CrossCountry Mortgage Review: Many home loan options

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CrossCountry Mortgage loans at a glance

  • Conventional loans: Yes
  • FHA loans: Yes
  • VA loans: Yes
  • Refinancing: Yes
  • Jumbo loan: Yes
  • Adjustable rates: Yes (3/1, 5/1, 7/1 and 10/1 ARMs)
  • Fixed rates: Yes (10 to 30 years)

CrossCountry Mortgage, which is registered under its legal business name, Best Rate USA, is a large mortgage lender that says it can close home loans quickly. But to get started you will need to fill out a contact form and wait to hear back from a representative.

Pros

  • Loans can close in as little as 21 days
  • Personalized help available
  • Loan officers available nationwide

Cons

  • Doesn’t disclose potential rates or lender fees online
  • Doesn’t disclose borrower eligibility criteria
  • Required to speak with an agent to get loan details

4 things to know about a CrossCountry Mortgage loan

1. Loans may close quickly

When buying a home, do you worry that it may take a long time for the loan to close? According to ICE Mortgage Technology, the average time to close for purchase loans is about 50 days. But with CrossCountry Mortgage, the process could be shorter.

The lender says it can close “most” mortgages in as few as 21 days. To help make that happen, CrossCountry Mortgage has a program to quickly approve credit and close the loan. But the speed of the process may depend on how quickly you’re able to submit your documents to your loan officer.

2. Doesn’t disclose rates or lender fees online

CrossCountry Mortgage doesn’t list information about its potential rates or fees on its website, making it harder to compare its loans with options from other lenders. The only mention of rates is under the rates disclosure section of the online quote tool. 

Although CrossCountry Mortgage does have a link to a “free rate quote” tool, it doesn’t give you the rate directly. Instead, it sends your information to a company representative who can contact you to discuss your quote.

3.You must work with a loan officer

To start the mortgage process or to get prequalified for a loan, you must work with a CrossCountry Mortgage loan officer.By contrast, some other lenders allow you to prequalify and even get approved for loans entirely online. 

4. Has multiple refinancing options

In addition to a wide range of purchase loans, CrossCountry Mortgage offers a number of refinancing options, including …

  • Conventional loan refinancing
  • VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance loans
  • FHA 203(k) refinance loans
  • FHA Streamline refinance loans
  • USDA Rural Streamline refinance loans

CrossCountry also offers home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs.

Who is a CrossCountry Mortgage loan good for?

CrossCountry Mortgage may be a good option to consider if you prefer working closely with a loan officer. And if you’re not sure which home loan option is right for you, CrossCountry Mortgage offers a variety, including conventional loans and government-backed mortgages such as FHA loans, VA loans and USDA loans. Those may be worth considering if you’re a first-time homebuyer.

CrossCountry Mortgage has a network of loan officers throughout the country, so depending on your location you may have access to personalized, one-on-one assistance during the mortgage approval process.

How to apply for a CrossCountry Mortgage loan

CrossCountry Mortgage is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. To start the mortgage application, you can use the company’s rate quote tool and enter some basic personal information about yourself and the property you’d like to buy.

A loan officer will contact you to discuss your options after you submit your request. If you’d prefer not to wait, CrossCountry Mortgage lists a phone number you can call for immediate help.

CrossCountry Mortgage recommends having the following documents ready to apply for a loan:

  • Uniform Residential Loan Application (Form 1003)
  • Two previous years of W-2s
  • Previous two years of tax returns
  • If you own rental properties, your most recent rental agreement
  • Three most recent bank statements
  • Most recent statements from your investment, retirement and brokerage accounts
  • Bankruptcy filing, if applicable
  • For those who aren’t U.S. citizens, a green card, H-1 or L-1 visa

Not sure if CrossCountry Mortgage is right for you? Consider these alternatives.

When you start researching your options, it’s smart to get quotes and compare rates from multiple lenders. However, keep in mind that when you’re shopping for a mortgage, you have a window of time where multiple credit inquiries are only counted as one for your credit scores. You typically have 14 days — though it could be longer.

  • Better: Better may be a good option to consider if you’re looking for a completely online application process and want to avoid lender fees.
  • Freedom Mortgage: In addition to conventional loans, Freedom Mortgage offers three loan programs backed by the federal government — FHA, VA and USDA loans — making it a good choice for first-time homebuyers.

About the author: Kat Tretina is a personal finance writer with a master’s degree in communication studies from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Obsessed with her many side hustles, she focuses on helping people pay down their … Read more.