Truist mortgage review: Accessible options for doctors, dentists and homebuilders (2024)

Editor’s note: In June 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took enforcement action against Truist for unlawful and deceptive practices. Truist was ordered to pay at least $500 million to underwater borrowers, provide $40 million to victims of foreclosure, pay a penalty to the Department of Justice and establish homeowner protections to prevent further violations. Because of this, we can’t currently recommend Truist as a lender.

Truist offers several options for mortgage purchase and refinance loans, including doctor loans for qualified physicians and dentists. If you’re thinking about applying for a mortgage from Truist, here’s what you should know first.

Truist overview

Truist has roots that date back to 1872, when the Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T) was founded. In 2019, BB&T merged with SunTrust Banks to form the Truist Financial Corporation.

Unfortunately, in its short time as Truist, the company has garnered thousands of poor reviews from customers. The company is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has an A+ BBB rating. However, as of Dec. 12, 2023, the company has a BBB star rating of just 1.09 out of 5.0, based on over 2,300 customer reviews. Customers complained about having trouble contacting customer service and others complained about fraudulent activities within their account. Truist seems to send an automated reply to these reviews, telling them to contact the company directly.

As of Dec. 12, 2023, Truist has also earned a star rating of 1.2 out of 5.0 stars on Trustpilot, based on 1,300 reviews.

How to qualify for a Truist mortgage

Truist offers a variety of mortgage loans, each with its own requirements. Here’s how to put yourself in the best standing to qualify for a Truist mortgage.

• Credit score: Truist’s government-backed loans — including mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — as well as its conventional loans require a credit score of 620. Its jumbo loans require a credit score of 680.
• Down payment: To qualify for most loans, putting 5% down is preferable, but there are programs for lower and even no down payment.
• DTI ratio: Truist recommends a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio of 36% or lower. For example, if your gross income is $8,500 per month, your debt payments should not go over $3,060.

How to apply for a Truist mortgage

1. Compare lenders and get pre-qualified. Before you apply, be sure to compare as many mortgage lenders as possible, including Truist, to find the right loan for your needs. Consider interest rates, repayment terms, eligibility requirements and other factors as you weigh your choices. Truist as well as many other lenders allow you to pre-qualify with only a soft credit check that won’t affect your credit score — this will give you an idea of how much you can borrow and help you set a budget.
2. Pick a lender and apply. If you choose to go forward with Truist, you can start the formal application process online, by phone or in person at a local Truist branch. Speak with a loan officer to complete the application and determine the right type of mortgage for you. Be prepared to provide required documents, such as proof of income, assets, identification and previous tax statements. Work with the bank to answer any questions and document requests in a timely manner to avoid delays.
3. Close on the loan. The loan approval process with Truist typically takes about 30 to 60 days. If you’re approved, your loan will be scheduled to close. On closing day, you’ll sign paperwork and pay the closing costs, after which you’ll get the key to your new home.

Pros of a Truist mortgage

• Offers doctor loans to medical and dental professionals.
• Offers construction-to-permanent loans.
• Can apply online, over the phone or in person in some areas.

Cons of a Truist mortgage

• Doesn’t offer mortgages backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• Poor customer service reviews.
• Only available in 15 states and Washington, D.C.

Truist perks and special features

Savings and discounts

Like many other lenders, Truist offers you the option to buy mortgage points. These will permanently lower the interest rate on your loan for an upfront fee. If you intend to stay in the home for the length of the loan, mortgage points can save you thousands of dollars on interest payments.

Offers doctor loans

If you’re a medical doctor or dentist, a doctor loan could be a good option. These loans aren’t offered by many lenders. But with Truist’s doctor loan, qualified physicians and dentists can get a more favorable interest rate and make a lower or no down payment, even if they have student loans.

Offers construction-to-permanent loans

Another loan type that Truist offers that a lot of other mortgage lenders don’t is a construction-to-permanent loan. If you’re building a home, you can get one loan that funds the construction. Once the construction is complete, this loan will roll over into a traditional mortgage.

