Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in Hickory

Updated May 22, 2026

⚖️ The 4 PsRankings are calculated based on observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place.

🛡️ No Pay to PlayLenders cannot buy their way to the top. Rankings are 100% earned.

📊 HMDA 2024Built using publicly available originated loan data from the federal government.

🎯 Peer BenchmarkedPerformance is normalized and benchmarked against peer institutions.

Market

Total Lenders69

Total Loans3,992

Median Rate Spread0.26%

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Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Product	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	STATE EMPLOYEES'Credit Union	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,073Fees	0.675%Below	579
2	Truist BankBank	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,778Fees	0.243%Above	130
3	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNIONCredit Union	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,087Fees	0.477%Below	31
4	First BankBank	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Sound	$2,874Fees	0.294%Below	12
5	Wells Fargo Bank, National AssociationBank	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,211Fees	0.474%Above	53
6	Bank of America, National AssociationBank	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,931Fees	0.028%Below	28
7	First National Bank of PennsylvaniaBank	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,505Fees	0.336%Above	23
8	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,906Fees	0.454%Above	445
9	ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,861Fees	0.520%Above	281
10	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,514Fees	0.299%Above	61
11	American Security Mortgage Corp.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,961Fees	0.409%Above	23
12	Fifth Third Bank, National AssociationBank	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,112Fees	0.084%Above	21
13	First Heritage Mortgage, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$2,092Fees	0.464%Above	12
14	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,683Fees	0.566%Above	241
15	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,938Fees	0.175%Above	205
16	Alcova Mortgage LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,605Fees	0.515%Above	59
17	First Horizon BankBank	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,426Fees	0.124%Above	22
18	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,892Fees	0.093%Above	19
19	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationBank	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,737Fees	0.545%Above	17
20	Truliant Federal Credit UnionCredit Union	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$469Fees	0.189%Above	15
21	Atlantic Coast Mortgage, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,078Fees	0.663%Above	11
22	First Federal BankBank	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$1,220Fees	0.200%Below	11
23	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,438Fees	0.346%Above	145
24	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATIONIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,167Fees	0.449%Above	91
25	HIGHLANDS RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, LTD.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,244Fees	0.602%Above	84
26	First-Citizens Bank & Trust CompanyBank	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,453Fees	0.029%Above	68
27	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,125Fees	0.642%Above	59
28	Renasant BankBank	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,780Fees	0.494%Above	42
29	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$3,156Fees	0.003%Above	35
30	Peoples BankBank	Strong	Strong	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	$1,902Fees	0.007%Below	34
31	INTERCOASTAL MORTGAGE, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,570Fees	0.273%Above	16
32	INSPIRE HOME LOANS INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,083Fees	0.525%Above	61
33	CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIPIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,165Fees	0.479%Above	43
34	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATIONIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,080Fees	0.630%Above	42
35	LOWER, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,199Fees	0.360%Above	29
36	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,147Fees	0.534%Above	28
37	MORTGAGE ASSURANCE, INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,026Fees	0.339%Above	27
38	HOWARD HANNA FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,583Fees	0.436%Above	19
39	PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,113Fees	0.420%Above	18
40	TD Bank, National AssociationBank	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	Sound	$1,958Fees	0.320%Above	18
41	PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANYIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,138Fees	0.258%Above	17
42	Flagstar Bank, N.A.Bank	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,083Fees	0.425%Above	17
43	GUARANTEED RATE, INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,474Fees	0.270%Above	17
44	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,361Fees	0.492%Above	16
45	AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,599Fees	0.442%Above	11
46	Primis Mortgage CompanyIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	Strong	$3,797Fees	0.382%Above	41
47	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$3,914Fees	0.748%Above	30
48	NEWREZ LLCIndependent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,209Fees	0.362%Above	19
49	USAA Federal Savings BankBank	Strong	Sound	Strong	Acceptable	Sound	$855Fees	0.128%Above	17
50	GoPrime Mortgage, Inc.Independent Mortgage Company	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Sound	$2,905Fees	0.282%Above	16

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use geometric mean scoring across equally-weighted categories. This rewards lenders who perform consistently well across all metrics, not just excel in one area.

Our Point System (Max 40 Points)

Pricing

Rate and fee competitiveness (25%)

Pull Through

Reliability in closing loans (25%)

Product

Specialization in the loan type (25%)

Place

Local market expertise (25%)

Data Integrity & Updates

Data is updated quarterly based on the latest HMDA filings and proprietary SafeRate analysis. All metrics are calculated using standardized methodologies to ensure fair comparison across lenders.