loading...

Home Loans

There’s no place like your own.

From a traditional home loan (aka mortgage) to a loan for buying land or building a house on land you own, we can fund your adventure — from here to your front doorstep.

We make Home Ownership happen.

When it’s time to buy or even build the new home you’ve been dreaming about, Fortera is here to help. We’re experts in making the home loan process easy and affordable. We offer conventional, VA, construction and land loans.

Solid, friendly guidance
Getting a mortgage is a big step with plenty of moving parts and decisions to make. That is why we've streamlined the application process and stay by your side every step of the way.

Low rates and closing costs
With competitive rates and fewer fees, we have the home loan that is perfect for you. We can even roll your closing costs into the loan, so you’ll barely know they’re there.

Use our Rate Calculator to easily compare different mortgage options, see projected closing costs, and more.

Mortgage Rates

Loan Type Rates as Low as** APR*** Effective Date
Loan Type:
30 Year Conventional Fixed Loan
Rates as Low as**
6.625%
APR***:
6.758%
Effective Date:
03.07.2024
Loan Type:
15 Year Conventional Fixed Loan
Rates as Low as**
6.125%
APR***:
6.336%
Effective Date:
03.07.2024
Loan Type:
30 Year VA Fixed Loan
Rates as Low as**
6.000%
APR***:
6.178%
Effective Date:
03.07.2024
Loan Type:
15 Year VA Fixed Loan
Rates as Low as**
5.500%
APR***:
5.707%
Effective Date:
03.07.2024

***APR = Annual Percentage Rate. The interest rates and annual percentage rates (APRs) shown are subject to change daily without notice. **Please note that the interest rates and APR shown are based on a $250,000 loan to purchase an existing single-family home at an 80% loan-to-value ratio with excellent credit history and a score of 780 or higher. *The actual interest rate available to you will be based on your credit history and may be different than the rates shown. Other factors that can impact your interest rate include loan purpose, property type, and down payment amount. Taxes and insurance premiums are not included in the payment, and the actual payment obligation may be greater. Conventional Mortgage Loan Payment Example: For a $250,000 loan for a term of 30 years with a 6.650% APR, the monthly payment will be $1,996.59. VA Mortgage Loan Payment Example: For a $250,000 loan for a term of 30 years with a 6.601% APR, the monthly payment will be $1,925.00. Some restrictions may apply. Repayment terms will depend on the timing of draws. Please contact Fortera Credit Union for additional loan options. Membership eligibility is required. Loans are available to qualified members. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS number is 446858.

For more detailed information about potential rates on home loans in your area, please use our Mortgage Rate Calculator. If you need help thinking through your available budget for a mortgage, please use our Mortgage Qualifier Calculator or our Mortgage Loan Payment Calculator.

Low loan rates are what we are known for but that is not the only important factor when making a decision as big as purchasing a home. Knowing the people who make it happen and trusting them to communicate with you clearly, and often and to be available when you have questions is very important. Find a loan provider you trust, that respects you, and who takes your personal financial situation into consideration when working with you.

Our Fortera mortgage family is here for you when you need us. Call us at 931.431.6800 or email us at mortgageloans@forteracu.com and start a conversation about how homeownership could be in your future.

Up Your Credit

Whether you’re just starting to dream of owning a home… or you are ready to take the first step, our Credit Up digital credit counselor can help. Credit Up is an easy-to-use educational tool that guides you through the journey of building stronger credit and achieving your home ownership goal.

Meet Your Team

Rachel Fiero
Mortgage Loan Officer

Rachael Fierro

Work with Rachael
Teresa Hite
Mortgage Loan Officer

Teresa Hite

Work with Teresa
Yuri Quintero
Mortgage Loan Officer

Yurian Quintero

Work with Yuri

FAQ's

Should I get pre-qualified for a home loan before I start house shopping?

+

Yes, yes, and yes! Getting pre-qualified helps put the purchasing power in your hands. When you get pre-qualified, you learn exactly how much house you can afford and you know that amount before falling in love with a place that is out of your budget. It's our number one recommendation to avoid home heartbreak.

What do I need to bring with me to my first appointment with a Fortera Home Loans Advisor?

+

You may bring anything with you that you wish. We will not be able to give you a specific list of required documentation until after you apply for a home loan.

Am I able to open a credit card or purchase a car while I apply for a home loan?

+

We recommend waiting to do anything that may impact your credit or would require a hard credit pull. Make sure you do not co-sign a loan or freeze your credit. We also recommend not making any changes to your employment during the application process. All of these actions can impact the outcome of your loan in a negative way. So press pause for now, and know that the wait is worth it.

How much can I afford?

+

The first step in buying a house is determining your budget. This calculator steps you through the process of finding out how much you can borrow. Fill in the entry fields and click on the 'View Report' button to see a complete amortization schedule of your mortgage payments.

What would my mortgage payment be?

+

Use this calculator to generate an estimated amortization schedule for your current mortgage. Quickly see how much interest you could pay and your estimated principal balances. You can even determine the impact of any principal prepayments! Press the "Report" button for a full yearly or monthly amortization schedule.

