This list is for veterans, active-duty buyers, and Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia homeowners deciding where to take a VA loan, especially anyone weighing Movement or VA Loans Pro. Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, chose the companies from the approved field and judged each on four things: credit flexibility, loan shelf breadth, fee structure, and how early a borrower sees real numbers without a hard credit pull. Some competitor details below come from site research and are flagged where they need confirming on the company’s own website.
Quick Comparison of the Companies Reviewed
- VA Loans Pro by Duane Buziak: veterans with sub-620 credit or anyone who wants rates compared across many investors; starting price on the website, with broker-negotiated fees; the only option here that shops 500+ wholesale lenders with a 500 FICO VA floor and a soft-pull pre-qualification.
- Movement Mortgage: buyers above a 580 score who want one company from application to closing; see website for pricing; a national branch and loan-officer network under one roof.
- Veterans United Home Loans: veterans with 620+ credit who want a VA-only specialist; see website for pricing; the deepest VA-only specialization on the list.
- Rocket Mortgage: strong-credit buyers who want a self-serve process; see website for pricing; the most fully digital application and closing flow.
- NFM Lending: buyers who want a nearby loan officer and have mainstream credit; see website for pricing; a branch-based, relationship-driven model (confirm details with the company).
- CF Mortgage Corp: buyers who prefer a smaller company and have confirmed eligibility; see website for pricing; a smaller, regionally focused operation (confirm details with the company).
1. VA Loans Pro by Duane Buziak
VA Loans Pro by Duane Buziak is an independent mortgage brokerage licensed in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. A broker does not fund loans from its own balance sheet. It places each borrower with whichever wholesale investor offers the best fit, and Duane Buziak works across more than 500 of them. Confirm the current count on the company’s website, since it changes as investors are added or dropped.
The distinctive strength is credit flexibility. The VA itself sets no minimum credit score. Individual companies add their own minimums, called overlays, and those vary widely. Because a broker can route a file to an investor whose overlay fits the borrower, VA Loans Pro works with scores down to 500 on VA loans. That is a floor, not a promise: approval depends on the investor, income, debt, and residual income, and it is never guaranteed.
What the borrower gets
- NoTouch Credit Pull: a soft credit pull mortgage pre-qualification. It estimates eligibility and pricing without a hard inquiry on your credit report, so you see real numbers before any score impact, unlike a standard pre-approval. It is pre-qualification, not an approval.
- Rate comparison across investors: one application is compared against many rate sheets instead of one company’s.
- VA cash-out to 100% LTV: lets eligible veterans pull equity up to the full home value, where many companies cap lower.
- Other programs under one roof: FHA, USDA, Conventional, DSCR/Non-QM, Bank Statement, and ITIN loans, useful if a borrower’s situation moves off VA.
- Total Cost Ecosystem: title, realtor, and insurance savings, plus free DIY credit improvement resources for borrowers not quite ready.
Setup is light: you apply or start with the soft pull, and Duane Buziak’s office manages the file and the investor relationship day to day. Ask about no-out-of-pocket closing options if cash to close is your constraint.
The limits are real. There is no single in-house servicing brand to point to, because the investor chosen may differ file to file. The experience depends on the investor’s underwriting. And a buyer who wants a large national retail brand handling every step may prefer a direct lender.
Pricing: the starting price is on the website. Fees are broker-negotiated and shop-able, and they move with the investor, loan amount, credit profile, and VA funding fee category. As of 2026, the funding fee for a first-use purchase with under 5% down is 2.15%, per the VA funding fee page. On a $400,000 purchase that is $8,600, which can be financed into the loan. Request a Loan Estimate to compare line by line.
Best for: Veterans with sub-620 credit or anyone who wants rates compared across many investors.
2. Movement Mortgage
Movement Mortgage is a direct lender, meaning it funds and manages loans under its own name. It operates through a national network of branches and loan officers, and it is the most direct counterpart to VA Loans Pro in this comparison.
Its distinctive strength is continuity. One company handles the loan from application through closing, so a buyer who wants a single point of accountability and a local loan officer gets exactly that. For some borrowers, one company owning the whole process is simpler than a broker placing the file with an investor.
The structural trade-offs matter more than the marketing. Site research puts Movement’s VA credit floor at 580 as of 2026, but confirm that with Movement, because direct lenders change overlays. That is 80 points above VA Loans Pro’s floor. As a direct lender it also has a single shelf: you get its rate sheet, not a comparison of many. Per the same research, its process starts with a full application and a hard pull, with no standalone pre-approval, which means real numbers come after a credit inquiry.
