Zillow Home Loans mortgage review: rates, costs & calculator
The in-house lender of the Zillow marketplace, letting shoppers get pre-approved and finance homes they find on the platform.
Zillow Home Loans mortgage rates: what borrowers actually paid
Zillow Home Loans prices each borrower individually, but federal loan-level records show what its borrowers actually got. On 3,915 conventional 30-year fixed purchase loans with at least 20% down closed in 2025, the median rate was 6.50% and the median APR was in line with the typical lender's, with $5,617 in loan costs.
| 2025 home purchases | Loans | Median rate | APR vs benchmark | Loan costs | With points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional · Zillow Home Loans | 3,915 | 6.50% | +0.05 | $5,617 | 74% |
| Conventional · all lenders | 700,082 | 6.50% | +0.02 | $5,476 | 53% |
| FHA · Zillow Home Loans | 2,442 | 6.50% | +0.64 | $10,931 | 78% |
| FHA · all lenders | 516,729 | 6.25% | +0.42 | $11,291 | 59% |
| VA · Zillow Home Loans | 1,172 | 6.125% | −0.17 | $6,307 | 82% |
| VA · all lenders | 291,383 | 6.125% | −0.36 | $6,554 | 59% |
What the numbers say
- On conventional loans, Zillow Home Loans priced about like the market: a median APR +0.05 percentage points against the benchmark, versus +0.02 for all lenders.
- Other loan types: FHA 0.23 percentage points above the market (2,442 loans); VA 0.19 percentage points above the market (1,172 loans).
- Borrowers paid a median $5,617 in loan costs, close to the $5,476 typical across all lenders.
- 74% of its loans carried discount points, versus 53% overall — ask for quotes with and without points.
How Zillow Home Loans compares on conventional loans
| Lender | Loans | Median rate | APR vs benchmark | Loan costs | Lender credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zillow Home Loans | 3,915 | 6.50% | +0.05 | $5,617 | 45% |
| United Wholesale Mortgage | 57,444 | 6.50% | +0.02 | $7,032 | 46% |
| Rocket Mortgage | 35,588 | 6.50% | +0.01 | $5,816 | 3% |
| CrossCountry Mortgage | 22,973 | 6.75% | +0.24 | $6,675 | 30% |
| Guild Mortgage | 14,742 | 6.625% | +0.08 | $5,918 | 15% |
| All lenders | 700,082 | 6.50% | +0.02 | $5,476 | 33% |
Source: 2025 HMDA loan-level records (FFIEC/CFPB), 30-year fixed home purchases compared like for like. APR vs benchmark = median APR minus the average prime offer rate the week the rate was set; loan costs are borrower-paid. Our method and its limits.
Zillow Home Loans mortgage calculator
Estimate a Zillow Home Loans payment: enter the rate from your Loan Estimate, or start from today's 7.18% average 30-year fixed rate. For reference, Zillow Home Loans's 2025 conventional purchase loans closed at a median 6.50%.
Prefer a full-page version? Open the mortgage calculator.
Zillow Home Loans by the numbers
| Home loans originated (2025) | 14,357 |
|---|---|
| Total lending (2025) | $4.8B |
| Average loan size | $331,494 |
| Approval rate* | 92.5% |
| Volume rank (our roster) | #46 of 60 |
| Largest market | Texas |
Source: federal HMDA data (2025), FFIEC/CFPB. *Approval rate = loans originated ÷ (originated + denied). It reflects a lender's channel and borrower mix — wholesale, online and refi-heavy lenders run lower because many applications are rate shops that never close — not how hard it is to work with. See the HMDA lending report.
What Zillow Home Loans actually lends
74% of Zillow Home Loans's 2025 loans were conventional, averaging $331k.
| Share of 2025 loans | Zillow Home Loans | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 74% | 78% |
| FHA | 17.8% | 13.2% |
| VA | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| USDA | 0% | 0.6% |
| Home purchase | 99.4% | 52.5% |
| Rate-and-term refinance | 0.3% | 15.3% |
| Cash-out refinance | 0.2% | 14% |
Shares of originated loans by loan type and purpose, federal HMDA data (2025). They describe the lender's business mix, not the terms you would be offered.
Zillow Home Loans at a glance
Zillow Home Loans is the in-house mortgage arm of Zillow, the real-estate marketplace most people already use to browse listings.
It isn't a startup lender built from scratch: Zillow created it by acquiring Mortgage Lenders of America, an Overland Park, Kansas lender founded in 2000, and folding it into the Zillow brand in 2018.
The strategic idea is simple: capture the borrower at the moment of house-hunting rather than send that shopper off to a separate bank.
Operationally, it runs as an online, loan-officer-supported lender rather than a branch network. You can browse homes, estimate affordability, prequalify, and start an application inside the Zillow app or website, but a licensed loan officer still handles the actual pre-approval and closing.
Where Zillow Home Loans's approval rate sits
Zillow Home Loans's 2025 approval rate of 92.5% sits against the 76.6% national average. Read it as a signal of channel, not strictness — wholesale, online and refinance-heavy lenders run lower because so many applications are rate shops that never close.
The headline tool is BuyAbility, which ties a buyer's estimated purchasing power to live rates and updates in real time as rates move, then filters home listings to what fits the budget; Zillow reports the feature has enrolled more than 3.6 million users.
Prequalification takes minutes and uses a soft credit pull that doesn't ding your score.
The lender writes a conventional and government-loan menu — conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo, across fixed and adjustable terms — and lends in every state except New York.