What is an adjustable rate mortgage?

+

With most ARMs, the interest rate and monthly payment are fixed for an initial period such as three years, five years or seven years. After the initial fixed period, the interest rate can change every year. For example, one of our most popular adjustable mortgages is a five-year ARM. The interest rate will not change for the first five years (the initial adjustment period), but can change every year after the first five years.

An interest-rate cap places a limit on the amount your interest rate can increase or decrease. There are two types of caps:

  1. Periodic or adjustment caps, which limit the interest rate increase or decrease from one adjustment period to the next.
  2. Overall or lifetime caps, which limit the interest rate increase over the life of the loan.

As you can imagine, interest rate caps are very important since no one knows what can happen in the future. All of the ARMs we offer have both adjustment and lifetime caps. Please see each product description for full details.

What is mortgage insurance and when is it required?

+

Mortgage insurance should not be confused with mortgage life insurance, which is designed to pay off a mortgage in the event of a borrower's death. Mortgage insurance makes it possible for you to buy a home with less than a 20% down payment by protecting the lender against additional risk associated with low down payment lending. Low down payment mortgages are becoming more and more popular, and by purchasing mortgage insurance, lenders are comfortable with down payments as low as 3-5% of the home's value. It also provides you with the ability to buy a more expensive home than might be possible if a 20% down payment were required.

The mortgage insurance premium is based on loan to value ratio, type of loan, and amount of coverage required by the lender. Usually, the premium is included ink our monthly payment and one to two months of the premium is collected as a required advance at closing.

It will be possible to cancel private mortgage insurance at some point, such as when you loan balance is reduced to a certain amount - below 75% to 80% of the property value. Recent Federal Legislation requires automatic termination of mortgage insurance for many borrowers when their loan balance has been amortized down two 78% of the original property value. If you have any questions about when your mortgage insurance could be cancelled, please contact your Loan Advisor.

Are there any prepayment penalties charged for these loan programs?

+

None of the loans programs we offer have penalties for prepayment. You can pay off your mortgage any time with no additional charges.

Can I apply for a loan before I find a property to purchase?

+

Applying for a mortgage loan before you find a home may be the best thing you could do! If you apply now, we'll issue a pre-qualification approval subject to you finding the perfect home. You can use the pre-qualification letter to assure real estate brokers and sellers that you are a qualified buyer. Having a pre-qualification for a mortgage may give more weight to any purchase offer that you make.

What is title insurance and why do I need it?

+

If you've ever purchased a home before, you may already be familiar with the benefits and terms of title insurance. But if this is your first hoe loan or you are refinancing, you may be wondering why you need another insurance policy.

The answer is simple: The purchase of a home is most likely one of the most expensive and important purchases you will ever make. You, and especially your mortgage lender, want to make sure the property is indeed yours: That no individual or government entity has any right, lien, claim or encumbrance on your property.

The function of a title insurance company is to make sure your rights and interests to the property are clear, that transfer of title takes place efficiently and correctly, and that your interests as a homebuyer are fully protected.

Title insurance companies provide services to buyers, sellers, real estate developers, builders, mortgage lenders, and others who have an interest in real estate transfer. Title companies typically issue two types of title policies:

  1. Owner's Policy: This policy covers you, the homebuyer.
  2. Lender's Policy: This policy covers the lending institution over the life of the loan.

Both types of policies are issued at the time of closing for a one-time premium, if the loan is a purchase. If you are refinancing your home, you probably already have an owner's policy that was issued when you purchased the property, so we'll only require that a lender's policy be issued.

Before issuing a policy, the title company performs an in-depth search of the public records to determine if anyone other than you has an interest in the property. The search may be performed by title company personnel using either public records or, more likely, the information contained in the company's own title plant.

Once a title is issued, if any claim covered under your policy is ever filed against your property, the title company will pay the legal fees involved in the defense our your rights. They are also responsible to cover losses arising from a valid claim. This protection remains in effect as long as you or your heirs own the property.

The fact that title companies try to eliminate risks before they develop makes title insurance significantly different from other types of insurance. Most forms of insurance assume risks by providing financial protection through a pooling of risks for losses arising from an unforeseen future event, say a fire, accident or theft. One the other hand, the purpose of title insurance is to eliminate risks and prevent losses caused by defects in title that may have happened in the past.

This risk elimination has benefits to both the homebuyer and the title company. it minimizes the chances that adverse claims might be raised, thereby reducing the number of claims that have to be defended or satisfied. This keeps costs down for the title company and the premiums low for the homebuyer.

How will a past bankruptcy or foreclosure affect my ability to obtain a new mortgage?

+

Bankruptcy (Chapter 7 or Chapter 11):
A four-year waiting period is required, measured from the discharge or dismissal date of the bankruptcy action.

Bankruptcy (Chapter 13):
A distinction is made between Chapter 13 bankruptcies that were discharged and those that were dismissed. The waiting period required for Chapter 13 bankruptcy actions is measured as follows: two years from the discharge date, or four years from the dismissal date. The shorter waiting period based on the discharge date recognizes that borrowers have already met a portion of the waiting period within the time needed for the successful completion of a Chapter 13 plan and subsequent discharge. A borrower who was unable to complete the Chapter 13 plan and received a dismissal will be held to a four-year waiting period.

