Devon BrooksI’m not the kind of person with many friends close by. So when one of my friends moved to Columbus, I was honestly thrilled.
And when I got a text from him saying he’s clueless with mortgages and finding a broker, I told him I’d handle the research side since deep dives and spreadsheets are basically my love language.
After a weekend of compiling the most promising mortgage brokers in Columbus, I finally gave him a solid list. If you’re in the same boat, here are the ones we considered.
How much do mortgage brokers charge in Columbus?
Mortgage brokers in Columbus typically charge around 2.25% of the loan amount’s commission, capped at 3% by federal regulations.
This depends on the loan size, type, complexity, market conditions, location, borrower credit quality, and regulatory limits.
1. Advantage Lending
Address: 1632 Oak St Ste 208, Columbus, OH 43205, United States
Contact details: 380-221-7820.
Business hours:
- Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday – Sunday: Closed
Advantage Lending focuses on making mortgage borrowing more straightforward through a combination of technology and personal service. As an independent mortgage broker, it works with multiple wholesale lenders and offers options for home purchases, refinancing, home equity, HELOCs, and investor loans.
The company says its technology helps speed up the process while allowing its team to spend more time understanding borrowers’ needs. Its five-step process covers an initial quote and consultation, pre-approval, disclosures and documents, underwriting, and closing, giving borrowers a clearly defined path from inquiry to completed loan.
For refinancing, Advantage Lending offers streamline options for FHA and VA loans, while homeowners can also explore cash-out refinancing, HELOCs, and home equity loans. Homebuyers have access to FHA, VA, and USDA financing, and investors can consider DSCR cash-flow loans that focus on property cash flow rather than personal income.
A key advantage is the company’s independence from any specific bank or lender. Advantage Lending says this allows it to shop multiple wholesale mortgage lenders on a borrower’s behalf, potentially giving clients access to a broader selection of home loan options than working with a single bank or online lender.
The service also emphasizes communication and guidance throughout the lending process. The company highlights transparent updates, personalized solutions, experienced mortgage professionals, and support when needed, while its team includes loan officers Rory Driscoll and Brock Miracle.
Convenience is another notable feature, with the company offering free custom rate quotes and stating that quotes have no cost or obligation, require no Social Security number, and have no impact on a credit score. It also promotes real-time rate comparisons and rate alerts intended to help borrowers monitor changes and make timely decisions.
For borrowers in Ohio, Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, or Pennsylvania, Advantage Lending may be a suitable choice for a more personalized broker-led mortgage experience, particularly when comparing different loan programs or lender options. Its combination of multiple loan types, independent lender shopping, technology, and a defined process makes it especially relevant to homebuyers, homeowners considering refinancing or equity access, and real estate investors.
Very knowledgeable, easy to work with
“Rory has been amazing to work with. Very knowledgeable, easy to work with, anything that needs explained he will explain. I will always recommend him to anyone wanting to purchase a home. We had the best experience of buying a home with Rory helping us. We also had everything from start to finish done within about a month or so. We stayed on track and still finished ahead of schedule I believe. Thank you again Rory for helping put us in our forever home.”
-Hope Padgett, Google Review
Rory and Advantage Lending will take care of you from start to finish
“My experience with Rory and Advantage Lending could not have been better. As a first time home buyer, I felt very unsure and nervous about what the process would look like and if it were even possible for me to purchase a home. From the very first conversation, Rory made me feel at ease and taken care of. He was available whenever I had questions and constantly kept me in the loop of where we were in the process. Rory took the time to make sure I understood everything and just really felt like he always had my best interest at heart. By the end of the process, he felt like a friend. If you are looking to purchase a home, Rory and Advantage Lending will take care of you from start to finish.”
-Dana Heidenreich, Google Review
2. Liberty Capital Services LLC
Address: 438 E Wilson Bridge Rd #106
Contact details:
- +1 614 756 2721
- +1 614 756 2757
Business hours:
- Mon-Sat: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Sun: Closed
One of Liberty Capital Services’ aims is to keep their clients for a long time. They’re not part of a big corporate chain, which we believe lets them provide a more focused, VIP experience.
Service-wise, they cover a lot of ground to apply that mindset. They go from offering regular home purchase loans to self-employed assistance.
We also noticed a pattern in buyer feedback. Some told us that the mortgage brokers here take their time in explaining things, so many first-timers can keep up. If something wasn’t clear, the staff often answers questions quickly—even outside regular hours.
Another proof of their efficiency is being able to close a veteran’s home loan in only a little over a month, much faster than the usual 60 to 90 days!
Nonetheless, some people had a problem with extra fees being asked for late in the process. This can chip away at trust, especially for non-regular clients.
Responsive and professional, helping the transaction go smoothly
“I am a real estate agent in Cleveland, Ohio, and I worked with Shen Rao to help our mutual client to buy. She is responsive and professional, which helped the transaction go smoothly. I look forward to working with Shen Rao again!”
-Althea Chang, Google Review
We appreciated his availability, promptness, and willingness
“10/10 recommend! My wife and I were first-time homebuyers, so we had countless questions while shopping around for lenders. We diligently compared several lenders, all of whom came highly recommended by friends and family, and James beat them all with a competitive rate, flexible program options, and straightforward communication. We appreciated his availability, promptness, and willingness to educate us on the homebuying process. We have ZERO regret working with James and feel that the financial aspects of our borrowing were optimized. We’d recommend everyone at least consider him! Many thanks to James and his team for facilitating a seamless homebuying experience!”
-Xzavier Brandon, Google Review
3. Home Mortgage Solutions Inc.
Address: 2600 Oakstone Dr
Contact details:
- +1 877 847 4337
- +1 614 859 7334
- [email protected]
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Sat: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sun: Closed
With over 30 years industry, it’s no wonder Home Mortgage Solutions Inc. has the depth of experience to build their expansive portfolio.
