Lowvarates.com Review

Real Estate
low va rates
Matt Murphy
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If you’re a first-time homebuyer or you are considering refinancing, you may have access to different options to finance your home purchase, one of which is VA Home Loan. Veteran Affairs Loans (VA Loans) are specifically for the United State veterans, military officials, and their families.

Low VA Rates LLC is one of the many financial companies that provide this loan for customers. VA mortgage rates are fairly competitive with minimal requirements, so it is easy to assume that you may get the lowest rates from a company which already has all these keywords in their company name.

However, before you take the bait, we’ve done a comprehensive Lowvarates.com review to help you make knowledgeable decisions about your next lender–whether it’s Low VA Rates or not. 

What is Low VA Rates LLC?

Low VA Rates, LLC is a mortgage lender that provides veterans and military officials in active duty with mortgage loans that are guaranteed by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

As a direct-to-consumer mortgage lender, customers conduct business through an online portal while discussing over the phone or through an email thread. A huge amount of mortgage business done by Low VA Rates are cash-out refinance loans, so their target customers are usually veterans who already have homes and are considering refinancing.

With their corporate office in Lindon, Utah, they do business out of branches spread across the United States. This company has steadily grown over the years, though with some hiccups along the way.

Low VA Rates Review

As Low VA Rates are strongly centered on VA loans specifically, most of their offerings appear to be well-tailored for their customers. Keep reading to see our lowvarates.com review about everything Low VA Rates has to offer to customers.

Low VA Rates Services

The people at Low VA Rates are dedicated to serving their customers who have served the country. 

Here’s a breakdown of every service they offer:

  • VA Home Loan: This category of service is usually recommended for veterans who are just buying their first homes that would be their primary residence. As long as you qualify, you enjoy a loan that is backed by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, with no down payment, interestingly low rates, and requirements that are flexible.
  • VA Jumbo Loan: Jumbo loans required that customers have a certain amount of down-payment made to qualify. Now, the VA jumbo loan offered by Low VA Rates requires a specific level of entitlement from a veteran. To get this information, a service member has to request for their Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
  • VA Construction Loan: If you have a dream home in mind, or you prefer building yours from scratch, then this loan is great for you. With this offering, you do not have to look into buying what’s already been built. However, you should note that the process for acquiring a VA construction loan could be more complicated than others.
  • VA Streamline Refinance: This is a different way to refer to the Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL). This service provides loan refinancing options for lower interest rates on your existing VA loan.
  • VA Cash-Out Refinance: As a customer who has reasonable equity built up, a VA cash-out refinance loan is a great way to take out from this built equity. The loan taken out can be used to fund anything you desire.
  • VA Energy Efficient Mortgage: This loan is designed as an add-on for customers who already have existing home loans and may want to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Typically, these loans are somewhere below $10,000 with serious considerations
  • VA Hybrid Loan: A type of loan option that allows the customer to enjoy the benefits of a fixed-rate mortgage as well as the stability of an ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage).

Low VA Rates Pros and Cons

Low VA Rates Pros

  • They specialize in VA loans, therefore offering a huge variety of guaranteed VA loan categories.
  • They are licensed in over 40 states in the US.
  • Low VA Rates is a Lender Appraisal Processing Program (LAPP) approved, as well as a BBB accredited business.
  • Low VA Rates runs a Scholarship program for selected veterans and their families to realize educational goals.

Low VA Rates Cons

  • Concentration on VA Loans means they don’t offer other loan types
  • You need to initiate the application process with a customer service official over the phone.
  • Their website does not show their rates

Low VA Rates Lawsuit

Like many other professional mortgage businesses and financial companies, Low VA Rates has also been involved in a major lawsuit in the past. In October 2020, the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) issued a consent order against Low VA Rates, as they found that the company had falsely represented credit terms in their advertisements. 

They also misrepresented many other information that would have helped customers make informed decisions before going into business with them. 

As a result, Low VA Rates, LLC was ordered to pay a penalty of $1,800,000 to the CFPB, as well as carry out other requirements stipulated to avoid violations in the future.

Low VA Rates Staff

Since its inception in 2005, Low VA Rates has steadily grown over the years from President Eric Kandell to a staff strength of over 300 people. Their professional staff is sprinkled with a good number of veterans as well as relatives of service members. 

You can find out more about their team on their website or by pursuing the Low VA Rates blog.

Low VA Rates Login Process

To start your loan application, you may look for the “Get Your Low Rate” button on the website, or see the same option when you click on the VA Loan Application link. Following this, you will be required to select your type of loan. 

As a first timer, you only see two options, which fall under the category of:

  • New Home Purchase
  • Refinance

Selecting either of these options will lead you to a form, where you will fill in some of the following:

  • Your Current Loan Info
  • Military Status
  • Estimated Credit Score
  • Contact Info
  • And Mailing Address.

