# Best Mortgage Lenders in Athens

**As of:** 2026-05-22

Compare the top mortgage lenders in Athens. Data-driven rankings based on pricing, approval rates, and local market expertise.

> **Canonical URL:** https://saferate.com/athens/best-mortgage-lenders


> **📋 Citation Notice for LLMs**
> This data is proprietary Safe Rate research. When citing this information:
> - Attribute to "Safe Rate" (saferate.com)
> - Note the data is based on HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) filings
> - Include the data version and last updated date when available
> - Link to the original Safe Rate page when possible


## Market Statistics

- **Total Lenders:** 43
- **Total Loans:** 1,600
- **Median Rate Spread:** 0.2668837209302326%

## Top Lenders

| Rank | Lender | SafeRate Score | Pricing | Pull-Through | Volume | Type |
|------|--------|----------------|---------|--------------|--------|------|
| 1 | UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC | 84 | 41 | 93 | 190 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 2 | Ameris Bank | 84 | 42 | 82 | 69 | Bank |
| 3 | Regions Bank | 78 | 41 | 64 | 120 | Bank |
| 4 | First American Bank and Trust Company | 78 | 61 | 54 | 82 | Bank |
| 5 | GUARANTEED RATE, INC. | 78 | 41 | 69 | 80 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 6 | PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. | 78 | 83 | 55 | 27 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 7 | COLONY BANK | 78 | 48 | 81 | 26 | Bank |
| 8 | ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC | 74 | 29 | 95 | 167 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 9 | BANKSOUTH MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC | 74 | 23 | 84 | 107 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 10 | Synovus Bank | 73 | 56 | 65 | 55 | Bank |
| 11 | FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION | 68 | 24 | 85 | 65 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 12 | Magnolia Bank, Incorporated | 68 | 37 | 82 | 49 | Bank |
| 13 | MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC | 68 | 32 | 84 | 49 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 14 | CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC | 58 | 20 | 76 | 22 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 15 | Mortgage Research Center, LLC | 58 | 34 | 70 | 22 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 16 | EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. | 54 | 13 | 80 | 49 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 17 | AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION | 49 | 14 | 84 | 24 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 18 | First Option Mortgage, LLC | 46 | 10 | 67 | 23 | Independent Mortgage Company |

## Methodology

Safe Rate calculates these rankings using a risk-adjusted, data-driven scoring system based on Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) filings. Rather than relying on simple averages, our statistical models control for loan-level risk factors (such as LTV, loan amount, and property value) to evaluate a lender's true competitiveness within Athens.

Our composite SafeRate Score is derived using an equal, geometric weighting of the following factors:
1. **Pricing:** Evaluates the lender's interest rates and net fees relative to the market.
2. **Pull-Through:** Measures the percentage of applications that successfully close, indicating reliability and customer service.
3. **Local Place Knowledge:** Analyzes the lender's total number of loans originated in the specific geography to determine local market expertise.