Younger mortgage borrowers may be comfortable handling much of the loan process online, but nearly half say they aren't getting enough attention from their lender representatives.
That's one of the more revealing findings in JD Power's 2026 U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study, released Tuesday, which found that improvements in digital lending are being offset by declining trust and communication.
Among Gen Y and Gen Z borrowers, 66% said they would prefer self-service with the right digital tools. Yet 49% said their lender representative should have been more involved.
Younger borrowers were also significantly more likely to shop around and use artificial intelligence when researching mortgage providers, adding to the challenge for loan officers trying to build lasting customer relationships.
The findings suggest borrowers want to handle routine tasks themselves while still having someone available to explain their options, answer questions, and help them through closing.
Borrowers Wait Longer For Answers
Across all age groups, just 58% of mortgage customers reported receiving same-day responses from their lenders when asking questions, down from 62% in 2025.
The share of borrowers who said they had a main point of contact also fell, from 91% to 88%. Among those who encountered problems, a greater proportion reported issues after loan approval or on closing day.
Despite those declines, overall customer satisfaction held steady at 760 on a 1,000-point scale, following a 33-point jump last year. Better digital experiences and higher ratings for lender staff helped offset weaker scores for trust and keeping borrowers informed.
“Borrowers appreciate being able to handle more of the mortgage process online, but they still want someone they can turn to when they have questions,” said Bruce Gehrke, senior director of wealth and lending intelligence at JD Power. “JD Power is seeing less recognition of updates and guidance that are important to keeping borrowers informed.”
Why Personal Guidance Matters For Repeat Business
The latest findings build on a trend JD Power has tracked for several years.
Its 2025 study, previously covered by NMP, found that 79% of borrowers gave lenders top marks for providing useful advice, up from 76% in 2024.
Borrowers who rated their lenders highly for guidance were 2.3 times more likely to say they would definitely choose the same lender for a future loan.
That study also found satisfaction was 32 points higher when lenders connected with borrowers early in their homebuying journey, before they began actively shopping, compared with those who engaged later.
The findings point to the value of building relationships before an application is submitted and maintaining contact throughout the transaction. Digital tools may make the process more convenient, but access to knowledgeable guidance remains an important part of the borrower experience.
The 2026 study also found that borrowers who held other financial products with their mortgage lender were more likely to trust the institution and view its representatives as trusted advisors.
Overall, 67% of respondents considered their lender representative a trusted advisor, approximately twice the proportion who said the same of a financial advisor, real estate agent, or family member.
Chase Climbs To No. 1
Chase climbed eight places to lead JD Power's 2026 mortgage origination satisfaction rankings, scoring 789 out of 1,000, up from 771 in 2025.
Bank of America held second place with a score of 788, down four points from last year, while PNC rose from 24th to third, improving 64 points to 785. Citi, which topped the 2025 rankings with a score of 802, fell out of the top three.
Chase also ranked highest for digital channels, ease of doing business, and loan offerings that meet customers' needs, according to the company. It placed among the top three for keeping borrowers informed, trust, and people.
“We bring together products that meet customers’ needs, intuitive digital capabilities, and knowledgeable people—including the teams in our local branches who can offer guidance along the way,” said Sean Grzebin, CEO of Chase Home Lending. “Our customers are telling us they like what we’re doing.”
Chase also ranked first in JD Power's 2026 Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction Study and the mobile app segment of its Mortgage Servicer Digital Satisfaction Study.
Citi, which led the 2025 origination rankings with a score of 802, did not place among this year's top three.
The 2026 origination study was based on responses from 5,394 customers who originated a new mortgage or refinanced within the previous 12 months. Conducted from September 2025 through September 2026, it evaluated lenders on communication, digital channels, trust, loan offerings, ease of doing business, and people.
