Today we’ll review Texas-based retail mortgage lender “Envoy Mortgage.”
They’ve been around since the late 1990s, but changed their name in 2008 from First Houston Mortgage.
This may have been a reflection of their ambitions to grow nationally instead of merely focusing on their home state.
At that time, they had annual loan volume of roughly $700 million and a staff of 350 employees.
The company has since grown to a 1,000+ employee operation with billions funded annually. Read on to learn more.
Envoy Mortgage Quick Facts
- Founded in 1997 as First Houston Mortgage, became Envoy in 2008
- Independently owned national retail mortgage lender
- Headquartered in Houston, Texas
- Licensed do to business in 49 states and D.C. (not in Hawaii)
- Funded $1.4 billion in home loans last year
- Most active in California, Texas, Maryland, and Washington
- 150+ branch locations located throughout the U.S
- Currently offering a Boomerang Refinance to buy now, refi later
Envoy Mortgage is an independently owned and operated national retail mortgage lender with roots in Texas.
They’ve got 150 branch location throughout the United States and some 1,000 employees standing by ready to serve you.
Last year, the company funded more than $1.4 billion in home loan volume, which isn’t too shabby given the drop in business industry-wide in recent years.
Interestingly, they are most active in the state of California, where about 13% of their overall business originates.
They also do quite a bit of lending in their home state of Texas, along with far off places like Maryland and the state of Washington.
Envoy Mortgage is a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae approved seller/servicer that is licensed in 49 states, with Hawaii the lone exception.
In the past, the company also used to operate a national correspondent lending division out of Monroe, Louisiana until it was sold to New Penn Financial, but now focus solely on retail lending.
Envoy Mortgage’s tagline is it wants you to “love your mortgage experience.” And their many positive reviews seem to indicate they’re living up to that.
How to Apply for a Home Loan with Envoy Mortgage
- Customers work with licensed loan originators nationwide
- You can start an application online and get paired up with a loan officer
- Or select a loan officer by name or location if you prefer to pick someone specific
- You can also visit a branch location if one is located near you
Like several other lenders who have yet to go fully digital, at least for the initial application portion, you start by connecting with a loan originator.
On their website, you select that you are or are NOT already working with a loan originator.
If you are, you click on “find my loan originator” and then enter a name to find that individual.
If you aren’t already working with someone, you click “apply now” and fill out a loan application online. Once completed, you will be matched up with a loan originator in your area who will then contact you.
Alternatively, you can use the branch locator on their website to find an office nearest you, then connect with that individual if you prefer someone close by.
They say it takes about 20 minutes to complete the application, which is quite a bit longer than other digital mortgage lenders like Rocket Mortgage and Better Mortgage.
Anyway, once connected with a loan officer, they will help you through the process from start to finish.
EnGen – The Streamlined Digital Mortgage Application
In February 2020, Envoy Mortgage launched its version of a digital mortgage application known as “EnGen,” which is short for “ENvoy GENeration.”
Now Envoy customers can easily connect bank statements, W-2s, and tax returns to their loan application instead of having to scan or upload documents.
Additionally, they can track their loan progress from their phone, tablet or computer and receive automated text and email alerts.
At the same time, EnGen gives Envoy loan originators new tools to simplify their workflow, which should allow them to provide even better customer service.
What Types of Home Loans Does Envoy Mortgage Offer?
- Home purchase, refinance, renovation, and construction loans
- Conventional, government, and non-agency loans
- Appear to specialize in VA loans
- Offer both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages
- Temporary and permanent mortgage rate buydowns
- Down payment assistance programs
- Options for self-employed and ITIN borrowers
- DSCR loans, fix & flip, and commercial loans
- HELOCs and bridge loans
Now let’s talk about their product offerings, which are pretty broad at Envoy Mortgage.
You can get a home purchase loan, refinance loan (rate and term or cash-out), and even a home renovation loan or construction loan with Envoy Mortgage.
