NBKC Bank Mortgage Review 2024

How Bankrate scored NBKC Bank

• Affordability: NBKC Bank’s mortgage rates are in line with Bankrate’s averages (at the time of this review). The bank charges a flat fee of $250 for most loans, but there’s no fee for VA borrowers.
• Availability: This bank has a small physical footprint, but it lends in all 50 states. It has a diverse set of loan offerings for different kinds of borrowers.
• Borrower experience: You can initiate a request for a rate quote and apply for a mortgage via the NBKC website, and its loan officers are available on weekends.

Affordability: 6.6/10

NBKC Bank’s mortgage rates are comparable to Bankrate’s averages as of this review. The bank ended a marketing program with warehouse retailer Costco, so all borrowers now get the bank’s lowest fee of $250 (with the exception of VA borrowers, who still pay no fees).

Availability: 10/10

NBKC Bank provides conventional loans, FHA and VA loans, construction loans and home equity loans. The bank has just four branch locations, but it does business nationally.

Borrower experience: 7.8/10

NBKC Bank has been in business for more than 20 years. It offers borrowers the option to get prequalified and preapproved for a mortgage online. To get prequalified, you’ll need to provide basic personal information like your employment history. You’ll also need to provide details about the purchase price and type of home, the loan amount and down payment. If you provide the required information, you could get prequalified the same day, and preapproved within 24 hours. You can also apply for a home loan entirely online.

How to apply for a mortgage with NBKC Bank

You can apply for a mortgage with NBKC Bank in-person at a branch location, online or by phone at 800-375-8096. Its mortgage customer service hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Here are some tips to prepare for the process:

1. Check your credit report. It’s important to check your credit report before your lender does, in case there are errors that could impact not only whether you get preapproved but also your ability to get the best mortgage rate. Knowing your credit score also helps you decide what type of loan to apply for. If your score is in the very low 600s, for instance, an FHA mortgage might be best for you, as its standards are more lenient than those for conventional loans.
2. Gather personal and financial documents. With any lender, you must supply documentation about your income, assets and debts. This includes pay stubs and W-2s and account and loan statements.
3. Provide details about the property. You’ll need to provide the address of the home and submit to an appraisal. (If you’re refinancing, you might or might not need an appraisal.)

Refinancing with NBKC Bank

NBKC Bank offers both rate-and-term and cash-out refinancing options.

• Methodology

  To determine a mortgage lender's Bankrate Score, Bankrate rates lenders on a scale of one (1) to five (5) stars — with five (5) the highest rating — based on a variety of factors relating to the lender's products and services. To assign our ratings, we assessed each mortgage lender across three core areas:

  • Affordability. Annual percentage rate (APR) - 80%; assistance for first-time homebuyers - 10%; down payment - 10%

  • Availability. Loan products - 50%; licensing - 40%; credit score - 10%

  • Borrower experience. Rate transparency - 45%; customer service - 25%; convenience - 10%; days to close - 10%; rate locks - 10%; reputation (bonus)

  Learn more about our methodology.

  How we suggest lenders to compare

  To help you make the most informed decisions, our editorial team suggests two (2) alternative mortgage lenders for each lender reviewed in our comparison table. In most cases, these alternatives 1.) share the same strength (affordability, availability or borrower experience) as the lender reviewed; and 2.) rate highly for Bankrate Score. In the event more than two lenders meet these standards, we suggest the ones with the lowest APRs.