Jumbo borrowers see thinner rate sheets, tighter reserve and credit rules, and wide pricing gaps between providers, so a single quote rarely tells you where the market is. This comparison is for buyers and refinancers whose loan will exceed the conforming limit. Duane Buziak compared each option on jumbo loan availability, how pricing is obtained, documentation demands, and how well it suits borrowers who want to compare before committing. Where a provider’s jumbo terms could not be confirmed, the write-up says so. If you would rather start with a side-by-side comparison, that option is first on the list.
Quick Comparison of the Six Options
- Shop Mortgage Rates by Duane Buziak: jumbo borrowers who want several providers’ pricing compared; no upfront fee for pre-qualification; one soft-pull pre-approval used to compare hundreds of wholesale lenders.
- Rocket: borrowers who want a fully digital process; see website for pricing; an end-to-end online application from a single retail lender.
- Movement: borrowers who want a retail lender with officer guidance; see website for pricing; loan officer support alongside an online application.
- Veterans United: eligible veterans buying higher-priced homes; see website for pricing; a VA-loan specialty.
- NFM Lending: borrowers who want an in-person loan officer; see website for pricing; a branch-based, officer-led service model.
- CF Mortgage Corp: borrowers who prefer a smaller provider; quote-based pricing; hands-on handling of the file, to be confirmed with the company.
1. Shop Mortgage Rates by Duane Buziak
Shop Mortgage Rates by Duane Buziak is a mortgage brokerage that compares jumbo and other mortgage options across hundreds of wholesale lenders. It is built for borrowers who would rather see the market laid out than accept the first number a single retail shop offers. That is the point of the “Don’t Guess Your Rate, Shop It.” approach.
What sets it apart on this list is the structure. One soft credit pull mortgage pre-approval can be used to line up multiple providers’ jumbo pricing, so you are not running separate applications to see how far apart quotes sit. Every other option below is a single provider.
- Broker access to hundreds of wholesale lenders, so jumbo guidelines and pricing can be matched to your file instead of forced into one lender’s box.
- Soft-pull pre-approval, which gives you a no credit hit mortgage application step before you decide who gets a hard inquiry.
- Side-by-side rate and cost comparison, so you can judge APR and fees together instead of the headline rate alone.
- Purchase, refinance, and cash-out refinance, with conventional cash-out capped at 90% loan-to-value.
Setup runs through online pre-qualification or a phone consultation at 804-212-8663. Duane Buziak personally runs the comparison, so you are not handed to a call center. There is no upfront fee for pre-qualification, and costs appear on the Loan Estimate.
The limits are real. Jumbo terms depend on whichever wholesale lender is chosen, so reserves, credit thresholds, and cash-out ceilings differ from one lender to the next. Down payment assistance programs generally do not fit jumbo loan sizes, so buyers who need DPA are looking at a different loan type. Starting price: see website.
Best for: Jumbo borrowers who want several lenders’ pricing compared before committing.
2. Rocket
Rocket is a large online retail lender whose main draw is a digital mortgage application. You create an account, upload documents, and follow your file through a portal. Current jumbo availability, loan-size ceilings, and any down payment minimums should be confirmed directly with Rocket, because they were not verified for this comparison.
What the process offers
- Digital application and document upload, which cuts the paper chase on a jumbo file that typically needs bank statements, tax returns, and asset documentation.
- Purchase and refinance options, so one account can cover either goal.
- Online status tracking, so you can see what the underwriter still needs without calling.
Where it falls short for jumbo shoppers
You get one lender’s pricing and one lender’s overlays. If Rocket’s jumbo credit or reserve rules do not match your file, there is no second program inside the same application to fall back on. Rocket also is not a tool for comparing the market; it is one quote to put next to others.
Setup is mostly self-service through the online portal, and you manage the file yourself, with support as needed. Starting price and pricing details: see website. Rates, fees, and points vary by loan size, credit profile, down payment, and market conditions, so request a Loan Estimate rather than relying on advertised figures.
Best for: Borrowers who prioritize a streamlined online process.
3. Movement
Movement is a retail mortgage lender offering conventional products and jumbo-type loans, with a loan officer attached to your file. Verify current jumbo terms, including maximum loan amount, minimum credit score, and reserve requirements, before you count on them.
