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Watermark Home Loans Mortgage Review 2025

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At a glance

Watermark Home Loans
Editor's take

Watermark Home Loans is a larger mortgage lender that offers a wide suite of options, including bank statement loans for self-employed borrowers, condo and co-op loans and construction financing. (If you’re an older homeowner, you could also work with this lender on a reverse mortgage.) You won’t interact with a loan officer in person, however, as this lender operates solely online.

Bankrate Score
4.7
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
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Bankrate Score

Customer Rating
4.9
Rating: 4.86 stars out of 5

930 ratings

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Loans offered

Conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, refinancing and more

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Min. credit score required

620 for conventional loans, 680 for jumbo loans, 580 for FHA loans, 580 for VA loans, 620 for USDA loans

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Nationwide availability

All U.S. states except Alaska, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont

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Min. down payment

3% for conventional loans, 20% for jumbo loans, 3.5% for FHA loans, none for VA loans

Watermark Home Loans overview

Watermark Home Loans is a direct online mortgage lender in business since 2006. The lender is based in Irvine, California, and is available to borrowers in most states. It offers an array of mortgage options, including conventional and government-backed loans as well as niche products like interest-only and piggyback loans. The lender also provides refinancing options.

Pros and cons of Watermark Home Loans

Pros

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    Free rate watch

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    No-closing cost loans

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    Numerous government-backed and non-QM loan options

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    Offers e-closings and remote notarizations

Cons

  • Some information online inconsistent with other areas of website

  • No home equity lending options

How Bankrate scored Watermark Home Loans

Affordability: 5/5

Because of Watermark Home Loans' low APRs, low- and no-down-payment loans and no-closing-cost options, the lender gets a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for affordability.

  • Interest rates: The lender reported annual percentage rates (APRs) below those of Bankrate's national average mortgage rates, at the time of this review.   
  • Down payment: With Watermark Home Loans, you can choose from no- and low-down-payment mortgage options. Conventional loans require a minimum of 3 percent down, while FHA loans require a minimum of 3.5 percent. USDA and VA loans have no down payment requirements.
  • Fees: The lender doesn’t charge an application fee.
  • Closing costs: Watermark Home Loans offers no-closing-cost options. This typically means you can roll the closing costs into the mortgage in exchange for a higher rate instead of paying for them upfront.

Availability: 5/5

With its diverse mortgage offerings, wide national footprint and online application accessibility, Watermark Home Loans scored a perfect 5 out of 5 for availability.

  • Home loans offered: The company stands out for its extensive mortgage options, which include the standard home purchase and refinancing options as well as products for real estate investors, self-employed borrowers and older homeowners.
  • Footprint: The lender has grown to now service most states in the U.S.
  • Where to find: When you're ready to apply for a mortgage, you can do so online or by phone at Watermark Home Loans. Since the lender works solely online, you won't be able to apply in person anywhere. 

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.

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Bankrate consumer statistics

How do we get this data?
First time homebuyer:
58% were first time homebuyers
Down payment:
43% planned to put down less than 20%
Last updated January 28, 2025

Borrower experience: 4.1/5

Watermark Home Loans isn't transparent about rates on its website, meaning you'll need to submit a form to get a rate quote, so the lender gets 4.1 out of 5 stars for borrower experience.

  • Application and preapproval process: You can get a rate quote and apply for a mortgage on the lender's website. To get started, you'll answer some questions about where you are in the homebuying process and the type of home you're looking for. Then you'll need to share some financial information and upload documents to get approved. In addition, the lender’s site includes various calculators that can help you do the math on APR, refinance break-even point and more.
  • Transparency: Watermark Home Loans’ current mortgage rates aren’t disclosed on its website. To see what rate the lender might offer you, you’ll need to submit a rate quote request with some personal details. You can also sign up for a free rate watch tool to track rate movement.

  • Customer service: You can reach the lender by filling out an online form or by calling or emailing.

Watermark Home Loans reputation

Watermark Home Loans is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating with the organization. The lender has an "Average" rating from the review site Trustpilot and was not included in J.D. Power's 2024 mortgage origination satisfaction study.

Lender compare

Compare Watermark Home Loans 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.

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Watermark Home Loans

NMLS: 1838 

State License: 0925124 

4.7

Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
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Bankrate Score

Recent Customer Reviews

Rating: 4.86 stars out of 5

4.9

930 reviews

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Chase Home Lending

NMLS: 399798 

4.9

Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
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Bankrate Score

Recent Customer Reviews

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

4.0

25 reviews

Refinancing with Watermark Home Loans

Watermark Home Loans offers both rate-and-term and cash-out refinancing options. However, the lender doesn’t list any information about fees or closing time expectations online. You’ll need to fill out a rate quote form to learn your options and compare refinance rates.

How to apply for a mortgage with Watermark Home Loans

You can apply for a mortgage with Watermark Home Loans online or by phone at 800-896-9374. 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

Watermark Home Loans customer ratings and reviews

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4.9

Rating: 4.86 stars out of 5

930 ratings

This lender has 19 recent reviews.

Knowledge
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
95%
1%
0%
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3%

97% of customers would recommend this lender.

10 of 19 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.

