Skip to Main Content

First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders Review 2025

Bankrate logo

The Bankrate promise

At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for .

At a glance

First Federal Bank
NMLS: 408902
Editor's take

Formerly affiliated with BNC National Bank, the First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders team specializes in VA loans, but can help you obtain a conventional, FHA or USDA mortgage as well. You might consider this lender for a mortgage if you are a veteran, active-duty or surviving spouse.

Bankrate Score
4.4
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon

Bankrate Score

Customer Rating
4.9
Rating: 4.93 stars out of 5

106 ratings

Mortgage Percent Icon

Loans offered

Conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, refinancing

Credit Good Icon

Min. credit score required

620 for conventional loans

Location Icon

Nationwide availability

All U.S. states

Dollar Coin Icon

Min. down payment

3% for conventional loans

First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders Overview

Established in 1990, First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders is headquartered in Kansas but is licensed to lend nationwide. The bank has helped over 40,000 families buy homes and is also one of the top VA loan lenders nationwide. In addition to VA loans, First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders offers conventional and jumbo loans and other government-backed mortgages. You can also refinance a mortgage with the lender.

Pros and cons of First Federal Bank

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Specializes in VA loans

  • Checkmark Icon

    Will use manual underwriting to work with borrowers who have less-established credit histories

Cons

  • No e-closing option available

  • Limited branch network

How Bankrate scored First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders

Affordability: 5/5

Because First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders offers competitive interest rates, the lender scored 5 out of 5 stars for affordability.

  • Interest rates: First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders reported mortgage rates well below Bankrate's national average at the time of this writing.
  • Down payment: The lender offers conventional loans that can be had for just 3 percent down and FHA loans that require 3.5 percent down. You can also get a VA loan or a USDA loan with no down payment.
  • Fees: First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders generally does not charge lender fees on VA loans in most cases. The bank does charge $1,095 in lender fees for conventional and FHA loans.
  • Closing costs: The lender's website does not disclose closing costs, but they typically cost between 2 and 5 percent of the total loan amount.

Availability: 5/5

With a wide selection of loan options and nationwide coverage, First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders scored 5 out of 5 stars for availability.

  • Products offered: First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders offers a variety of mortgage options, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo and adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans. You can also browse many mortgage refinance options.
  • Footprint: First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders operates nationwide.
  • Where to find: You can begin the mortgage application process with the lender online or in person at a branch location.  

To help you better understand what types of borrowers are interested in this lender, here’s more information about Bankrate users who submitted a form to this lender through our site:

Lightbulb Icon

Bankrate consumer statistics

How do we get this data?
First time homebuyer:
45% were first time homebuyers
Credit score:
91% reported having a credit score of 700 or higher
Down payment:
46% planned to put down less than 20%
Last updated January 29, 2025

Borrower experience: 4.3/5

This lender scored 4.3 out of 5 stars for borrower experience because it lists rates online, but you must submit contact information before receiving a personalized quote.

  • Application and preapproval process: First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders offers a mobile-friendly online application process via its website. The lender also promises a nearly immediate response to applications submitted during business hours. Applications submitted outside business hours can expect a response the next business day. 
  • Transparency: First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders displays mortgage rates on its website, however, you must submit contact information to receive a custom quote. 
  • Customer service: You can contact the lender by phone, email, text message, online form or online chat. In addition, you can make an appointment to speak with a loan officer in person. Customer service representatives can be reached Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT at 913-647-7000.

Here’s what your experience with First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders might look like:

Caret Down Icon
First Federal Mortgage Application Start Page
First Federal Mortgage Application Property Type
First Federal Mortgage Application Personal Information
First Federal Mortgage Other Applicants
First Federal Mortgage Application More Information
First Federal Mortgage Application Property Information
First Federal Mortgage Application Assets
First Federal Mortgage Application Income
First Federal Mortgage Application Submission

Images courtesy of First Federal Mortgage as of 3/20/2024. Note: Depending on method of contact, your individual credit profile and other circumstances, your experience might differ.

First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders reputation

First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders was not ranked in J.D. Power's most recent mortgage origination satisfaction study for 2024. At the time of this review, the lender does not appear to have a Better Business Bureau profile.

Lender compare

Compare First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders to other lenders

Mortgage rates and fees can vary widely across lenders. You can use the drop downs to explore beyond these lenders and find the best option for you.

Caret Down Icon
First Federal Bank

NMLS: 408902 

4.4

Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
Bankrate Score

Recent Customer Reviews

Rating: 4.93 stars out of 5

4.9

106 reviews

Caret Down Icon
Garden State Home Loans

NMLS: 409701 

4.9

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
  • Star Empty Icon
Bankrate Score

Recent Customer Reviews

Rating: 4.97 stars out of 5

5.0

581 reviews

Refinancing with First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders

The First Federal Mortgage Lenders team offers a variety of refinancing options including those for conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo or USDA loans. You can also do a cash-out refinance with the lender. To learn about refinance rates, you'll need to contact the lender.

