Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in Des Moines

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 Lenders81

Total Loans10,578

Median Rate Spread0.19%

Des Moines Market Insights

Greenstate Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in Des Moines, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Des Moines, Luana Savings Bank and Community Choice Credit Union scores highest on Conventional pricing while West Gate Bank and Central Bank Ia leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #11 in Des Moines, 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 Des Moines: Rocket Mortgage (#13) and Greenstate Credit Union (#1).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Des Moines

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By Institution Type

Banks Credit Unions Mortgage Companies

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Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Product	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	GREENSTATE Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$463Fees	0.241%Below	1,317
2	VERIDIAN CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$374Fees	0.238%Below	703
3	IOWA BANKERS MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Exceptional	Exceptional*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,172Fees	0.155%Below	500
4	Community Choice Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,098Fees	0.271%Below	448
5	Northwest Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,006Fees	0.055%Below	316
6	Luana Savings Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$776Credit	0.191%Below	294
7	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$859Fees	0.119%Above	222
8	WEST GATE BANK BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$853Fees	0.187%Below	36
9	DUPACO COMMUNITY Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$1,488Fees	0.343%Below	33
10	Central Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	$1,086Fees	0.332%Below	128
11	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,659Fees	0.081%Above	262
12	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,336Fees	0.066%Below	393
13	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$3,625Fees	0.374%Above	368
14	Fortress Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,652Fees	0.300%Above	362
15	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,684Fees	0.159%Above	95
16	GREATER IOWA CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	Strong	$234Fees	0.289%Above	69
17	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$667Fees	0.764%Below	30
18	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,817Fees	0.034%Above	174
19	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,260Fees	0.282%Above	237
20	Farmers State Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	Strong	$729Fees	0.168%Below	48
21	The Central Trust Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,671Fees	0.293%Above	82
22	Empeople Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$596Fees	0.361%Below	77
23	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,192Fees	0.086%Below	37
24	Lincoln Savings Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,626Fees	0.011%Below	131
25	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,828Fees	0.478%Above	94
26	Bankers Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	Strong	$596Fees	0.124%Below	70
27	Great Southern Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,707Fees	0.107%Above	26
28	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,473Fees	0.423%Above	140
29	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,531Fees	0.414%Above	126
30	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,133Fees	0.489%Above	122
31	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,063Fees	0.276%Above	81
32	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$2,401Fees	0.435%Above	521
33	FINANCIAL PLUS CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$762Fees	0.501%Below	48
34	HOMESERVICES LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$2,467Fees	0.265%Above	419
35	Fidelity Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,411Fees	0.237%Above	210
36	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,866Fees	0.511%Above	150
37	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,335Fees	0.351%Above	63
38	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,695Fees	0.296%Above	28
39	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,649Fees	0.393%Above	41
40	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,104Fees	0.657%Above	137
41	PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,540Fees	0.352%Above	54
42	STOCKTON MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,400Fees	0.596%Above	97
43	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,308Fees	0.025%Below	55
44	CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,019Fees	0.844%Above	51
45	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,319Fees	0.495%Above	45
46	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$1,331Fees	0.161%Above	27
47	Bank Iowa BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,528Fees	0.063%Above	108
48	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,003Fees	0.302%Above	55
49	AMERIHOME MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	Sound	$2,977Fees	0.560%Above	41
50	COMPASS MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$3,575Fees	0.397%Above	50

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Des Moines?+

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 Des Moines), 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 Des Moines?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 81 lenders originated a combined 10,578 loans in Des Moines. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Des Moines?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Des Moines is 0.19%. 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 Des Moines'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 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.

⚖️ 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.