The distinctive trait is the pairing of an online application with officer support. For a jumbo purchase with a tight contract timeline, having a named person to chase appraisal and underwriting questions can matter as much as a small pricing difference.
- Purchase and refinance loans, covering both a move and a rate-and-term or cash-out change on an existing jumbo balance.
- Loan officer support, so questions about asset documentation or gift funds go to a person.
- Online application, which lets you start without scheduling a call first.
- Jumbo terms to be verified, so ask for the written program guidelines early.
Integration is through Movement’s online application portal. The limitation is the same one every single-lender option carries: its pricing and eligibility rules are the only ones you see. If its overlays are stricter than another provider’s, you only find out by getting a competing quote.
Starting price and pricing notes: see website. Costs depend on loan amount, credit, down payment, and points chosen, and the Loan Estimate is where they become comparable.
Best for: Borrowers wanting a retail lender with officer guidance as one quote to compare.
4. Veterans United
Veterans United is a home lender focused on VA loans for military borrowers. It is not a general jumbo shop, and that is its identity. For an eligible veteran or service member buying a higher-priced home, VA financing can be worth a serious look, and the lender’s specialization is the draw. Whether it offers higher-balance options and at what size should be confirmed with them directly.
VA mechanics worth knowing
The first step is the Certificate of Eligibility. A COE can generally be pulled electronically using your Social Security number and date of birth, so you rarely need to hunt for paperwork before talking to anyone. If you have used some entitlement already, second-tier (bonus) entitlement applies. Take the county loan limit and multiply by 25% for the maximum guarantee. Subtract the entitlement you have already used. Then multiply what remains by 4 to find the zero-down purchase limit. Borrowers who want to go above that amount typically need a down payment on the excess. VA cash-out refinances can reach 100% loan-to-value, which is higher than the 90% conventional ceiling.
- VA purchase and refinance loans, which can remove the large down payment a conventional jumbo usually expects.
- Military-focused support, so loan officers already know entitlement and COE questions.
- Online application, which keeps the process remote-friendly.
- Higher-balance options to be verified, since limits above the entitlement amount depend on the lender’s guidelines.
Setup is through the online portal. The limitation is eligibility: if you are not a veteran, service member, or eligible spouse, this is not an option for you. Even for those who qualify, a very large loan can run past VA guarantee mechanics, and a conventional jumbo may price better. Starting price and pricing notes: see website.
Best for: Eligible veterans financing a higher-priced home with VA benefits.
5. NFM Lending
NFM Lending is a multi-state retail lender that leans on local loan officers. If you want to sit across a desk from the person structuring your jumbo loan, this model fits. Jumbo offerings and state availability need to be verified; they were not confirmed for this comparison.
Its distinguishing feature on this list is the branch-based service model. Nobody else here is built around an in-person loan officer, which helps when your income is complicated, such as bonus pay, business ownership, or equity compensation, and you want someone to walk through the documentation.
- Purchase and refinance loans, so the same relationship can carry you through a future refinance.
- Local loan officers, who can explain how your documentation will be read before underwriting does.
- Online application, so you can submit forms digitally and still talk to a person.
- Jumbo offerings to be verified, including loan-size limits in your state.
The online application portal handles integration. The loan officer is your day-to-day contact. The main limitations are that products and availability vary by state, and, as with every single lender here, you see only one set of pricing. A friendly branch does not change the arithmetic of a quote that sits above the market.
Starting price and pricing notes: see website. Jumbo pricing typically moves with loan size, loan-to-value, credit profile, and points paid.
Best for: Borrowers who prefer working with a loan officer in person.
6. CF Mortgage Corp
CF Mortgage Corp is a mortgage provider whose jumbo programs and service area should be confirmed directly with the company before you plan around it. What it appears to offer is a smaller-provider, hands-on approach, with a personal loan officer handling residential purchase and refinance loans. That is an impression to test, not a guarantee.
What you can reasonably expect to evaluate
- Residential mortgage loans, so ask which jumbo products sit under that umbrella.
- Personal loan officer service, which may mean fewer handoffs on a complicated file.
- Purchase and refinance options, with cash-out terms to be confirmed in writing.
- Jumbo programs to be verified, including minimum credit score, reserve requirements, and maximum loan amount.
Limits to weigh
Product breadth, state coverage, and digital tools may be narrower than those of larger providers, so you may do more by phone and email. A smaller shop can also have fewer jumbo programs, which matters if your file has an unusual feature such as a non-warrantable property or a large asset-based qualification. Integrations: see website.
