Home financing in Washtenaw County.
County-by-county financing guides. No paperwork. No social. No ID.
1 institutions are headquartered inside the Washtenaw County line, Ann Arbor included, and 10 more keep a branch here. Below, we say which is which.
Not this lane? Business FinancingPersonal Financing
The doors in Washtenaw County.
The CDFIs, credit unions, and microlenders that actually say yes — county by county, in two languages. We are not a lender. Nobody paid to be listed. And where a county has no good doors, we say so.
- 11
- DOORS HERE
- 1
- BASED HERE
- 77
- MI COUNTIES WITH DOORS
- Lane
- Home Financing
- People
- 372Kresidents of Washtenaw County
- Covers
- Ann Arbor
- Elsewhere in MI
- Wayne County →43 doors — the biggest list of any other county in Michigan
- State
- Michigan →77 of 83 counties hold a door in this lane
Certified by the U.S. Treasury to lend where a bank will not. Nonprofit, patient, and used to a file that is not clean.
American 1 Credit Union · Michigan First Credit UnionOwned by their members, not by shareholders. They look at your whole story rather than a score, and that is the difference when a bank says no.
American 1 Credit Union · CommunityAmerica Credit Union- University of Michigan Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
Based elsewhere, with a member-facing office inside the Washtenaw County line. You can walk in.
- American 1 Credit UnionCDFI-certifiedPersonal · Home · Business capital
- CommunityAmerica Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
- Credit Union OnePersonal · Home · Business capital
- DFCU Financial Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
- Lake Michigan Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
- IN THIS LIST
2 of the 11 doors inside the county line are CDFI-certified.
The U.S. Treasury certifies them to lend to the people banks pass over. It is a loan, not a favour.
- Lake Trust Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
Show the other 4Show fewer
- Michigan First Credit UnionCDFI-certifiedPersonal · Home · Business capital
- Parda Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
- People Driven Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
- True Community Credit UnionPersonal · Home · Business capital
- Mission Asset FundAccepts ITIN
Zero-interest lending circles and credit building. SSN or ITIN accepted. Works through nonprofit partners across the country.
Personal - Accion Opportunity FundAccepts ITIN
Nonprofit small-business lender. Accepts ITIN in place of SSN. Serves most states, in English and Spanish.
Business capital - Grameen AmericaAccepts ITIN
Microloans for women entrepreneurs. Requires photo ID and proof of address — no SSN requirement. Branches in major metro areas.
Business capital
How to read this list.
We do not ask for your name, your email, or your number. Nothing on this page changes based on who you are.
A door is headquartered here when its head office sits inside the county line. The rest are based elsewhere and keep a branch you can walk into. We list both, and we label which is which.
Every institution on this page comes from public federal data — the CDFI Fund certified list (Aug 2026), NCUA credit union data (Jun 2026), and the SBA microloan intermediary list (Sep 2026) — plus a short national tier we verified by hand. We refresh each list as its agency publishes. No listing is paid.
Who actually approves home loans in Washtenaw County.
home-purchase applications that reached a decision were turned down: 670 of 3,933.
- Applications
- 4,716
- Loans made
- 3,022
- Median rate
- 6.5%
- Too much debt for the income45.5%
- Credit history32.4%
- The home's value or condition6.9%
- United Shore Financial Services6114997.9%6.5%
- Rocket Mortgage57440219.9%6.4%
- Lake Michigan Credit Union3352643.3%6.2%
- Staunton Financial2242042.4%6.5%
- Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group2531880.5%6.6%
- University Bank2311811.6%6.5%
- University of Michigan Credit Union3001806%6.4%
- The Huntington National Bank28516624.8%6.8%
- First Merchants Bank2111432.7%6.5%
- JPMorgan Chase Bank19313011.3%6.4%
The 10 lenders that made the most home loans in Washtenaw County in 2025, buying and refinancing together. The mark on each bar is the whole county's denial rate (18.7%). Home loans only: first-lien, owner-occupied, one-to-four-unit homes, as reported under the federal HMDA law. Small lenders below its reporting threshold — many of the credit unions above — don't report, so their loans aren't counted here. Rates are for loans made. Source: HMDA 2025 public loan records (FFIEC).
Washtenaw County has some of Michigan's most expensive housing in Ann Arbor, more reachable prices in Ypsilanti and the townships, and older homes everywhere that need work. This guide explains how home loans work here, who qualifies when your income comes from the university, the hospital, or the trades, which documents to gather, which credit unions serve the county, the Michigan tax and land contract rules that surprise buyers, and the traps to avoid.
It's a process, not a rejection.
A home loan is money borrowed to buy, build, repair, or refinance a home or a small rental. The common types are conventional mortgages, FHA loans (government-insured, with lower down payments and more flexible credit rules), VA loans for veterans, USDA loans for eligible rural areas, and home equity loans or lines for current owners.
Washtenaw County is really several housing markets. Ann Arbor's prices are pushed up by the university, the hospital, and a steady stream of professionals who want to live near them, and much of the city's housing serves renters — students, staff, and medical residents.
Ypsilanti and the surrounding townships have more modest prices and many first-time buyers.
And out toward Chelsea, Dexter, Saline, and Manchester, buyers find small towns, larger lots, and rural properties where a USDA loan may be possible.
The housing stock skews older. Many homes need roofs, furnaces, windows, or foundation work, and Michigan winters are hard on anything deferred. That makes renovation financing and home equity lines important tools here, and it makes the inspection one of the most valuable things you pay for.
Small landlords are part of this picture too. A duplex or a house near campus can be a solid investment, but rental units in the cities come with local registration and inspection requirements, and lenders will look at your rental history and reserves more closely than they would for a home you live in.
