Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Fargo

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 Lenders40

Total Loans2,699

Median Rate Spread0.06%

Fargo Market Insights

Valley Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Fargo, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Fargo: Bank: Gate City Bank (#2). Credit union: Town and Country Credit Union (#3). Mortgage company: Valley Mortgage (#1).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Fargo, Valley Mortgage and Us Bank National Association 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 #5 in Fargo, 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 Fargo: Rocket Mortgage (#8) and Gate City Bank (#2).

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

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	VALLEY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,808Fees	0.277%Below	211
2	Gate City Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,883Fees	0.221%Below	387
3	TOWN AND COUNTRY Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,858Fees	0.027%Below	191
4	First International Bank & Trust BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,161Fees	0.000%Above	176
5	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,210Fees	0.239%Above	184
6	Bell Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,382Fees	0.051%Above	295
7	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$921Fees	0.004%Above	39
8	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,327Fees	0.351%Above	114
9	CAPITAL Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$3,945Fees	0.255%Below	53
10	FIRST COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$2,676Fees	0.327%Below	101
11	Dacotah Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,734Fees	0.047%Below	21
12	Alerus Financial, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	$165Fees	0.172%Below	32
13	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$1,278Fees	0.200%Below	45
14	FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,697Fees	0.186%Above	42
15	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,196Fees	0.056%Below	109
16	Western State Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	$1,532Fees	0.218%Below	54
17	First Western Bank & Trust BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	$2,485Fees	0.081%Below	26
18	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Sound	$3,265Fees	0.358%Above	27
19	Cambria Financial Group, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,714Fees	0.311%Above	75
20	Bremer Bank, National Association BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Strong	$2,711Fees	0.049%Below	69
21	BAY EQUITY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Strong	$3,795Fees	0.117%Above	43
22	PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Strong	$3,346Fees	0.375%Above	94
23	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$302Fees	1.258%Above	49
24	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Sound	$3,613Fees	0.438%Above	23
25	Choice Financial Group BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	$2,789Fees	0.034%Below	36
26	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Sound	Sound	$2,288Fees	0.356%Above	28

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Fargo, ND?+

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 Fargo, ND), 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 Fargo, ND?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 40 lenders originated a combined 2,699 loans in Fargo, ND. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Fargo, ND?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Fargo, ND is 0.06%. 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 Fargo, ND'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.