Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Cincinnati

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 Lenders178

Total Loans29,097

Median Rate Spread0.37%

Cincinnati Market Insights

Victory Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Cincinnati, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Cincinnati: Bank: Lcnb National Bank (#2). Credit union: Wright Patt Credit Union (#3). Mortgage company: Victory Mortgage (#1).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Cincinnati, Victory Mortgage and Wright Patt Credit Union scores highest on pricing while United Wholesale Mortgage and Union Savings Bank Oh leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #5 in Cincinnati, 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 Cincinnati: Rocket Mortgage (#11) and Union Savings Bank Oh (#4).

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	VICTORY MORTGAGE, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$708Fees	0.053%Below	973
2	LCNB National Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$791Fees	0.084%Above	556
3	WRIGHT-PATT CREDIT UNION, INC. Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$143Fees	0.486%Below	243
4	Union Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,029Fees	0.164%Above	1,185
5	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,474Fees	0.297%Above	2,016
6	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$245Credit	0.321%Above	1,145
7	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,107Fees	0.239%Above	604
8	Guardian Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,159Fees	0.160%Above	765
9	Civista Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$611Fees	0.111%Above	147
10	GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$860Fees	0.051%Above	297
11	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,810Fees	0.380%Above	1,980
12	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$642Fees	0.524%Below	148
13	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$297Fees	0.257%Above	808
14	Third Federal Savings and Loan Association of Cleveland BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$563Fees	0.005%Below	258
15	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,118Fees	0.477%Above	687
16	RiverHills Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,400Fees	0.270%Above	248
17	Warsaw Federal Savings and Loan Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$807Fees	0.239%Above	196
18	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,719Fees	0.090%Below	77
19	FIRST EQUITY MORTGAGE INCORPORATED Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$859Fees	0.281%Above	429
20	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$354Credit	0.268%Above	208
21	SIBCY CLINE MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$1,521Fees	0.207%Above	161
22	KEMBA CREDIT UNION, INC. Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$818Fees	0.017%Above	104
23	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,625Fees	0.169%Above	448
24	RUOFF MORTGAGE COMPANY, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,642Fees	0.357%Above	373
25	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,922Fees	0.285%Above	93
26	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,390Fees	0.237%Above	858
27	First Financial Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,452Fees	0.517%Above	326
28	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,764Fees	0.518%Above	264
29	1st National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$1,203Fees	0.280%Above	186
30	Republic Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$859Fees	0.165%Above	83
31	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$3,185Fees	0.404%Above	202
32	Heartland Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,050Fees	0.243%Above	115
33	WesBanco Bank, Inc. BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,580Fees	0.225%Above	95
34	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,543Fees	0.601%Above	625
35	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,231Fees	0.618%Above	488
36	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,552Fees	0.375%Above	232
37	M/I FINANCIAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,823Fees	0.063%Below	225
38	CINFED Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	$650Fees	0.137%Above	131
39	3RD STREET FINANCIAL CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$935Fees	0.332%Above	114
40	STOCKTON MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,865Fees	0.419%Above	616
41	DAS Acquisition Company, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,016Fees	0.652%Above	326
42	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,354Fees	0.084%Above	155
43	The Park National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$970Fees	0.469%Above	110
44	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,830Fees	0.661%Above	882
45	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$1,369Fees	0.529%Above	360
46	PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,917Fees	0.481%Above	221
47	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$1,578Fees	0.498%Above	139
48	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$2,148Fees	0.127%Above	79
49	T2 FINANCIAL LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,550Fees	0.727%Above	124
50	GUARANTEED RATE AFFINITY, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,531Fees	0.457%Above	396

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Cincinnati, OH?+

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 Cincinnati, OH), 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 Cincinnati, OH?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 178 lenders originated a combined 29,097 loans in Cincinnati, OH. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Cincinnati, OH?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Cincinnati, OH is 0.37%. 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 Cincinnati, OH'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.