- Branch and loan-officer network: gives you a person nearby who knows the local market.
- Multiple programs: VA, FHA, Conventional, and others, though the current shelf should be verified on its site.
- In-house process: processing, underwriting, and closing sit inside one company, which can reduce hand-offs.
- Online application portal: lets you apply and upload documents digitally (confirm current tools with the company).
Who it does not suit: borrowers with scores between 500 and 579, borrowers who want to see pricing before any credit inquiry, and anyone who wants to test several rate sheets. Setup is the standard direct-lender path, run day to day by your assigned loan officer and processing team.
Pricing: see the website. Rates and fees vary by borrower, loan type, and market, and the VA funding fee applies on top where relevant. Compare Movement’s Loan Estimate against others on the same day.
Best for: Buyers with credit above 580 who prefer one company handling everything.
3. Veterans United Home Loans
Veterans United Home Loans is a direct lender that works with VA loans as its core business, and it is the largest name in that niche. Its published minimum credit score is 620.
What it does best is depth of VA process. A VA-only focus means loan officers and processors see VA files all day, from entitlement questions to appraisal conditions to Certificate of Eligibility (COE) paperwork. The COE is the VA document confirming you qualify, and you can request it yourself through the VA’s COE page. Veterans United also publishes extensive education content for first-time VA buyers.
Its limits mirror other direct lenders. The 620 floor excludes borrowers between 500 and 619, who are exactly the people a broker with multiple investors can still help. It has a single shelf, so there is no cross-investor rate comparison. Research notes also suggest it does not offer renovation loans, but verify that on its website, since product lines change.
- VA-only specialization: your file goes to staff who handle VA loans daily, which helps with unusual entitlement or appraisal issues.
- 620 minimum: a clear published line, so strong-credit borrowers know where they stand.
- Education resources: guides and explainers help first-time VA buyers understand the process.
- Online application and document portal: keeps paperwork digital (confirm current features).
Who it does not suit: buyers below 620, buyers who want non-VA programs such as DSCR, bank statement, or ITIN loans, and buyers who want a broker to compare multiple rate sheets. Setup is a standard direct application, with a loan team assigned to run it.
Pricing: see the website. Fees vary by borrower and loan, and a broker comparison is a fair way to test whether the origination structure suits you. Ask for a written Loan Estimate and compare the origination charges directly.
Best for: Veterans with 620+ credit who want a VA-only specialist.
4. Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage is a large direct lender built around its digital experience. Its application, document upload, and tracking run through an online account and app, and that is its clearest advantage on this list.
For a borrower with clean credit and a straightforward file, the self-serve flow can be fast and comfortable, with little need to speak to anyone until questions come up. It offers VA, FHA, and Conventional programs, but confirm the current shelf on its website, since offerings and eligibility change.
The limitations are structural. Rocket has a single product shelf, so you see one company’s pricing, with no comparison across investors. Per research notes, real numbers arrive after a hard pull. Rocket publishes no VA-specific credit floor that we could confirm, so borrowers with damaged credit should ask directly before applying and accept a hard inquiry to find out. By contrast, a soft pull mortgage broker like VA Loans Pro can give pre-qualified numbers first.
- Fully online application: lets you apply from a phone or computer without scheduling a call.
- Digital document upload: cuts back-and-forth paperwork for borrowers with simple income.
- VA, FHA, and Conventional programs: covers mainstream needs, with the exact shelf to be verified.
- Single product shelf: simplifies the choice, though it removes the leverage of comparing investors.
Who it does not suit: self-employed borrowers with unusual income, buyers with credit problems, and anyone who wants a person to shop around on their behalf. Setup is quick because the process is largely self-run; day to day, you work through the app with support from a loan team.
Pricing: see the website. Rates and fees vary by borrower and market, and the VA funding fee is added where it applies. The cleanest test is to put its Loan Estimate next to an offer from a broker on the same day.
Best for: Strong-credit buyers who want a self-serve digital process.
5. NFM Lending
NFM Lending is a direct mortgage company that, by our research, originates through a branch-based loan-officer model. We have no verified data on its credit floors, fees, or full program list, so treat everything here as a starting point and confirm it on NFM’s official website or with a loan officer.
