You’ve probably heard of Rocket Mortgage. It’s the largest retail mortgage lender in the United States, and it’s known for its fully digital application experience.In my years of covering mortgages and housing, Rocket Mortgage has repeatedly popped up as a fan favorite amongst homebuyers and owners.In fact, last year, Rocket Mortgage ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Mortgage Service Satisfaction Study.This study evaluates customers’ satisfaction with mortgage companies as servicers, not originators. The lender acting as the originator in the application and closing processes loans you the funds to buy a house.Once you’ve closed on the mortgage loan, a different company — the mortgage servicer — may take over your loan. This company handles your monthly payments, acts as your point of contact, and handles your escrow account.This may sound weird, but it’s actually very common. It’s just not something we always notice.Basically, the mortgage servicer is the company you deal with once you become a homeowner.Rocket Mortgage proudly held the title as Americans’ favorite servicer in 2025. But the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Mortgage Service Satisfaction Study was published in late July, and dropped a plot twist:Rocket Mortgage is no longer ranked No. 1. A different company — one whose name you are also probably familiar with — is now the reigning champion.Chase takes the crown from Rocket MortgageChase Home Lending is the mortgage servicer with the strongest customer satisfaction, according to the 2026 J.D. Power survey.If you use Chase as your mortgage lender, there’s a good chance it will act as your servicer, as well.”Chase Home Lending does service many of its own mortgage loans, including conforming and jumbo loans,” Becky Griffin, head of servicing and support operations for Chase Home Lending, told The Street. “Chase Home Lending also services loans originated by other lenders,” she continued.J.D. Power ranks mortgage servicers in six categories. The following are listed in order of importance:Customers’ level of trust in the companyIt’s easy to do business with the servicerInforms and educates customersInteractions with peopleResolves questions and problemsDigital self-service tools and channelsRelated: Americans reject homebuilders despite price cutsJ.D. Power’s 2026 survey included input from 14,118 customers who had been using their current servicer for at least a year.Mortgage servicers are ranked on a 1,000-point scale. Chase earned the highest score of 694. This was quite an upgrade from its 2025 score, which was 650 in 2025. Last year, Chase ranked No. 4 on J.D. Power’s list.It is J.D. Power’s policy to not share specific rating information on individual servicers with the public, a representative told TheStreet. Due to this policy, we can’t see the exact sub-metrics.However, given how the study weighs these factors, Chase’s 44-point leap was likely driven by gains in the three heaviest-weighted categories: trust, ease of doing business, and proactive communication.
Chase’s J.D. Power mortgage servicer score jumped from 650 to 694.patty_c / Getty Images
Rocket Mortgage is still a strong servicerRocket Mortgage also services almost all of the loans it originates, according to the lender’s website, with the exception of jumbo loans. So if you went through Rocket mortgage to get a home loan, it will probably be your servicer.And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just because Rocket Mortgage is no longer ranked No. 1 for customer satisfaction doesn’t mean it’s a bad loan servicer.In fact, Rocket Mortgage is still ranked No. 2 in J.D. Power’s survey with a score of 690.This means its score actually increased from 2025, when it ranked No. 1 with a score of 685. It’s just that Chase improved even more in customers’ eyes.More Mortgages:Why homebuyers win despite latest mortgage rate newsBoomers have unfair edge over younger homebuyersHomebuyers lose ground as housing affordability slams shutAt the time of writing, the J.D. Power mortgage origination satisfaction study for 2026 had not yet been released. This is an annual survey that measures homebuyers’ experiences with the companies that actually lend them the money during the mortgage application process.But according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study, both of these lenders ranked above-average for customer satisfaction. Neither took the first-place crown — that belonged to Citi, with a score of 802. Chase had a score of 771, and Rocket Mortgage’s score was 762.So, if you use either Chase Home Loans or Rocket Mortgage when buying a house, there’s a good chance that they’ll continue as your loan servicer after closing and that you’ll have an above-average user experience in the origination and servicing processes.Takeaways for finding a mortgage lender and servicerIt’s crucial to be satisfied with your mortgage servicer. This is the company you’ll be dealing with — possibly for decades — regarding issues with payments, your escrow account, or any questions you have about your loan.When shopping for lenders, ask who will service your loan. It’s time to apply for a mortgage. Ask the lender whether it will also act as your loan servicer after closing. If they say no, ask who will handle your loan moving forward. Whether they say yes or no, it’s helpful to look up J.D. Power rankings and online customer reviews to see how satisfied customers are with the servicer.Chase Home Lending is better for jumbo loans. Are you taking out a jumbo mortgage to buy a more expensive home? Rocket Mortgage originates jumbo loans, but it doesn’t service them. Chase does both. However, be sure to check whether Chase will be your servicer before signing on the dotted line.A different servicer might be better. You might realize that neither Chase nor Rocket Mortgage is the fit for you. Other national lenders earned strong scores with J.D. Power, including Bank of America (672) and Huntington National Bank (654). Navy Federal didn’t qualify for the list because it focuses on VA loans, but it outshone its competitors with a 762 score.Related: New Redfin data shows housing market is changing fast