Pricing is quote-based. Ask for a written Loan Estimate and compare the APR, points, and lender fees against at least one other provider. Rate, term, and costs vary with the loan amount, down payment, and credit profile.
Best for: Borrowers who value a smaller provider’s personal handling of a jumbo file.
Conforming, High-Balance, and Jumbo Terms Side by Side
A jumbo loan is one that exceeds the FHFA conforming loan limit for the county. As of 2026, FHFA publishes a national baseline limit and a higher ceiling for high-cost counties, so check the figure for your county before assuming you need a jumbo. Loans that sit between the baseline and a high-cost county’s limit are conforming high-balance, which typically price more like standard conforming loans. The table shows how the three categories generally differ; specific rates are not listed because they change daily and vary by lender.
| Feature | Conforming | High-Balance Conforming | Jumbo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loan size | At or below the baseline FHFA limit | Above baseline, at or below the county’s high-cost limit | Above the county’s conforming limit |
| Rate and APR | Set by market and lender; compare on the Loan Estimate | Set by market and lender; often priced close to conforming | Set by lender; spreads between providers can be wide |
| Terms | Commonly 15 and 30 years, plus others | Commonly 15 and 30 years, plus others | Varies by lender; fixed and adjustable options are common |
| Down payment | Low-down-payment options exist | Low-down-payment options exist | Varies by lender; often higher than conforming |
| Credit and reserves | Per Fannie Mae guidelines | Per Fannie Mae guidelines | Lender-set; usually higher scores and more cash reserves |
| Fees and appraisal | Standard appraisal; fees on the Loan Estimate | Standard appraisal; fees on the Loan Estimate | Full appraisal is typical; fees vary by lender |
That last row on fees is why the CFPB’s Loan Estimate guide is worth reading. Every provider must give you the same standardized form, which makes quotes comparable line by line.
A $960,000 Jumbo Loan, Priced Month by Month
For example, imagine a $1,200,000 home with 20% down ($240,000), leaving a $960,000 loan on a 30-year fixed term. The 6.50% rate is an illustration, not a quote, and it shows how to run the math on any offer you receive.
- Principal and interest: about $6,068 per month. In month one, interest is $960,000 × 6.50% ÷ 12 = $5,200, and about $868 goes to principal.
- Property tax: assume a 1.00% effective rate, or $12,000 a year ($1,000 a month). Replace this with your county assessor’s current rate; this figure is a placeholder.
- Homeowners insurance: assume $2,400 a year, or $200 a month.
- Mortgage insurance: none at 20% down.
The total is about $7,268 a month, or $87,216 a year. Over 30 years, interest alone would come to roughly $1.22 million, so pricing differences compound. At 6.25% instead, principal and interest falls to about $5,911, which is $157 a month, or about $1,884 a year. That gap is what a second quote is worth.
If you put 10% down instead, the loan rises to $1,080,000 (90% loan-to-value) and mortgage insurance may apply, depending on the program. Under the CFPB’s guidance on private mortgage insurance, you can generally request cancellation when the balance reaches 80% of the original value, which here is $960,000, and it ends automatically at 78%, or $936,000. Jumbo lenders may set their own terms, so confirm them in writing.
Matching a Jumbo Option to Your Situation
Three picks stand out depending on what you need. For a rate-comparison starting point, Duane Buziak recommends beginning with the brokerage in position one, because a soft pull mortgage broker approach lets you collect multiple providers’ pricing before any hard inquiry. For a buyer who is a veteran, Veterans United is the specialized path to examine first, and it is worth putting next to a conventional jumbo quote. For someone who wants a person across the table, NFM Lending’s branch model is the closest fit.
Rocket suits the buyer who values speed and a digital process, Movement suits someone wanting an officer plus an online application, and CF Mortgage Corp suits a borrower who prefers a smaller shop. Any of those is more useful as one quote among several than as the only one.
Your dream home is within reach, discover how much you could save with personalized mortgage rates tailored to your unique situation. Securely pre-qualify in minutes with no impact to your credit score and compare competitive offers from trusted lenders who are ready to help you save. A mortgage pre approval without hard pull from Shop Mortgage Rates by Duane Buziak keeps your options open while you compare.