Foreclosure:
A seven-year waiting period is required, and is measured from the completion date of the foreclosure action as reported on the credit report or other foreclosure documents provided by the borrower.

I’ve had a few employers in the last few years. Will that affect my ability to get a new mortgage?

+

One year of job history with the current employer is typically required unless the employment change is within the same employment field and if applicable outside any probationary employment period requirements.

Do I have to provide information about my child support, alimony or separate maintenance income?

+

Information about child support, alimony, or separate maintenance income does not need to be provided unless you wish to have it considered for repaying this mortgage loan.

If I have income that's not reported on my tax return, can it be considered?

+

Generally, only income that is reported on your tax return can be considered when applying for a mortgage. Unless, of course, the income is legally tax-free and isn't required to be reported.

You may be able to take advantage of our bank statement program. This program may require a larger down payment and have a higher interest rate than our regular mortgage rates.

I’ve co-signed a loan for another person. Should I include that debt here?

+

A co-signed debt is considered when determining your qualification for a mortgage. If the co-signed debt doesn’t affect your ability to obtain a new mortgage we’ll leave it at that. However, if it does make a difference, we can omit the monthly payment of the co-signed debt if you can verify that the other person responsible for the debt has made the required payments, by obtaining copies of their canceled checks for the last twelve months.

I am selling my current home to purchase this home. What type of documentation will be required?

+

If you're selling your current home to purchase your new home, we'll ask you to provide a copy of settlement or closing statement you'll receive at the closing to verify that your current mortgage has been paid in full and that you'll have sufficient funds for our closing. Often the closing of your current home is scheduled for the same day as the closing of your new home. If that's the case, we'll just ask you to bring your settlement statement with you to your new mortgage closing.

Can I get advanced copies of the documents I will be signing at closing?

+

The most important documents you will sign at closing are the note and mortgage, sometimes called the deed of trust. Unless there are special circumstances, these documents are usually prepared one to two days before your closing. Other documents are prepared by the closing agent the day before or the day of your closing. If you would like copies of the completed documents to be sent to your after they are prepared, please contact your loan advisor.

I have student loans that aren't in repayment yet. Should I show them as installment debts?

+

Any outstanding student loan should be included in the application. If you are not sure exactly what the monthly payment will be at this time, enter an estimated amount.

I am relocating because I have accepted a new job that I haven’t started yet. How should I complete the application?

+

If you will be working for the same employer, complete the application as such, but enter the income you anticipate you be receiving at your new location. If your employment is with a new employer, complete the application as if this were your current employer and indicate that you have been there for one month. The information about the employment you’ll be leaving should be entered as your previous employer.

Who will be at the closing?

+

At this time those only required to sign will be at closing.

I've heard that some lenders require flood insurance on properties. Will you?

+

If the home is located in a flood area, then yes flood insurance would be required.

Does Fortera provide financing for manufactured homes?

+

No, we do not currently offer this service.

How are interest rates determined?

+

Interest rates are determined by a combination of your credit scores, loan to value ratio and product type.

When can I lock in my interest rate and points?

+

You can lock in as soon as you have an approved and signed contract.

Is there a fee charged or any other obligation if I complete the online application?

+

There is no fee required to get pre-qualified, but be aware we will be obtaining a credit report.

I'm purchasing a home, do I need a home inspection and an appraisal?

+

A home inspection is not required. You may obtain a home inspection, but it would be at your own discretion and the expense would be out of your own pocket.

Will I get a copy of the appraisal?

+

As soon as we receive your appraisal, we'll update your loan with the estimated value of the home. We will promptly provide you a copy of any appraisal, even if your loan does not close.

What is the maximum percentage of my home's value that I can borrow?

+

The maximum percentage of your home's value depends on the purpose of your loan, how you use the property, and the loan type you choose, so the best way to determine what loan amount we can offer is to complete an online application.

I'm self-employed. How will you verify my income?

+

Generally, the income of self-employed borrowers is verified by obtaining copies of personal (and business, if applicable) federal tax returns for the most recent two-year period.

We'll review and average the net income from self-employment that's reported on your tax returns to determine the income that can be used to qualify. We won't be able to consider any income that hasn't been reported as such on your tax returns. We'll need a full two-year history of self-employment to verify that your self-employment income is stable.

Helpful Articles

Nitty, gritty, and super important.

Fine print is your friend. When you have a minute, give these a good read:
Rate and Fee Disclosure
View PDF

*Taxes and insurance premiums are not included in the payment, and the actual payment obligation may be greater.

Conventional Mortgage Loan Payment Example: For a $250,000 loan for a term of 30 years with a 6.650% APR, the monthly payment will be $1,996.59.

VA Mortgage Loan Payment Example: For a $250,000 loan for a term of 30 years with a 6.601% APR, the monthly payment will be $1,925.00.