Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Birmingham

Updated June 4, 2026

Rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. Safe Rate recommends speaking with 2-3 lenders to find the right fit for your home loan!

⚖️ 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 Lenders134

Total Loans13,445

Median Rate Spread0.34%

Birmingham Market Insights

United Wholesale Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Birmingham, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Birmingham: Bank: Trustmark National Bank (#3). Credit union: Navy Federal Credit Union (#7). Mortgage company: United Wholesale Mortgage (#1).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Birmingham, Navy Federal Credit Union and Fbc Mortgage scores highest on pricing while Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #1 in Birmingham, serving as the platform behind many independent local brokers who live and work in the community. A local broker knows the neighborhoods, the local market, and is personally invested in your outcome. Real estate agents often prefer referring local brokers for their accessibility and responsiveness, qualities that matter when a deal is moving fast. Pricing and experience can vary by broker.
Popular names in Birmingham: Rocket Mortgage (#5) and Regions Bank (#15).

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

Lenders often score differently for different loan products. Get tailored rankings by selecting your product type.

FHA Loans Conventional Loans VA Loans Jumbo Loans USDA Loans

By Institution Type

Some consumers only want to work with a credit union, bank, or focused mortgage company. See our rankings here!

Banks Credit Unions Mortgage Companies

Shopping for a mortgage? Click the heart icon to save lenders to My Home and make comparison painless.

Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,909Fees	0.166%Above	987
2	FBC MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,712Fees	0.002%Above	244
3	Trustmark National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,431Fees	0.216%Above	335
4	FirstBank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,176Fees	0.254%Above	346
5	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,045Fees	0.442%Above	848
6	GMFS LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,264Fees	0.119%Below	174
7	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$980Fees	0.445%Below	94
8	SouthState Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,208Fees	0.203%Above	394
9	LENDLO MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$2,576Fees	0.080%Above	124
10	Cadence Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,224Fees	0.160%Above	339
11	SouthPoint Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,393Fees	0.206%Above	289
12	ServisFirst Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$1,703Fees	0.122%Above	84
13	Renasant Bank BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,786Fees	0.264%Above	295
14	First Federal Bank, A FSB BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,407Fees	0.048%Above	187
15	Regions Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,692Fees	0.314%Above	708
16	Synovus Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,077Fees	0.235%Above	174
17	AVADIAN Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,143Fees	0.053%Above	153
18	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,447Fees	0.360%Above	584
19	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,635Fees	0.470%Above	362
20	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,980Fees	0.283%Above	345
21	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$1,969Fees	0.205%Above	83
22	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,424Fees	0.075%Above	61
23	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,636Fees	0.195%Above	168
24	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,857Fees	0.486%Above	145
25	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,041Fees	0.310%Above	357
26	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,184Fees	0.168%Above	187
27	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$2,137Fees	0.072%Above	126
28	Ameris Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$2,061Fees	0.153%Above	107
29	FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,713Fees	0.199%Above	70
30	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,136Fees	0.551%Above	65
31	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$58Credit	0.136%Above	52
32	APCO EMPLOYEES Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$740Fees	0.157%Above	43
33	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,813Fees	0.512%Above	264
34	Assurance Financial Group, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,823Fees	0.702%Above	176
35	MORTGAGE INVESTORS GROUP, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$2,826Fees	0.286%Above	68
36	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,000Fees	0.544%Above	251
37	Hamilton Mortgage Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,950Fees	0.376%Above	152
38	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,519Fees	0.091%Above	94
39	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$2,752Fees	0.235%Above	93
40	First Horizon Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,871Fees	0.132%Above	84
41	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,265Fees	0.319%Above	73
42	AMERICA'S FIRST Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Sound	Exceptional	$3,038Fees	0.164%Above	99
43	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$2,347Fees	0.243%Above	68
44	STOCKTON MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$4,424Fees	0.495%Above	148
45	ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$3,679Fees	0.530%Above	50
46	TOWNE MORTGAGE COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$2,234Fees	0.348%Above	34
47	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$3,401Fees	0.188%Above	44
48	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Sound	$2,337Fees	0.073%Above	40
49	CANOPY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$4,062Fees	0.591%Above	164
50	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,506Fees	0.445%Above	112

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Birmingham, AL?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 4 Ps framework, derived entirely from HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data: Pricing (how competitively a lender prices loans vs. the market benchmark), Pullthrough (how effectively a lender closes applications), Place (the lender's depth of expertise in Birmingham, AL), and Product (performance on specific loan types). Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0–100. No lender pays to appear in the rankings.

What is the Safe Rate Score?+

The Safe Rate Score is a 0–100 composite index measuring a lender's performance across Pricing, Pullthrough, Place, and Product. Scores of 80 or above earn Champion status; scores of 60–79 earn Superstar status. All scores are calculated from verified HMDA data — no lender can pay to improve their position.

How many mortgage lenders are active in Birmingham, AL?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 134 lenders originated a combined 13,445 loans in Birmingham, AL. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Birmingham, AL?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Birmingham, AL is 0.34%. Lenders in Safe Rate's top rankings consistently price below this median, meaning borrowers typically pay less interest over the life of their loan.

What is HMDA data and why does Safe Rate use it?+

HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) is a federal law requiring every mortgage lender to disclose every loan application annually — including rates, amounts, approvals, and denials. Safe Rate uses HMDA because it is government-verified, covers all lenders equally, and cannot be gamed. It is the most objective foundation available for lender rankings.

Does Safe Rate accept payment from lenders to appear in rankings?+

No. Safe Rate rankings are strictly data-driven. No lender can pay to appear in or improve their position in Safe Rate's rankings. The only factor that determines a lender's rank is their verified HMDA performance data.

What is the difference between a bank, credit union, and independent mortgage company?+

Banks and credit unions offer mortgages alongside checking, savings, and other products. Independent Mortgage Companies (IMCs) focus exclusively on originating loans and often offer more product variety and speed. In Birmingham, AL's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use a weighted average of scores across equally-weighted categories to evaluate lenders on a linear, raw performance scale.

Our Point System (Max 30 Points)

Pricing

Rate and fee competitiveness (33%)

Pull Through

Reliability in closing loans (33%)

Place

Local market expertise (33%)

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.

⚖️ Licensing & Disclosures

Lender rankings and market statistics are created by Dylan Hall, licensed mortgage loan officer (NMLS #1658740). Safe Rate is a mortgage technology platform; mortgage lending services are provided by PartnerOwn LLC dba Safe Rate Mortgage, a licensed mortgage broker and lender (NMLS #1590949). Safe Rate Mortgage is a lending partner of some of the lenders ranked on this page, and Safe Rate Inc. has software or service customers on this list; however, all rankings are calculated using objective, public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) datasets, completely independent of any corporate partnerships, client relationships, or compensation.