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Citizens offers conforming, FHA, VA, jumbo, construction-to-permanent mortgages, and HELOCs. It also has its own unique affordable mortgage program called a Destination Home Mortgage.
Citizens Bank; Insider
The bottom line: Citizens Bank Mortgages offers a good range of loan types and a few different worthwhile features, including live online chat, a discount for enrolling in automatic payments and e-statements, and down payment assistance for borrowers in eligible counties. But the lender ranked below average in J.D. Power’s annual Primary Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study, which measures customer satisfaction.
Overall lender rating
FeatureInsider rating (out of 5)Loan types4Affordability3Customer satisfaction3.5Trustworthiness4Total3.63
Pros and cons
ProsConsLive online chat lets you easily talk to a mortgage professionalDown payment assistance is available to borrowers in certain areasBorrowers who set up automatic payments and e-statements can get a 0.125% discount on their rateEarned low rankings in J.D. Power’s annual study Doesn’t disclose lender fees onlineYou can only see sample rates for 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgagesThe minimum credit scores for its government-backed loans are relatively high
Citizens Bank mortgage interest rates
Citizens Bank shows sample rates for its 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages on its website. If you want to see rates for the other mortgages it offers, or to get a customized rate, you’ll need to talk to a loan officer or start an application.
Citizens Bank vs. SoFi mortgages
Citizens
SoFi
Types of mortgages
Conforming, FHA, VA, jumbo, construction-to-permanent, HELOC, Destination Home Mortgage
Types of mortgages
Conforming, jumbo, fixed-rate mortgages
Standout feature
Destination Home Mortgage
Standout feature
Easy online experience
Citizens Bank MortgagesSoFi Home Loans
Both Citizens Bank and SoFi are good options for borrowers who prefer an online application process. But Citizens Bank has a wider range of loan options than SoFi, which only offers fixed-rate conforming and jumbo mortgages. Citizens offers many different types of loans, including both fixed- and adjustable-rate mortgages.
If both of these lenders offer the type of mortgage you’re looking for, it might be a good idea to get preapproved with both to see which one offers you a better rate.
Citizens Bank vs. Bank of America mortgages
Citizens
Bank of America
Types of mortgages
Conforming, FHA, VA, jumbo, construction-to-permanent, HELOC, Destination Home Mortgage
Types of mortgages
Conforming, jumbo, FHA, VA, HELOC, Community Affordable Loan Solution
Standout feature
Destination Home Mortgage
Standout feature
Community Affordable Loan Solution
Citizens Bank MortgagesBank of America Mortgage
Citizens and Bank of America have similar mortgage offerings, including an affordable mortgage for borrowers who otherwise might have trouble qualifying.
Bank of America’s Community Affordable Loan Solution comes with no down payment requirement, no closing costs, and no mortgage insurance. But it’s currently only available in a handful of cities.
Citizens Bank’s Destination Home Mortgage requires a 3% down payment, no mortgage insurance, and it can be combined with the lender’s down payment assistance program, if you live in an eligible area. The Destination Home Mortgage is available to low-to-moderate income borrowers or those who live in a low-to-moderate income area.
How Citizens Bank mortgages work
You can get started with Citizens Bank online, over the phone, or in person if you live in one of the 14 states Citizens has a physical branch in. Citizens lends in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
This lender offers conforming, FHA, VA, jumbo, construction-to-permanent mortgages, and HELOCs. It also has its own unique affordable mortgage program called a Destination Home Mortgage.
The Destination Home Mortgage is available to low-to-moderate income borrowers or borrowers who live in a low-to-moderate income area. It allows 3% down payments with no monthly mortgage insurance payment. Typically, when you put down less than 20%, you’d be required to pay for mortgage insurance as part of your monthly mortgage payment, so this mortgage can help you keep your monthly costs down without having to save for a large down payment.
Citizens also offers down payment assistance, which can be combined with its Destination Home Mortgage. Down payment assistance is only available in certain counties in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.
Like the Destination Home Mortgage, down payment assistance is only available to low-to-moderate income borrowers or those buying in a low-to-moderate income area.
You may also be able to get a 0.125% discount on your interest rate if you set up automatic payments through your checking account and enroll in paperless billing. If you live in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Michigan, you’ll need to use a Citizens Bank checking account to get this discount.
Citizens allows down payments as low as 3% on its conforming loans, but this option is only available to first-time homebuyers. Non-first timers will need to put at least 5% down. You’ll need at least a 620 credit score to get a mortgage with this lender.
Is Citizens trustworthy?
Citizens Bank has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. A strong BBB grade indicates a company advertises honestly, responds effectively to customer complaints, and is transparent about business practices.
But Citizens was the subject of a 2020 complaint filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleging that Citizens violated the Truth in Lending Act by inappropriately handling billing errors on consumers’ credit card accounts.
When it comes to customer satisfaction, Citizens ranked below the industry average on J.D. Power’s Primary Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study in 2021. But it otherwise has good customer reviews; on its Zillow profile, it has 4.96 out of 5 stars, based on 2,062 customer reviews.
Citizens Bank FAQ
Is Citizens Bank good for mortgages?
Citizens Bank offers a number of different mortgages to choose from, including government-backed loans and conventional loans that allow low down payments. It also has features that help it stand out, such as its Destination Home Mortgage and live online chat.
But every borrower’s needs are different. Whether this lender is good for you will depend on if it has the type of mortgage you’re looking for and what types of rates and terms it can offer you. If you have a lower score, Citizens might not be the best pick for you, since you’ll need at least a 620 score to qualify with this lender.
Is Citizens Bank an FHA lender?
Yes, Citizens Bank is an FHA lender.
What credit score do I need to get a mortgage from Citizens Bank?
To get a conforming, FHA, or VA mortgage from Citizens Bank, you’ll need a credit score of at least 620.