Safe Rate Rankings

Best VA Mortgage Lenders in California

Updated June 4, 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.
Total Lenders452
Total Loans284,401
Median Rate Spread0.24%

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RankLenderOverallPricingProductPull ThroughPlaceAvg FeesRate Spread# of LoansAction
1
UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Exceptional
Strong*
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,807Fees
0.135%Above
41,870
2
GUARANTEED RATE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$2,308Fees
0.142%Above
4,046
3
NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Credit UnionDirect
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
Sound
Strong
$580Fees
0.539%Below
1,546
4
U.S. Bank National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$820Credit
0.142%Below
8,858
5
CMG MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,918Fees
0.201%Above
2,821
6
ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,583Fees
0.180%Above
26,634
7
KIND LENDING, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$3,199Fees
0.335%Above
3,338
8
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
BankDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Sound
Exceptional
$2,238Fees
0.068%Above
7,658
9
LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$2,524Fees
0.036%Above
6,417
10
AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$1,746Fees
0.439%Above
1,343
11
INSPIRE HOME LOANS INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,214Fees
0.536%Above
683
12
FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$2,295Fees
0.151%Above
598
13
PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$1,574Fees
0.078%Above
3,610
14
THE LOAN STORE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$2,442Fees
0.279%Above
3,591
15
FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,563Fees
0.013%Above
2,227
16
MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$2,852Fees
0.324%Above
1,883
17
GUARANTEED RATE AFFINITY, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,545Fees
0.254%Above
1,170
18
ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$2,938Fees
0.315%Above
637
19
Flagstar Bank, N.A.
BankDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$2,818Fees
0.246%Above
2,514
20
PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$4,972Fees
0.349%Above
978
21
CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$3,608Fees
0.430%Above
6,498
22
FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$4,187Fees
0.393%Above
2,207
23
OriginPoint, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$2,143Fees
0.231%Above
754
24
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Sound
Exceptional
$241Fees
0.196%Below
6,267
25
Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$3,725Fees
0.420%Above
2,887
26
NEWREZ LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,558Fees
0.295%Above
2,476
27
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$4,493Fees
0.251%Above
2,398
28
RESICENTRAL, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Strong*
Strong
Strong
Strong
$1,357Fees
0.170%Above
738
29
OCMBC, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$3,771Fees
0.562%Above
4,583
30
GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$4,777Fees
0.321%Above
3,038
31
GOLDEN EMPIRE MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Exceptional
Exceptional
$4,902Fees
0.361%Above
2,371
32
STG MORTGAGE INC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Strong*
Strong
Sound
Strong
$2,161Fees
0.269%Above
707
33
Mortgage Research Center, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$3,718Fees
0.397%Above
1,584
34
BAY EQUITY LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,745Fees
0.185%Above
824
35
JMAC LENDING, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
Strong
Strong
$2,937Fees
0.365%Above
668
36
NATIONS DIRECT MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$3,193Fees
0.407%Above
642
37
AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$4,461Fees
0.438%Above
3,541
38
FRANKLIN LOAN CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,531Fees
0.445%Above
1,042
39
SUN WEST MORTGAGE COMPANY, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$4,263Fees
0.161%Above
882
40
PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$3,344Fees
0.432%Above
729
41
ZILLOW HOME LOANS, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Strong
Strong
$3,050Fees
0.240%Above
842
42
ALAMEDA MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Strong
Exceptional
Exceptional
$4,554Fees
0.492%Above
1,702
43
NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$3,283Fees
0.164%Above
1,418
44
NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Exceptional
Sound
Exceptional
$3,287Fees
0.424%Above
2,962
45
SUMMIT FUNDING, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$6,059Fees
0.528%Above
684
46
Synergy One Lending, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Strong
Strong
$4,224Fees
0.410%Above
662
47
AMWEST FUNDING CORP.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
2,519
48
Commerce Home Mortgage, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Mediocre*
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$3,381Fees
0.445%Above
1,617
49
EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Mediocre
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$4,892Fees
0.624%Above
823
50
Equity Prime Mortgage LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
Sound
Strong
$3,688Fees
0.543%Above
823

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 40 Points)

10
Pricing
Rate and fee competitiveness (25%)
10
Pull Through
Reliability in closing loans (25%)
10
Product
Specialization in the loan type (25%)
10
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.

⚖️ 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.