Best Mortgage Refinance Companies of March 2023
The best mortgage refinance companies equip homeowners with all the online information they need to choose the right home loan to replace their current home loan. Whether you’re searching for a lower interest rate, or you want to tap your home equity, drop mortgage insurance or take advantage of government streamline refinance loans, our picks for the best mortgage refinance do some of the refinance shopping homework for you.
On this page
- Best overall refinance lender: Guaranteed Rate
- Best lender for variety of refinance products: Fairway Independent Mortgage
- Best for online refinance rate transparency: Zillow Home Mortgage
- Best bank online mortgage experience: Chase
- Summary of the best mortgage lenders of 2023
- How we chose our picks for the best refinance lenders
- Current mortgage rates
- Frequently asked questions
Best overall refinance lender: Guaranteed Rate
Guaranteed Rate at a glance
- Minimum credit score: Not published
- Available refinance programs: Conventional cash-out refinance, FHA refinance, VA cash-out refinance, VA IRRRL, FHA 203(k) renovation refinance, Fannie Mae HomeStyle and Freddie Mac Renovation refinances and VA renovation refinance
- Additional loan products: Jumbo loans, interest-only mortgages and home equity loans
- LendingTree rating:
Why we chose Guaranteed Rate
Founded in 2000, Guaranteed Rate is a mortgage lender specializing in a digital mortgage experience. Consumers can check out refinance rates online, find information about Guaranteed Rate’s loan products, or read articles about mortgage lending and an easy online application process. Guaranteed Rate offers seven different refinance programs, including a wide variety of fixer-upper refinance programs.
Best lender for variety of refinance products: Fairway Independent Mortgage
Fairway at a glance
- Minimum credit score: 580 to 620
- Available refinance programs: Conventional refinance, FHA streamline, VA cash-out refinance, VA IRRRL, jumbo renovation refinance loan, USDA refinance loan, FHA 203(k) refinance, Fannie Mae HomeStyle® Renovation refinances, VA renovation refinance and USDA renovation refinance
- Additional loan products: Reverse mortgage and physician home loan
- LendingTree rating:
Why we chose Fairway
Fairway Independent Mortgage company has more than 25 years of experience originating loans and currently offers home loans in all 50 states. In addition to most of the standard conventional and government-backed refinance home loans, they also offer refinance products for homeowners mortgages currently backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They also widest array of renovation lending products of the lenders we reviewed, including a USDA renovation refinance product.
Best for online refinance rate transparency: Zillow Home Loans
Zillow Home Loans at a glance:
- Minimum credit score: 620
- Available refinance programs: Conventional, FHA, VA and jumbo
- LendingTree rating:
Why we chose Zillow Mortgage
Zillow is probably best known for its home shopping platform, but the company launched Zillow Home Loans, LLC in 2018 to give aspiring homeowners a place to mortgage shopping as well. Zillow offers a solid menu of refinance types, but the lender shines when it comes to the amount of online mortgage rate information they offer. Consumers can track rates for conventional, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fixed-rate loans and even peruse a number of adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) rates with initial rates fixed for three, five, seven and even 10 years.
Best online mortgage experience from a traditional bank: Chase
Chase at a glance
- Minimum credit score: Not disclosed
- Available refinance programs: Conventional, FHA, VA and jumbo
- LendingTree rating:
Why we chose Chase Mortgage
Founded in 1799, JP Mortgage Chase is one of the oldest financial institutions in the United States. Chase mortgage advisors work with customers in 37 states and the District of Columbia. When it comes to refinancing, Chase provides a combination of online product information, mortgage finance articles and rates updated daily on six different products, earning it the best online mortgage experience award for an institutional bank lender.
Summary of the best refinance lenders of 2023
| Lender | LendingTree rating and “best of” category | Minimum credit score | Lender review |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  Best overall refinance lender | Not disclosed | Read our review |
 |  Best for variety of refinance products | 580 to 620 | Read our review |
 |  Best for rate transparency | 620 | Read our review |
| Best online mortgage experience for a traditional bank | No disclosed | Read our review |
How we chose our picks for the best refinance lenders
To determine the best refinance lenders, we reviewed data from LendingTree’s 35 lender reviews and evaluated the lenders’ refinance loan programs and services.
Each lender review gives a rating between zero and five stars based on several features including digital application processes, available loan products and the accessibility of product and lending information. To evaluate refinance-specific factors, we awarded extra points to lenders that publish a wide variety of refinance rates online, offer the most conventional and government-backed refinance loan types and offer renovation refinance loans for homeowners that want to fix up their homes and roll the costs into one loan.
Our editorial team brought together the star ratings, as well as the scores awarded for refinance-specific characteristics, to find the lenders with a product mix, information and guidelines that best serve the needs of refinance borrowers. To be included in the “best of” roundup, lenders must offer mortgages in at least 35 states.
Current mortgage rates
After spiking to record levels above 7% in 2022, the mortgage interest rate forecast for early 2023 is for rates to continue their steady march toward 6%, although it will be bumpy ride with unexpectedly strong job and retail sales reports and persistently high inflation readings causing a slight spike in rates in March 2023. Despite the recent increase in rates, the overall prediction is still for lower rates by the end of the year.
Make sure you don’t spend too much to refinance by calculating your break-even point. Just divide the estimated closing costs by your monthly savings to determine how many months it will take to recoup your refinance closing costs. As long as you’ll be in the home for at least that many months, the refinance will save you money. With the volatility in the interest rate market likely to continue, it’s also important to lock in your rate to guard against rate increases during the refinance process.
Frequently asked questions
The best company to refinance with depends on a number of factors, including your credit score, which refinance loans you’re eligible for and what type of loan you currently have. In general:
- Choose a conventional lender if you have credit scores above 620 and at least 20% equity in your home.
- Choose an FHA lender if you’ve got rocky credit or you currently have an FHA loan.
- A VA lender is your best bet if you’re an eligible military homeowner or you have an existing VA loan.
- Jumbo lenders may be your only option if your loan amount is above current conforming limits.
Check with a loan officer at your current bank to see if they’re offering any special promotions for refinancing. If you keep a lot of money parked in a savings account, they may offer you some sort of discount on your refinance closing costs.
The best refinance rate lender changes frequently, and the best way to find out is to shop at least three to five different lenders and compare the lender cost on your loan estimates. Make sure you gather all your rate quotes on the same day — rates change daily.
You may want to refinance with your current lender if they offer you a lower rate without much documentation (like an appraisal or income documents). However, make sure you shop a few other lenders as well to make sure you’re getting the best deal.