Its brokers cut deals by asking few questions and reviewing even fewer documents, investigators say. The California-based mortgage company catered to the riskiest borrowers, even those with credit scores as low as 500. For thousands of credit-crunched homeowners, New Century Financial appeared to be their savior. To get the best mortgage rates, you need to contact several lenders as each lender may differ in their price quotes. Getting the best mortgage rates out of your home loan can also be achieved with the help of a mortgage broker.