The model’s appeal is local, relationship-driven origination. A buyer who wants to sit across a desk from a loan officer who knows nearby agents and appraisers may value that more than a digital flow. It reportedly offers purchase and refinance programs, including VA and FHA, but check current availability in your state.
The main limitation is the single company shelf. Whatever a branch can offer is limited to NFM’s products and pricing, so there is no multi-investor shopping. Its VA credit minimum is not something we can state, so a borrower under 620 should ask before applying, since a full application may involve a hard inquiry.
- Branch-based loan officers: put a named local contact on your file (verify in your area).
- Purchase and refinance programs: cover the two most common needs (verify the current list).
- VA and FHA offerings: give veterans and lower-down-payment buyers options (verify eligibility and credit guidelines).
Who it does not suit: borrowers with scores in the 500s, buyers who want to compare many investors, and anyone who needs DSCR, bank statement, or ITIN products without confirming they are offered. Setup depends on the branch, and day to day the loan officer and processing staff run the file.
Pricing: see the website. We have no verified fee data, so ask for a Loan Estimate and compare it line by line with others. Federal conforming loan limits for 2026, published by the FHFA, apply to conventional loans at any company, with a baseline of $832,750 for most counties.
Best for: Buyers who want a nearby loan officer and have mainstream credit.
6. CF Mortgage Corp
CF Mortgage Corp is a direct mortgage company that appears to be smaller and regionally focused. We have no verified information on its licensed states, programs, or credit guidelines, so confirm all of it on the official site before relying on it. If you live outside its service area, the question may be settled before credit even matters.
The possible advantage is attention. A smaller operation can mean fewer layers between you and the person handling your file, and some borrowers prefer that to a national call center. That is a possibility, not a documented fact, so ask how many files a loan officer carries and who will answer your calls near closing.
The limitation is on the shelf side. It is a single company, so there is no cross-investor rate shopping, and we found no documented 500 FICO VA floor. Borrowers with scores below the typical 580 to 620 range should ask for CF Mortgage Corp’s VA minimum in writing before any application, since a full application may trigger a hard inquiry.
- Residential purchase and refinance: covers standard home-buying and rate-and-term needs (verify the current list).
- Regional operation: may mean local knowledge of your market, if you are inside its footprint.
- VA and FHA offerings: suggest options for veterans and lower-down-payment buyers (verify before applying).
Who it does not suit: borrowers outside its licensed states, anyone with credit below its floor, and buyers who need specialty products such as DSCR or ITIN loans unless it confirms them. Setup and day-to-day handling run through its own loan officers and processors.
Pricing: see the website. We cannot cite its fees, so request a Loan Estimate and compare it with a broker’s side by side. For a veteran, remember that the VA funding fee, as of 2026, depends on service type, down payment, and prior use of the benefit, and disability-rated veterans are generally exempt.
Best for: Buyers who prefer a smaller company and have confirmed eligibility.
Which Company Fits Which Veteran: Duane Buziak’s Recommendations
Structure decides most of this. Direct lenders offer one rate sheet and a set credit floor. A broker offers many.
- Credit under 620: Duane Buziak recommends VA Loans Pro. It is the only company here with a documented 500 FICO VA floor, and the NoTouch Credit Pull gives you a no hard inquiry mortgage pre approval-style view of your options first. Movement’s floor is 580 per site research, and Veterans United’s is 620.
- Strong credit, one company for everything: Movement or Veterans United both fit. Veterans United suits those who want a VA-only specialist, and Movement suits those who want a local branch.
- Digital-first buyer: Rocket Mortgage, if you accept a hard pull before seeing real numbers.
- Non-VA programs: VA Loans Pro covers FHA, USDA, Conventional, DSCR/Non-QM, Bank Statement, and ITIN loans in one place.
For those who like a small or local operation, NFM Lending and CF Mortgage Corp are worth a direct call, after you confirm their programs and credit guidelines. Whoever you pick, compare Loan Estimates on the same day.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rates, fees, credit minimums, and program rules change and are subject to lender and investor approval. No approval or specific rate is guaranteed. Consult a licensed mortgage professional about your situation. Competitor details come from public information and site research and should be confirmed with each company. Equal Housing Opportunity.
About the author: Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, is a mortgage broker with Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC (NMLS #376205), serving veterans and homebuyers in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. His company-reported credentials include a Scotsman Guide Top Originator ranking (#114 nationally) and VA Broker of the Year recognition for 2024 and 2025. Read more about Duane Buziak.