BMO Harris Bank Mortgage Review
BMO Harris Bank at a glance
 4 stars
| Minimum credit score: 580 to 620 Minimum down payment: 0% to 1% Available loan products and programs: Conventional, FHA, jumbo, home equity loans, HELOC |
Our verdict: BMO Harris Bank is best for non-veteran homebuyers in the U.S. or Canada who would like low-down payment options.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Published mortgage rates updated daily Grants and low-down-payment programs available Online and in-person mortgage application experience possible | No information on mortgage fees Doesn’t offer VA loans, USDA loans or 10-year mortgages Limited details on its construction loan product |
The eight largest bank by assets in North America, BMO Harris Bank provides banking, investment services and loans to more than 12 million customers in the U.S. and Canada. It’s headquartered in Chicago and can trace its founding back to 1847.
BMO Harris Bank mortgage products
Conventional
- Fixed-rate mortgages and home refinancing are available in 15- and 30-year terms.
- Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) options for purchase and refinancing at BMO Harris come in five-year and seven-year initial fixed-rate terms.
- Conventional mortgage requirements include a minimum 3% down payment and 620 credit score.
FHA
- Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages and refinancing are available
- FHA mortgages require only a 580 credit score and BMO Harris Bank notes that borrowers may not have to make a down payment.
VA
Not offered by this lender.
Home equity
- Both a BMO Harris Bank home equity line of credit (HELOC) and home equity loan allow borrowers to take out up to $150,000 and have a five- to 20-year repayment period.
- Fixed and variable HELOC rates are available.
- A minimum 700 credit score is typically required.
Jumbo
- A jumbo loan allows you to borrow more than the conforming loan limit in your area.
- Jumbo loans are available at BMO Harris Bank in the same terms as conventional loans: 15- and 30-year terms for fixed-rate mortgages, and five- and seven-year ARMs.
Special programs
- Construction loans are available as fixed-rate loans, ARMs and one-close construction/permanent loans for borrowers who dream of building their perfect home.
- Home Possible loans are available at BMO Harris Bank for low- to moderate-income homebuyers who want flexible down payment and closing cost requirements.
- The Cross-Border Mortgage program allows Canadians to buy or refinance U.S. homes.
- BMO Harris Bank will work with down payment assistance programs from housing finance agencies, which can provide up to $10,000.
- The BMO Harris Bank Affordable Housing Grant Program offers grants up to $3,000 for borrowers buying or refinancing homes in select counties in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington and Wisconsin.
- In addition, the bank offers its own Neighborhood Home Loan Product aimed to help homebuyers gain a low mortgage payment and a down payment as low as 1%.
BMO Harris Bank mortgage rates and fees
BMO Harris Bank’s starting mortgage rates are published on its website but its mortgage fees aren’t.
| Mortgage rates published online? | |
| Rate information updated daily or weekly? | |
| Lender fees disclosed? |
BMO Harris Bank’s application experience
You can request a prequalification online to receive an estimate of how much you could be approved for and a ballpark of your monthly payment. Whether you skip the prequalification or not, you could apply directly for a mortgage with BMO Harris Bank either online or in person at a branch. If you choose to complete an online application, you can call a mortgage banker at any time during the process.
Neither process is 100% automated, as you’ll receive a call from a banker after you submit the forms.
BMO Harris Bank’s customer service experience
You can call BMO Harris Bank customer service at 888-482-3781 during the following times for live support:
- Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. CT
- Friday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. CT
- Saturday: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. CT
If you’d rather someone called you instead, you can fill out a contact form and request that a BMO Harris Bank representative call or email you. There’s also an online form you can use 24/7 to provide greater detail and kickstart an email exchange directly, or you could use the website’s branch locator to find the location closest to you.
How does BMO Harris Bank compare to other lenders?
| BMO Harris Bank | Rocket Mortgage | PenFed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lender rating |  |  |  |
| Minimum credit score | 580 to 620 | 580 to 620 | 620 to 650 |
| Minimum down payment | 1% to 3.5% | 0% to 3.5% | 0% to 3.5% |
| Loan products and programs | Conventional FHA Jumbo Home equity loans HELOC | Conventional FHA VA Jumbo Home equity loans | Conventional FHA VA Jumbo HELOC |
| Rate spread* | 0.64% | 0.42% | 0.11% |
How we rated BMO Harris Bank
LendingTree’s mortgage lender rating is based on a five-point scoring system that factors in several features, including digital application processes, available loan products and the accessibility of product and lending information.
LendingTree’s editorial team calculates each rating based on a review of information available on the lender’s website. Lenders receive a half-point on the “offers standard mortgage products” criterion if they offer only two of the three standard loan programs (conventional, FHA and VA). In some cases, additional information was provided by a lender representative.
BMO Harris Bank’s scorecard: 4/5
Publishes rates online
⭕Offers standard mortgage products
Includes detailed product info online
⭕Shares resources about mortgage lending
Provides an online application