Additionally, the offer non-agency loans, those which do not fit the guidelines of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. This includes jumbo loans or something more unique, such as a DSCR loan.
When it comes to government loans, they offer all three, including FHA loans, USDA loans, and VA loans.
Speaking of, the company offers a VA Boot Camp (complete with certifications) to train its loan officers and outside real estate agents on the ins and outs of VA loans.
They refer to these agents as “Envoy Certified VA Realtors,” presumably well-versed in helping veterans navigate the complex home buying process.
You can get a VA jumbo loan, VA cash-out refinance, VA renovation loan, and even a VA loan on a 4-unit property.
So if you’re a veteran home buyer or existing homeowner, they should be quite knowledgeable on the subject of VA loans.
In terms of individual loan programs, they offer both fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages, including the typical ones like 30-year fixed, 15-year fixed, 5/1 ARM, and so on.
One unique offering is their so-called “Boomerang Refinance,” which allows you to refinance later if rates drop without having to pay lender fees.
If you use Envoy for your purchase loan, they’ll refinance it without the fees if rates drop.
Home buyers can take advantage of down payment assistance programs, along with both temporary and permanent mortgage rate buydowns.
They’ve also got bridge loans if you want to buy before you sell, and a HELOC if you want to tap your equity.
Envoy Mortgage Rates and Lender Fees
One slight negative to the company is the lack of advertised mortgage rates.
Some lenders, such as New American Funding and Third Federal, will list them right on their website, while others prefer to stay mum.
This doesn’t mean their rates aren’t competitive, but if they had outstanding rates, they’d maybe feature them on their website.
Additionally, they don’t mention anything about their lender fees, so we don’t know if they charge a loan origination fee or other fees.
These are all very important considerations when shopping your home loan. Without having these answers, it’s difficult to assess Envoy Mortgage.
Envoy Mortgage Reviews
One thing Envoy Mortgage is not short of is feedback. They have a staggering 60,000+ customer reviews on Experience.com, with an excellent 4.91/5 rating as of the time of this writing.
Aside from a near-pristine average customer review, some 97.4% of customers would recommend Envoy Mortgage to friends and family.
They’ve also got 4.94 stars out of 5 on Zillow with nearly 1,700 customer reviews, and a 4.9 from over 2,000 Google reviews. That’s pretty impressive, and may be a testament to their excellent customer service.
On LendingTree, they’ve got a 4.6-star rating out of 5 from roughly 500 customer reviews, along with a 96% recommended rating.
The only real question mark is their lack of a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating at the moment, apparently due to a lack of sufficient information.
It’s not a huge deal, but they were an accredited company in the past and used to have an ‘A+’ rating.
To sum things up, Envoy Mortgage is probably best-suited for a first-time home buyer who wants/requires some hand holding during the loan process.
Their physical locations and slew of loan programs mean you can work face-to-face with experienced loan officers to navigate the process.
But they also have a ton of unique offerings that could suit a seasoned real estate investor as well.
So if you’re in need of something different, Envoy Mortgage could be worth speaking with. Just make sure the pricing is solid too!
The Pros and Cons of Envoy Mortgage
The Good
- Offer all types of home loans including ITIN, DSCR, and HELOCs
- Branch locations in many states and cities nationwide
- Offer a digital mortgage solution called EnGen
- Thousands of excellent reviews from past customers
- Free mortgage calculators on their website
The Potential Bad
- Not licensed in Hawaii
- Do not advertise their mortgage rates
- Do not disclose lender fees on their website
- Don’t have a rating with the Better Business Bureau (used to be accredited with A+)
(photo: Noé Alfaro)
- Why Mortgage Rates Went Up This Time - October 30, 2025
- Mortgage Rates Tend to Go the Opposite Way of the Fed on Fed Day - October 29, 2025
- Soon You’ll Be Able to Pay the Mortgage with Venmo - October 28, 2025