Veterans First Mortgage Reviews

Veterans First Mortgage is a mortgage lender specializing in home loans for active service members, veterans and eligible spouses. It operates under the trade name Veterans First Mortgage through Wintrust Mortgage, a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company. The company trains its staff to work with veteran borrowers and lends nationwide. It can help applicants with VA eligibility steps, including obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility. Veterans First offers both home purchases and refinancing options.

The application process with Veterans First Mortgage typically begins with prequalification, where the borrower submits their service history, income, credit and property information.

If a borrower prequalifies, they complete a full application and submit the documents needed for underwriting. From there, the lender reviews the file, orders a VA appraisal and moves the loan toward closing. Timelines can vary based on loan type and local underwriting requirements.

Veterans First Mortgage specializes in government-backed home loans designed to help service members, veterans and qualifying family members access affordable financing.

• VA loans: This is the company’s primary offering, and it’s available to eligible veterans, active-duty service members and qualifying spouses. VA loans often require no down payment.
• FHA loans: These loans are designed for borrowers with lower credit scores or limited savings and require a minimum down payment with flexible qualification standards.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans: These loans are for eligible rural homebuyers and offer low- or no-down-payment options, depending on property location and income limits.

Veterans First also offers two types of VA refinancing loans:

• VA streamline refinance, also known as an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL)
• VA cash-out refinancing

At the time of publication, Veterans First doesn’t offer conventional loans.

The government-backed programs Veterans First Mortgage works with each have their own eligibility rules, so borrowers must meet the requirements for the specific VA, FHA or USDA loan they’re applying for. In addition to those program requirements, Veterans First says the minimum credit score it typically considers for VA loans is in the mid-600s.

Eligibility can also depend on factors like property location and loan limits, so borrowers should contact the company for details based on their loan type and personal profile.

Because Veterans First Mortgage works with government-backed loans, many key fees are set by the VA, FHA or USDA rather than by the lender itself.

The following VA funding fee amounts are accurate at the time of publishing:

Veterans First doesn’t publish a full lender fee schedule online. VA lenders may charge an origination fee of up to 1%, but Veterans First doesn’t list its specific amount. Other common charges like appraisal, credit report and title fees are provided during the application process. Borrowers should request a full fee disclosure when applying.