With Truist’s construction-to-permanent loan, you’ll make interest-only payments during construction and have only one set of closing costs for the land, construction and mortgage. Plus, there are no penalties for prepayment, so you don’t have to worry about being charged if you pay the mortgage off early.

Multiple ways to apply

Truist offers you the ability to apply over the phone, online or in person. With so many people turning to online mortgage applications, the fact that Truist offers physical locations can be an asset if you prefer to apply for a mortgage in person. Buying a home is a big decision and having someone to talk to face-to-face can be helpful.

How Truist could improve

Offer USDA loans

For much of rural America, a USDA loan increases their ability to own a home. These government-backed loans are for low-income families buying a home in specific rural areas. Truist, however, doesn’t offer these loans, which limits options for those who don’t live in cities. If Truist wants to improve its offerings, one way could be to provide a USDA loan option.

Improve customer service

Just browsing sites like BBB and Trustpilot can leave you with the impression that Truist isn’t well-regarded. There are a lot of negative reviews, complaining about a variety of things. These include the bank’s slowness in responding to deposits, improper handling of accounts and multiple accounts being hacked. Customers complain that they often are required to visit branches in person to resolve these issues, which is a problem when there are limited hours.

Expand availability

Truist is only available in 15 states and Washington, D.C. Its locations are mostly in the South and eastern parts of the country. Truist’s mortgages could reach more people if it expanded its availability to additional areas.

While Truist’s roots lie in operating as a traditional brick-and-mortar bank, it could make its mortgages available to a wider part of the country while maintaining its current in-person branches.

Truist customer service and reviews

There are multiple ways to contact Truist. You can visit a branch in person, connect on social media or call. You can talk to someone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Saturdays. After hours, there’s 24-hour automated assistance.

The company also offers a mobile app, which lets you view your accounts, make payments and more. The app has a rating of 4.7 out of 5.0 stars on both the App Store and the Google Play store as of Dec. 12, 2023. However, many recent reviews note that the app has suffered since the merger to form Truist, with customers citing that recent versions are slow and unstable.

Customer reviews

Truist has received many negative reviews from customers on sites like BBB and Trustpilot. Some trends among these reviews state that the company is difficult to contact, accounts are often locked and promotions the company runs are misleading.

As of Dec. 12, 2023, these reviews have resulted in a BBB customer rating of 1.09 out of 5.0 stars and a Trustpilot rating of 1.2 out of 5.0 stars.

CFPB action

In 2014, SunTrust (a predecessor of Truist), was required by the CFPB to pay customers $540 million due to wrongfully servicing their loans. The company was also required to pay a penalty of $418 million to the Department of Justice. These institutions found that SunTrust was illegally foreclosing on homes by denying loan modifications, deceiving homeowners and charging unauthorized fees.

Truist alternatives: Truist vs. Bank of America vs. Chase

It’s important to consider a wide variety of mortgage lenders before applying for a loan. Two competitors to consider in addition to Truist include Bank of America and Chase.

Bank of America is a multinational financial company with ties back to 1784, when its predecessor, the Massachusetts Bank, was founded. As of 2021, it holds over $3.17 trillion in total assets and operates worldwide.

Chase Bank is a subsidiary of the holding company JPMorgan Chase & Co. Its history dates back to 1799 when its predecessor was founded as The Manhattan Company. As of 2021, JPMorgan Chase & Co. held over $3.7 trillion in total assets, making it the largest financial institution in the country.

While Truist is a big bank with a lot of history, both Bank of America and Chase are much larger than Truist. Mortgages are small parts of their businesses. With either of these banks, you might have more financing options. However, with a place like Truist, you could have a more personalized experience. While Truist is only available in 15 states and Washington D.C., that can be a positive as chances are higher that a Truist loan officer would be more familiar with state laws and assistance programs.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)