Its 2025 HMDA record shows roughly 14,400 originations totaling about $4.76 billion, an average loan near $331,000, and a high 92.5% approval rate that reflects its purchase-focused, pre-qualified pipeline. Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, and North Carolina were its busiest states.
Who Zillow Home Loans is best for
Zillow Home Loans suits buyers who are already searching for homes on Zillow and want financing built into that workflow — especially those who value knowing their real-time budget before touring.
The 5-minute soft-pull prequalification and BuyAbility make it a natural fit for first-time and early-stage shoppers comparing what they can afford, rather than borrowers hunting purely for the lowest headline rate.
Loan programs at Zillow Home Loans
Its most notable programs and specialties:
- Conventional loans with as little as 3% down
- FHA loans with 3.5% down (and lower scores considered with a larger down payment)
- VA loans with zero down for eligible veterans and service members
- Jumbo loans for higher-balance purchases
- Fixed-rate terms (30, 20, 15, 10 years) plus 7/1, 5/1, and 3/1 ARMs
- A down payment assistance program in select markets: eligible first-time buyers at 80% or less of area median income put 1% down and Zillow contributes 2% at closing
Typical industry minimum down payment by core loan type — Zillow Home Loans's own minimums or credit overlays may run higher:
| Loan program | Typical min. down |
|---|---|
| Conventional | 3% |
| FHA | 3.5% |
| VA | 0% |
| Refi | n/a |
Strengths
- Shopping and financing live in one place — listings, affordability, and pre-approval inside the Zillow app
- BuyAbility shows a real-time, rate-adjusted budget and filters homes to match it
- Fast online prequalification with a soft credit check that doesn't affect your score
- Full conventional and government menu (conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo) with low-down-payment options
- Down payment assistance available for qualifying first-time, lower-income buyers in select markets
Considerations
- Not available in New York
- In 2025 HMDA data, Zillow Home Loans' median origination charges were $2,672 on conventional purchase loans (20%+ down) and $3,240 on FHA, versus $1,935 and $2,393 for all lenders, so compare total closing costs
- Zillow Home Loans serves borrowers by phone and online, and its website lists no branch offices for in-person help.
- Home purchases were 99.4% of Zillow Home Loans' 2025 HMDA originations; refinances and cash-out refinances made up under 1%.
Where Zillow Home Loans lends most
By federal HMDA records, Zillow Home Loans's largest 2025 markets were Texas, Florida, California, Georgia and North Carolina. Explore local rates, home prices and down-payment assistance for each:
The verdict
Zillow Home Loans turns a familiar home-search habit into a financing path, and its BuyAbility tool and quick soft-pull prequalification genuinely help buyers understand their budget early. Its 92.5% approval rate and multi-billion-dollar 2025 volume reflect a busy, purchase-driven lender.
Just compare total costs — some reviewers note above-average origination fees — and remember it doesn't lend in New York or operate branches.
How to compare Zillow Home Loans
Shopping a few lenders is the single most reliable way to save. Before you commit to Zillow Home Loans:
- Get three or more Loan Estimates in a two-week window — the bureaus treat it as one inquiry.
- Compare the APR, not just the headline rate — it folds in the fees.
- Weigh service and loan-type fit, not price alone.
- Verify licensing: search Zillow Home Loans on NMLS Consumer Access and match the NMLS ID to the one on your Loan Estimate. (Its LEI in federal HMDA data, 549300370QILXLFUWD20, is not a license number.)
Benchmark whatever you're quoted against today's today's average rates.
Zillow Home Loans FAQ
Is Zillow Home Loans a good mortgage lender?
Zillow Home Loans is a licensed U.S. mortgage lender and one of the largest, roughly #46 of 60 in our roster by 2025 volume, best for shopping on zillow.
On price, its 2025 conventional borrowers' median APR was in line with the typical lender's, with $5,617 in loan costs against $5,476 market-wide.
Whether it's right for you comes down to the rate and fees it quotes — compare its Loan Estimate with two or three others.
What are Zillow Home Loans's mortgage rates today?
Zillow Home Loans sets rates daily by loan type, credit score, down payment and points, so the rate that counts is the one on your Loan Estimate.
For context, the average 30-year fixed rate was 7.18% in Freddie Mac's survey for the week of November 5, 2026; in 2025, Zillow Home Loans's conventional purchase loans closed at a median 6.50%, against 6.50% for all lenders.
How many mortgages does Zillow Home Loans originate?
In 2025, Zillow Home Loans originated about 14,357 home loans, roughly $4.8 billion in lending, per federal HMDA data — an average loan of about $331,494.
What loan types does Zillow Home Loans offer?
Zillow Home Loans offers Conventional, FHA, VA, Refi. Notable programs include conventional loans with as little as 3% down; FHA loans with 3.5% down (and lower scores considered with a larger down payment); VA loans with zero down for eligible veterans and service members.
How do I verify Zillow Home Loans is licensed?
Search the company's name on NMLS Consumer Access (nmlsconsumeraccess.org), the official registry of licensed mortgage companies and loan officers; the NMLS ID it shows is also printed on every Loan Estimate the lender issues. (The ID 549300370QILXLFUWD20 used on this page is the company's LEI, which identifies it in federal HMDA data — not a license number.)
This review is editorial and independent — Zillow Home Loans did not pay for or approve it, and all figures are from public federal data. It is general information, not a recommendation or personalized advice. Confirm all terms directly with the lender.
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