. In 2021, 109,222 home purchase applications were submitted to the company. Only 2% (2,547) of these were denied, which is a lower denial rate than the industry average (about 8%). About 78% (85,061) of these loans were closed.

Loan applications for home purchases only by year

Refinancing

In 2021, CrossCountry Mortgage specialized in originating home purchase loans — about 59% of its loans that year were for home purchase, compared with about 40% for refinancing (with refinance and cash-out refinances combined).

In 2020 and 2021, many mortgage lenders saw an increase in refinancing applications. Interest rates fell to all-time lows, so borrowers reacted by refinancing their existing mortgages and locking in lower rates.

Since late 2021, rates have continued to rise. As of publishing, the average 30-year fixed rate is 5.89%, compared with 2.88% in 2021. As rates continue to increase, fewer borrowers are expected to refinance.

Home purchase vs. refinance loans by year

HELOC and home equity loans

CrossCountry Mortgage offers HELOCs but does not offer home equity loans. The company does not disclose the details of its HELOC, like the draw period, repayment period or interest rate. However, most HELOCs have draw periods of five or ten years and subsequent repayment periods of 10 to 20 years. HELOCs generally carry variable interest rates.

You may explore a HELOC if you want consistent access to cash but aren’t sure how much you’ll need. However, a home equity loan may be a better option if you know how much a project or large expense might cost. Home equity loans have fixed interest rates, so your monthly payment won’t change. You could use the funds for all kinds of purposes, including home improvement projects or debt consolidation.

CrossCountry Mortgage discloses most of its borrower requirements on its website. While it doesn’t state a minimum credit score for a conventional loan, most lenders today require at least a 620, and you’ll need to offer at least a 3% down payment.

CrossCountry Mortgage’s credit score requirement for FHA loans is 580 (its VA loans have the same credit requirement) rather than the typical 500. The minimum down payment for its FHA loans is 3.5%. Both VA and USDA loans have no down payment requirements, so you could qualify for 100% financing.

National mortgage requirements by type

For other loan types, read our guides on jumbo loans and reverse mortgages.

CrossCountry Mortgage doesn’t list its lender fees. You may pay an origination fee, which is assessed as either a flat fee or a percent of the loan amount (usually between 0.5% and 1%). Most lenders today incorporate other costs into the origination fee, like application, processing and underwriting fees.

Lender fees are included in closing costs, which can total around 2% to 5% of the loan amount. Other closing costs include prepaid items (e.g., mortgage insurance premiums and real estate taxes) and third-party service fees (e.g., home appraisal and attorney’s fees).

After you’ve been approved, you’ll receive a Loan Estimate, which gives you an idea of how much closing costs will be. Keep in mind that this is just an estimate and actual costs could vary slightly. You’ll also receive Closing Disclosures three days before the closing, which finalize those costs.