# Best Mortgage Lenders in Hickory

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

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

> **Canonical URL:** https://saferate.com/hickory/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:** 69
- **Total Loans:** 3,992
- **Median Rate Spread:** 0.2648030303030303%

## Top Lenders

| Rank | Lender | SafeRate Score | Pricing | Pull-Through | Volume | Type |
|------|--------|----------------|---------|--------------|--------|------|
| 1 | STATE EMPLOYEES' | 86 | 73 | 74 | 579 | Credit Union |
| 2 | Truist Bank | 80 | 70 | 68 | 130 | Bank |
| 3 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | 80 | 60 | 62 | 68 | Bank |
| 4 | UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC | 78 | 41 | 93 | 205 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 5 | ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC | 74 | 29 | 95 | 445 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 6 | ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C. | 74 | 25 | 90 | 281 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 7 | INSPIRE HOME LOANS INC. | 73 | 43 | 75 | 61 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 8 | LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC | 73 | 48 | 76 | 61 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 9 | Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | 73 | 63 | 59 | 53 | Bank |
| 10 | Bank of America, National Association | 73 | 73 | 75 | 28 | Bank |
| 11 | Fifth Third Bank, National Association | 73 | 62 | 62 | 21 | Bank |
| 12 | NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION | 71 | 93 | 60 | 31 | Credit Union |
| 13 | CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC | 68 | 20 | 76 | 241 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 14 | MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC | 68 | 32 | 84 | 145 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 15 | FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION | 68 | 24 | 85 | 91 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 16 | Alcova Mortgage LLC | 68 | 32 | 90 | 59 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 17 | GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC | 68 | 25 | 83 | 59 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 18 | Renasant Bank | 68 | 38 | 81 | 42 | Bank |
| 19 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION | 66 | 55 | 67 | 42 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 20 | PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC | 66 | 56 | 63 | 35 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 21 | MORTGAGE ASSURANCE, INC. | 66 | 51 | 64 | 27 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 22 | First National Bank of Pennsylvania | 66 | 60 | 71 | 23 | Bank |
| 23 | American Security Mortgage Corp. | 66 | 59 | 77 | 23 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 24 | First Horizon Bank | 66 | 49 | 68 | 22 | Bank |
| 25 | Mortgage Research Center, LLC | 63 | 34 | 70 | 90 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 26 | Primis Mortgage Company | 63 | 32 | 66 | 41 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 27 | CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP | 62 | 26 | 87 | 43 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 28 | Peoples Bank | 58 | 60 | 35 | 34 | Bank |
| 29 | LOWER, LLC | 58 | 30 | 71 | 29 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 30 | NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC | 58 | 26 | 71 | 28 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 31 | NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC | 52 | 22 | 60 | 30 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 32 | HIGHLANDS RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, LTD. | 50 | 19 | 80 | 84 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 33 | RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC | 49 | N/A | 96 | 22 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 34 | AgFirst Farm Credit Bank | 46 | 12 | 57 | 40 | 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 Hickory.

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.