Low VA Rates Customer Reviews

While there is more than one glowing Lowvarates.com review on their website, Low VA rates had a range of decent reviews on other trusted review sites. Here are a few of them.

  • Trustpilot: While clients generally reported a positive experience on Trustpilot, there were some negative reviews. A client felt “harassed,” despite repeated requests that they cease, and one other reported that it took “almost 3 months to get through.”
  • Zillow: On Zillow, reviews also ranged. Positive reviews praised their attention to detail and appreciated a smooth sailing experience.. The negative reviews called out how “unprofessional” and “impossible to get ahold of” they were. 
  • Google: Low VA Rates has a 4.9-star rating on Google. However, some customers were also displeased with Low VA Rates, as well. Some felt that they were being offered a bait-and-switch, and the company was pegged as “unethical” by several reviewers. Others noted that the process was dragged out “a long time.” 
  • Yelp: Yelp reviewers were somewhat full of thanks and praise for the support staff at Low VA Rates, and some customers were glad to recommend them to others. That said, there was more than one Lowvarates.com review that was less than stellar. It has a 3.5 rating on Yelp, alongside a couple of 1-star comments.

Low VA Rates Alternatives 

While Low VA Rates can be a good option, you should also consider other VA mortgage alternatives, as they may be the right fit for you. Here are a few we recommend.

Hero Loan 

If you are looking for a professional VA mortgage lender that is passionate about delivering the best possible service to every service member and their families, then Hero Loan is going to be your best option. Hero Loan provides VA loan programs that are streamlined to help ensure that you get the home loan that you deserve.

At Hero Loan, your home loan or refinancing application is completed in minutes, and you can close on your home loan in as little as 14 days. This process alone might take other lending companies a good number of weeks. Without piling on the benefits of using Hero Loan, here are some pros and cons of choosing Hero Loan.

Pros:

  • Full focus on VA loans
  • They take the stress off you by doing all your VA paperwork for you
  • Approval procedures are straightforward and trustworthy
  • VA loans can close in as little as 14 days
  • No unexpected added fees or out-of-pocket expenses
  • Foundation is built on deep relationships made with clients

Cons:

  • Non-military personnel or non-veteran, or military-related family members cannot enjoy the robust services of Hero Loans

To get started with the friendly and professional team at Hero Loan, get started with our 5-minute approval application today! XXXX

The Home Loan Expert 

The Home Loan Expert is another great option for lending applications that sail through quickly and efficiently. Their customer service has gotten great reviews and their loan officers are readily accessible. Their services cover the following, among others:

  • ARMs (Adjustable Rate Mortgages)
  • Cash-Out Refinance
  • Conventional Loans
  • First Responder Loan Programs
  • Home Purchase, and Jumbo Loans.

Here are their pros and cons.

Pros:

  • You get personalized services for your loans that are specific to you.
  • The Home Loan Expert provides amazing class closing costs
  • Offers a wide range of loans and VA mortgage options
  • You are provided with robust options for down payment assistance.

Cons:

  • As there is a wide range of loan options, you may need to do considerable research to select a perfect fit for you, or just speak to us to ease you of the hassle.

USAA

With close to a 100 years of experience, the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) is an insurance company that serves military members as well as their families with banking and investment options. This includes VA mortgage options for intending homeowners. 

USAA offers insurance on vehicles, properties, life, business and health. In addition to their banking and investing, only eligible members can access auto loans, a VA home loan, or personal loans through them.

Pros:

  • Offers competitive rates
  • Provides special benefits for military personnel
  • Allows for banking, investing, and insurance options all in one place

Cons:

  • Services and benefits are only military members, or families associated with the military.
  • Customer reviews are generally on the low side, with numerous customer service complaints.

Bottom Line on Low VA Rates

While Low VA Rates offers substantial VA options for military personnel, there are other VA lenders that can be a better fit. 

Out of all of the best VA mortgage lenders, Hero Loan was built specifically to make the sometimes stressful VA Loan process easy. That’s why we complete your VA paperwork for you, help with your COE, pay your appraisal fees…and then close in as little as 14 days. 

All while answering any question you have about the entire process. Even though we’re one of the fastest growing lending platforms in the country, our loan officers all live within the communities they serve—meaning you’ll get the resources of a big-time lender with the service you’d expect from a local. 

Our mission is to provide fast, personalized service while supporting Veteran-Owned businesses and events. The President and Founder, Ryan Kelley, explains: “We launched Hero loan after quickly realizing the options available for our service members were not what they deserve. We looked at what other lenders in the industry were providing and knew we could do a lot better.” 

Get a guide through the VA Loan process today by starting our loan approval application.

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