Forget what the banks say.
Mortgage lenders look at credit, your debts compared to your income, savings for down payment and closing costs, and how stable your income is.
- 01**University and hospital employees
** Salaried W-2 jobs are the easiest income to document. Some employers offer homebuyer benefits; ask your HR office.
- 02**Seasonal trades
** Landscapers, roofers, painters, and snow-removal operators who are self-employed usually need two years of tax returns. Heavy write-offs lower your taxes but also lower the income a lender can count; plan a year or two ahead with your tax preparer.
- 03**Restaurant and service workers
** Tips and hourly pay can count if they are reported and steady over time.
- 04**Graduate students and medical residents
** Stipends and training income are treated differently by different lenders; ask how they count it.
- 05**ITIN holders
** Some lenders make mortgages to borrowers with an ITIN, usually with larger down payments. Ask each institution directly. Mixed-status households should ask whether the family member with an SSN can apply alone or with a co-borrower.
- 06**Small landlords
** Lenders will want to see existing leases, rent records, and cash reserves.
- MISSING ONE?Ask Iris which one you're missing.ASK A QUESTION ↓
Get your papers in order.
- 01Photo ID and Social Security number or ITIN
- 02Two years of W-2s
Or two years of complete tax returns if self-employed
- 03About a month of recent pay stubs
- 04Two to three months of statements for every bank and savings account
- 05Letters explaining any large deposits
- 06VA Certificate of Eligibility, if you are a veteran
- 07Rent payment history, especially if your credit file is thin
- 08For refinances or repair loans
Current mortgage statement and homeowners insurance declarations page
- 09For rentals
Current leases, rent records, and any city rental registration or inspection certificate
- MISSING ONE?Ask Iris which one you're missing.ASK A QUESTION ↓
The doors worth knowing.
Mission-driven credit unions (CDFI-certified) with branches in the county: • Michigan First, a credit union based in Lathrup Village • American 1, a credit union based in Jackson Both carry CDFI certification, which means a stated mission to serve people traditional lenders underserve.
ALL 11 DOORS, BY NAME AND BY TOWN- 11
- DOORS HERE
- 125
- ACROSS MI
Based in Jackson, Michigan. A credit union — owned by its members rather than by shareholders, which is exactly what changes the conversation after a bank has said no. It is CDFI-certified.
BEST FORA personal loan, or building a credit file from nothing, and buying, repairing or refinancing a home.Based in Lathrup Village, Michigan. A member-owned credit union, which means the people deciding on your file answer to depositors in the same towns you work in. It is CDFI-certified.
BEST FORBuying, repairing or refinancing a home, and working capital, equipment and payroll for a small business.Based in Lenexa, Kansas. A credit union: no shareholders to satisfy, and a habit of reading a whole story rather than a single score.
BEST FORWorking capital, equipment and payroll for a small business, and a personal loan, or building a credit file from nothing.Based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. A credit union — owned by its members rather than by shareholders, which is exactly what changes the conversation after a bank has said no.
BEST FORA personal loan, or building a credit file from nothing, and buying, repairing or refinancing a home.
Don't fall into these traps.
A contract that lets the seller take the house back after one missed payment, with no credit for what you paid, is a trap. Get it reviewed.
Using the seller's tax bill to calculate your payment is one of the most common mistakes in Michigan.
Foundations, furnaces, and roofs are expensive surprises.
If you are behind, anyone who demands an upfront fee to save your home is a red flag. Call a HUD-approved counselor for free.
Confirm wiring instructions by phone with a number you already have.
A notary public in Michigan is not a lawyer and cannot advise you on property or immigration.
Everything below is set by Michigan, and it reads the same in every county in it. The 11 marks above are this county's own doors — who opens one is decided by them, not by the state.
The rules where you are.
Michigan limits how fast a home's taxable value can rise while one owner holds it, but the cap resets when the home sells. The tax bill you inherit can be noticeably higher than what the seller paid. Ask the lender to estimate taxes based on the purchase price, not the current bill.
Michigan reduces school property taxes on your primary home, but you must file an affidavit with your local assessor. Do it right after closing.
Michigan has a long tradition of land contract sales, where the seller finances the home and you get the deed only after paying in full. They can help buyers who cannot get a mortgage, but terms vary widely. Have one reviewed by an attorney before signing, and record it with the county.
Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti require rental registration and inspections. Budget for them if you are buying a rental.
Check the furnace, roof, and insulation carefully. A cheap house with an old furnace is not cheap in January.
The short version.
- 01
Washtenaw County has expensive Ann Arbor, more affordable Ypsilanti and townships, and rural towns farther out — plus older homes that need work. Plan your taxes on the purchase price, inspect carefully, and be cautious with land contracts.
- 02
Michigan First and American 1, both CDFI-certified, keep branches here, along with a credit union based in Ann Arbor and eight more outside credit unions. The state housing authority runs first-time buyer programs, and HUD-approved counseling is free.
- 03
Origen Capital is a directory, not a lender. We do not collect your information, and we do not sell you anything. Use this guide as a map, then work directly with the institution you choose.
Same county, another question.
Business FinancingLoans, lines of credit, and capital for small businesses and contractorsSEE IT IN WASHTENAW COUNTY →
Personal FinancingPersonal loans, credit building, and ITIN-friendly financing optionsSEE IT IN WASHTENAW COUNTY →77MI COUNTIES WITH DOORSThe whole stateEvery county in Michigan, in this same lane.125 institutions fund homes and repairs inside Michigan county lines.OPEN THE STATE →Still don't see your situation?
Ask Iris. She'll explain it the way it should have been explained the first time.