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Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Mortgage loan experience with WaterMarkHomeLoans

I recently worked with Loan Officer Ron at Watermark Home Loans to secure a mortgage for my new home. From our very first conversation, Ron was upfront and transparent about every step of the loan process. He took the time to clearly explain all of my options, including the associated fees, pros and cons, and helped me make a well-informed choice. Ron and his team were always responsive and made the entire experience smooth and stress-free. I highly recommend Ron and Watermark Home Loans, and I’ll definitely be working with them again in the future.

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

Ravi N.
Chandler,AZ (April 11, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Knowledgable and Best Cost Refinance

Ron from Watermark was extremely knowledgeable and helpful during the entire process. Clear and upfront costing, great explanations from the team. Closing was very straightforward and simple. Would definitely recommend!

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

Kirt B.
Pittsburgh (April 10, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Good customer service

My loan officer DJ answered all my questions in a timely manner and helped guide me through the process.

Knowledge
Rating: 4 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

Chris
Moreno Valley (April 8, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Duoazong

I found Watermark Capital, Inc after wasting almost 2 years with mortgage finance organizations in Texas. Duoazong specifically was fantastic with her professional approach and customer interest focus . She truly has been the best mortgage advisor I have worked with so far, helping me close the purchase of my home with an interest rate I could not get elsewhere. With office presence all the way in California, she was able to fully represent my mortgage financing requirements for a property in Texas, enlightening me along the way on every process with full disclosure, cutting the bs most advisors include when trying to take advantage of a client. We successfully closed with the best market rates and she made the whole process very easy and smooth, reducing complexities by sticking to essentials. No over the board outrageous requirement requests. I'll definitely work with her on the next one.

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

Frank O.
Texas (March 12, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Exceptional Support & Seamless Home Buying Experience with Amanda!

I had an amazing experience working with Amanda at Watermark Home Loans! From the very beginning of my home shopping journey, Amanda was incredibly helpful, supportive, and always quick to respond. Over the past two years, she provided me with pre-approvals as needed, always with a fast turnaround. When I finally found my new home, Amanda was there every step of the way. She patiently explained every detail of the loan process, ensuring I fully understood everything. Her responsiveness was outstanding—she even replied on weekends, making the entire process smooth and stress-free. Amanda also maintained excellent communication with my real estate agent, ensuring everything moved seamlessly. She is enthusiastic, always happy, and truly passionate about helping her clients. Thanks to her expertise and dedication, we closed the loan on time without any issues. As a first-time homebuyer, I was quite anxious, but Amanda made the process incredibly easy and stress-free. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a reliable and supportive lender!

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

Sohaib D.
Frisco, Texas (Feb. 15, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Best interest rate offered with good coordination

Thankful to Casey, for the great service offered in assisting me to secure the conventional loan. Communication was key with the team to get through multiple things. I had very good experience with the loan officer, Casey with his knowledge on the loan processing and guiding me when to do what and getting me the best interest rate.

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

Deekshit M.
Durham, North Carolina (Feb. 12, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Super professional, quick, and competitive service with watermark!

We worked with watermark multiple times throughout early 2024 for our pre approval and then eventually when we bought our house in November. We worked with Dan & Dana. They were very informative, and were super responsive about anything we needed. Best of all they worked with us and were able to get us the most competitive rate that we could find at the time. Everything closed on time and Watermark was a pleasure to work with! 10/10 would do it again.

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

Brittany &.
Washington (Feb. 1, 2025)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Excellent Experience

We worked with Dan and Stephanie to refinance our loan. The process was seamless and we had a great experience. Highly recommend them! Thank you so much.

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

Tia
Elk Grove, CA (Nov. 17, 2024)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Excellent refinance experience.

The refinance process went smoothly and quickly. I highly recommend working with loan broker, Casey at Watermark. Processing handled by Sandra was easy and she responded immediately to my questions. This is the third loan I have had with Watermark and the second using Casey. I would definitely consider using them again. Great service!

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

Retha S.
Scottsdale (Oct. 31, 2024)

Rating: 1 stars out of 5

rates were good, all else - horrible

Picked watermark based on reviews and because rates looked good. Everything else made me regret this decision multiple times. First guy assigned to me to work on pre-approval was just completely useless. The second one was better, and all was fairly smooth until we got into closing stages. Communication was bad across the entire org. Some emails with questions were never responded to, i had to call in and ask in person. The guy who was working with me disappeared on PTO 2 days before closing - never provided a replacement contact, leaving me and the settlement agency guess on whether loan is approved and what's happening. The biggest grudge has been with appraisal - they picked some shady company that took almost a month to do an appraisal (which was also very superficial), and forced closing to be pushed out by a week, which they charged me for! Oh and lastly - they messed up the escrow deduction calculations which is still for me to fix. Bottom line - stay away. Feels like a circus, nowhere as professional as you would hope.

Knowledge
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Level of service
Rating: 1 stars out of 5
Professionalism
Rating: 1 stars out of 5
Responsiveness
Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Rates and terms of loan honored?

Yes

Closed mortgage with this lender?

Yes

Closed on time?

No

Would you recommend this lender?

No

IM
Maryland (Oct. 23, 2024)