What really sets them apart for us, though, is their service variety, as they’ve got one of the broadest selections in the city. Besides regular financing, they offer non-QM and bridge (short-term) mortgages, which are rarer in options.
Plus, having all these loan types helped one client snag his dream home with minimal stress. Though there were multiple offers on his desired property, his loan closed quickly in 8 days!
We think this turnaround wasn’t just luck, of course. Part of why the success was so efficient is the team’s focused document handling and their user-friendly app that streamlined the process with self-service tools.
Still, people we interviewed mentioned inconsistent experiences with the staff. Some borrowers described their loan officers as communicative, while others felt they had to chase for answers or got rushed replies during busy periods.
Very helpful, responsive, and prompt throughout
“Rob was very helpful, responsive and prompt throughout the process. Wouldn’t have been able to close on such a short timeline without him! Highly recommend.”
-Alex Gifford, Google Review
Guided our client seamlessly and was always clear and communicative
“I had an excellent experience working with Kevin Wolford. I was truly impressed by his professionalism and responsiveness. He guided our client through the process seamlessly and was always clear and communicative. Most importantly, he helped us secure FHA loan approval in just 8 days, which kept the deal on track and stress-free. His dedication and efficiency made a huge difference, and I would highly recommend him to anyone in need of a mortgage professional.”
-Viren Jain, Google Review
4. Covita Lending
Address: 1 E Campus View Blvd #260
Contact details:
- +1 614 817 1090
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Sat-Sun: Closed
Covita Lending is a long-standing, boutique-style mortgage brokering company that leans into strong financial planning-level advice.
Their team collectively brings over 2 and a half decades of lending experience. They also stay true to their aim in ensuring a smooth process for borrowers from start to finish.
You can see that in their day-to-day interactions. One person we chatted with commended their quick replies via phone and email, especially when asked about the fees in detail.
We appreciate this since they specialize in complex income profiles, like those with non-traditional employment. And that’s where some competitors are less flexible.
But as you know, they’re not the biggest brokerage company. While they’re pretty hands-on, they have limited staff to handle high volume or simultaneous complex cases.
Complete professionalism and accuracy
“Steve and Jessie made this process absolutely seamless. Complete professionalism and accuracy. Would highly recommend.”
-Diane Diller, Google Review
Made the process smooth and stress-free
“We had an outstanding experience with Steve Beskid and the Covita Lending team! They worked incredibly hard and diligently to help us close on our VA home loan in less than 3 weeks. Steve kept us informed every step of the way and made the process smooth and stress-free. We’re so grateful for their professionalism, communication, and dedication. Highly recommend Covita Lending for anyone looking for a fast and reliable home loan experience!”
-Megan Miller, Google Review
5. The Sauk Team
Address: 1880 MacKenzie Dr
Contact details:
- +1 614 353 5088
- [email protected]
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
- Sat-Sun: Closed
Led by Joe Sauk, The Sauk Team boasts over 30 years of helping people get home loans.
That allowed them to build plenty of lasting relationships with loyal clients, from first-time buyers to property investors. This tells us that they have a high adaptability for a wide array of loan types, whether they’re conventional or more complex.
And when we looked into their nitty-gritty work, a few borrowers mentioned the staff’s diligent handling of financial documents. They try to close loans faster than expected, which usually beats the average of 30 to 54 days for other options.
But one thing that can set them back is being a small, independent brokerage. They’re not Better Business Bureau or BBB-accredited, which some borrowers prefer for extra assurance.
Incredibly responsive and knowledgeable
“Absolutely loved working with Joe Sauk and his team. Incredibly responsive, wealth of knowledge and made the purchase process smooth. Would use them time and time again, will recommend you to all our friends and family!”
-Diyanah Rozli, Google Review
Great communication and attention to detail all the way through
“Joe and his team are amazing. Their communication and attention to detail were great all the way through. Any questions I had were answered right away. Thank you again for helping us without your team we would not have been able to get our dream home. Within a week Joe and his team secured an approval for me. I highly recommend and will refer anyone I know in the market for a refinance or new mortgage.”
-Payton Fitch, Google Review
6. Scoot Mortgage
Address: 1177 W 3rd Ave
Contact details:
- +1 800 926 3558
- [email protected]
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Sat-Sun: Open 24/7
What keeps Scoot Mortgage at the top of their game is having plenty of connections. They know many local real estate agents, which lets them close hundreds of loans.
Another thing that helps them achieve that is by being efficient with resources. They don’t spend much on marketing, so they mostly rely on long-term relationships.
It’s no wonder they’re approachable and work very closely with people. They don’t stop until they truly understand the latter’s goals.
Right after thorough consultations, we heard from buyers that the team shops for multiple lenders to give them very competitive options.
And since their workflow is so organized, we’re impressed that they’ve closed a loan in only 17 days—one of the quickest feats we’ve seen.
That said, they depend on a referral-based model, meaning not every first-time client can access their services right away. Those without a referral may need to wait or seek other brokers before building a relationship.
This business is extremely well-versed in its field
“I would be dishonest if I said anything negative about Scoot Mortgage. They really are a superior method of obtaining a mortgage. For months, I had been undecided about purchasing. Brian Sweeney kept me informed on the state of the real estate market and rates on a regular basis. extremely well-versed in that field. The Scoot team guided us through the entire process without any problems, and we ultimately closed ten days ahead of schedule. This business is well-versed in its field!”
-Noel Garcia, Google Review
Everything from A to Z was handled effortlessly
“The best is Scoot! I’ve used them to a number of Ohio investment homes. Always reliable rates and a simple procedure. Everything from A to Z is handled effortlessly by Brian and his crew.”
-Juanita Grissom, Google Review
