Safe Rate Rankings

Best VA 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 VA lender in Des Moines, leading on pricing, pullthrough, VA product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Des Moines, Veridian Credit Union and Navy Federal Credit Union scores highest on VA pricing while Community Choice Credit Union and Homeservices Lending leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #5 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 (#14) 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	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$374Fees	0.238%Below	703
3	Community Choice Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,098Fees	0.271%Below	448
4	HOMESERVICES LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,467Fees	0.265%Above	419
5	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Exceptional	Strong*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,659Fees	0.081%Above	262
6	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,336Fees	0.066%Below	393
7	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,531Fees	0.414%Above	126
8	IOWA BANKERS MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,172Fees	0.155%Below	500
9	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$667Fees	0.764%Below	30
10	Fortress Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,652Fees	0.300%Above	362
11	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$859Fees	0.119%Above	222
12	Northwest Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,006Fees	0.055%Below	316
13	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$3,063Fees	0.276%Above	81
14	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$3,625Fees	0.374%Above	368
15	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,828Fees	0.478%Above	94
16	Fidelity Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,411Fees	0.237%Above	210
17	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,426Fees	0.443%Above	56
18	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,308Fees	0.025%Below	55
19	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,695Fees	0.296%Above	28
20	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,817Fees	0.034%Above	174
21	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,473Fees	0.423%Above	140
22	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,241Fees	0.416%Above	127
23	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,003Fees	0.302%Above	55
24	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,319Fees	0.495%Above	45
25	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$2,401Fees	0.435%Above	521
26	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,866Fees	0.511%Above	150
27	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,104Fees	0.657%Above	137
28	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,260Fees	0.282%Above	237
29	LAND HOME FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$3,662Fees	0.273%Above	64
30	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,331Fees	0.161%Above	27

❓ 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.