Zillow Home Loan Review

Overall Score
4.7 out of 5
Trustpilot
4.7 out of 5
Loan Volume
Not rated
Editorial Rating
4.8 out of 5

Summary

Zillow Home Loans is a direct lender for mortgages and refinances that aims to make the loan process both simple and affordable. With Zillow Group behind them, Zillow Home Loans has the real estate expertise and financial stability to cement their name as one of the giants in the industry. Homeowners looking for an easy, trustworthy lender with a name they recognize as well as largely positive customer reviews need look no further.

Highlights

Review
  • Lower prices when compared to other refinance lenders
  • Attentive customer service ensures your loan process goes smoothly
  • High customer reviews for their mortgage and refinance services and low costs
Overall
As long as you are fine with going through an agent rather than having a fully online application, Zillow Home Loans is a great choice for your refinance. Whether you have a low credit score or a high one, you can expect competitive rates and a fair variety of loans, as well as stellar customer service. Anyone interested in refinancing their mortgage would benefit from getting a quote through Zillow.

Zillow Home Loan Ratings

The team at BestRefinanceRates.com considers a variety of sources and methods to determine an overall ratings score. First, a lender's Trustpilot score (or TrustScore) is factored in, when available. Truspilot, a third-party review site, is a leading source regarding customer satisfaction and consumer sentiment. From there, for lenders that publicly release their financial statements, we research loan origination volume. Loan origination volume is one way to understand a lender's solvency and transactional reliability. Next is brand strength. For lenders who have met a certain threshold of engagement on BestRefinanceRates.com, we measure their relative popularity among our consumers. And finally, we offer our editorial ratings, which rely heavily on in-depth brand research and secret shopping.

Editor Ratings

Loan Variety
Loans Offered Include: Fixed, conventional, VA, FHA
As far as loan variety goes, Zillow's options are fairly standard -- homeowners can opt for a streamlined loan or a conventional loan, and can choose between multiple terms.
Fees
While one con of Zillow Home Loans is that they don't post current potential rates on their site, they score well in this category because their rates and fees in past years have typically been lower than most other major lenders. To find out exactly what they have to offer, you'll have to apply.
Customer Service
Zillow Home Loans does a great job when it comes to customer service. Their site is streamlined and convenient, they have a phone number available for homeowners with questions, and they have helpful refinance calculators to make it easier for users to estimate refinance costs. Additionally, the company receives positive reviews from customers when it comes to their agents.
Company Reputation
Especially when compared to other lenders, Zillow Home Loans is viewed positively online. In their reviews, customers highlight personalized customer service, straightforward terms, and low costs as some of the pros of working with this company.
Ease of Application Process
Zillow Home Loans does not offer fully online applications, which does mean a deduction in points when it comes to convenience. Homeowners need to fill out an initial interest form and then wait to be contacted by an agent -- the benefit of this is that you are guaranteed a more personalized approach to your loan. They offer refinance loans in most states.
For Lower Credit Scores
Minimum Credit Score: 580-680
When it comes to certain loan types, Zillow's minimum credit score requirements are slightly higher than what some other major lenders require, but still aren't incredibly strict. Each loan type has its own baseline requirement, so whether or not you'll qualify depends on what exactly you're looking for. Given their low costs, applying is definitely worth a try for homeowners with lower credit scores.
For Higher Credit Scores
Given their lower costs, Zillow is a great option for homeowners with higher credit scores, assuming they offer the loan types you are interested in.

Additional Ratings

Trustpilot Rating
  • WZillow Home Loans has a 3.3 rating on Trustpilot, which is about average
  • Some reviewers are disappointed in the lack of communication offered by staff throughout the loan process
Loan Volume Rating
Not rated
  • Zillow Home Loans is not currently rated for loan volume

Company Background

Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Zillow Home Loans is a subsidiary of the Zillow Group, a name most people recognize from their real estate search website. Zillow was founded in 2006 and provides services in online real estate listings, advertising, and mortgage/refinance lending.