How to apply for a mortgage with First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders

You can apply for a mortgage with First Federal Mortgage Lenders online, in person or by phone at 913-647-7000. Here are some tips to prepare for the process:

  1. Check your credit report. It’s important to check your credit report before your lender does, in case there are errors that could impact not only whether you get preapproved but also your ability to get the best mortgage rate. Knowing your credit score also helps you decide what type of loan to apply for. If your score is in the very low 600s, for instance, an FHA mortgage might be best for you, as its standards are more lenient than those for conventional loans.
  2. Gather personal and financial documents. With any lender, you must supply documentation about your income, assets and debts. This includes pay stubs and W-2s and account and loan statements.
  3. Provide details about the property. You’ll need to provide the address of the home and submit to a home appraisal. (If you’re refinancing, you might or might not need an appraisal.)
Lightbulb Icon
Bankrate insights

Learn more about how to choose the right mortgage lender with these six tips.

First Federal Bank Mortgage Lenders customer ratings and reviews

logo

NMLS: 408902

4.9

Rating: 4.93 stars out of 5

106 ratings

This lender has 87 recent reviews.

Knowledge
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
96%
3%
0%
0%
1%

98% of customers would recommend this lender.

10 of 87 reviews

The consumer reviews posted on Bankrate.com ("Bankrate") are individual, subjective opinions of reviewers, and not of Bankrate. Bankrate does not endorse any of the opinions expressed by reviewers or any responses to reviews.

Bankrate cannot guarantee or verify the accuracy of the opinions shared by individual reviewers, and reserves the right to reject or remove any review, at any time, for any reason at Bankrate’s sole discretion, including but not limited to those that Bankrate deems inappropriate, fraudulent, invalid, irrelevant, or otherwise outside the parameters of the Bankrate Review Guidelines, the Privacy Policy, or the Terms of Use.

In addition to collecting reviews on-site, Bankrate collaborated with third-party Slice MR to survey 750 homeowners nationwide in July 2024. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented responses to nine questions. Users received an incentive for their feedback. Responses are based on individual experiences, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. Submissions with user ratings that are materially inconsistent with written sentiment have been removed. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by lenders, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these lenders.

To help serve you with relevant information, the consumer reviews shown below are limited to only those that this advertiser has received during the past 12 months.

Search Icon
Caret Down Icon
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Advice

Robb gave great advice and showed patience and understanding as I worked through the approval process and all the necessary paperwork.

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Sam S.
Odessa MO (April 24, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Best mortgage lender in the U.S.

John has been invaluable in finding the lowest possible mortgage rate and guiding me through every step of the process. He was available 24/7 and went above and beyond in helping me navigate all the requirements, locating documents and making my application go smoothly and successfully.

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Luna K.
Washington (April 23, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Great help for first time home buyers!

This was our first type buying a home and working with Jayme from First Federal Bank made this daunting process super simple, efficient and painless! We were previously working with another mortgage company when our offer was accepted and everything felt so confusing, they took days to reply. Then we found First Federal Bank and after one call with Jayme, we made the switch. Best decision we’ve made!

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

No

Kelsey
Massachusetts (April 23, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Awesome!

Very easy to work with and very knowledgeable of required process/documentation needed to close on time

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Jason
Missouri (April 22, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Linda answered all my questions on time and kept me informed. Very professional.

Linda answered all my questions on time and kept me informed. Very professional.

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Ashish P.
Olive Branch, Mississippi (April 21, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Great Communication!

Home-buying can be overwhelming, but it was a breeze, thanks to Brooke at First Federal Bank Mortgage. All my questions were answered promptly, whether it was through text, phone, or email. The First Federal Bank Mortgage website is intuitive and user-friendly, making the entire experience even easier. Buying a house is a significant life decision, and I’m grateful to have had Brooke and the First Federal Bank Mortgage team expertly guide me through it.

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Michael .
Houston TX (April 21, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Outstanding

David was very thorough and took the time to explain things without any pressure. David di sn outstanding job and I bet much appreciated with willingness to explain my options and any background information..

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Brian
Kansas City (April 21, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Muy buen servicio

Estamos muy contentos

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Juan
7611 Harry s Truman (April 19, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

No nonsense service.

Our loan officer, Jon did a fine job of communicating and expediting our loan to meet our closing date. The costs were exactly as he stated up front with no surprises. No problem recommending him to family or friends.

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Mike C.
Tennessee (April 19, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Jeff and his team are wonderful to work with!

Jeff was recommended to us by a friend who has worked with him several times & now we have worked with him multiple times as well. He is highly communicative, quick to respond, and so helpful.

Knowledge
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

Yes

Would you recommend this lender?

Yes

Christine
PA (April 19, 2025)