Safe Rate Rankings

Best FHA Mortgage Lenders in Fayetteville

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 Lenders101

Total Loans8,823

Median Rate Spread0.17%

Fayetteville Market Insights

Priority Bank is Safe Rate's top-ranked FHA lender in Fayetteville, leading on pricing, pullthrough, FHA product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Fayetteville, First Western Mortgage and The First National Bank of Fort Smith scores highest on FHA pricing while Priority Bank and Lendlo Mortgage leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #4 in Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville: Rocket Mortgage (#5) and Arvest Bank (#2).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Fayetteville

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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	Priority Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,186Fees	0.001%Above	228
2	Arvest Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,504Fees	0.215%Above	1,176
3	LENDLO MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,500Fees	0.498%Above	403
4	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,167Fees	0.081%Below	264
5	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,953Fees	0.218%Above	665
6	FLAT BRANCH MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,004Fees	0.166%Above	559
7	ASSOCIATED MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,308Fees	0.169%Above	288
8	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,605Fees	0.000%Above	181
9	FIRST WESTERN MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Strong	$597Fees	0.001%Above	75
10	The First National Bank of Fort Smith BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,842Fees	0.035%Above	110
11	Centennial Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$1,756Fees	0.115%Above	418
12	Simmons Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,567Fees	0.235%Above	101
13	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,897Fees	0.036%Below	47
14	MY MOVE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,343Fees	0.075%Above	150
15	Eagle Bank and Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$1,687Fees	0.116%Above	94
16	Gateway First Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,658Fees	0.149%Above	185
17	The Central Trust Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,803Fees	0.344%Above	93
18	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,825Fees	0.424%Above	48
19	COMMUNITY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	$2,660Fees	0.244%Above	47
20	Cadence Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,709Fees	0.153%Above	35
21	Regions Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,982Fees	0.203%Above	122
22	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,451Fees	0.217%Above	31
23	ENCORE BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,599Fees	0.220%Above	100
24	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,292Fees	0.315%Above	82
25	BANK OF LITTLE ROCK MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$959Fees	0.224%Above	65
26	First Horizon Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,477Fees	0.032%Above	122
27	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$3,467Fees	0.287%Above	87
28	BOKF, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,402Fees	0.355%Above	67
29	UNITED FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,321Fees	0.165%Below	62
30	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,835Fees	0.020%Above	38
31	HIGHLANDS RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, LTD. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,213Fees	0.301%Above	101
32	Bank of England BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,974Fees	0.133%Above	31
33	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,527Fees	0.369%Above	25
34	American Mortgage Bank, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,510Fees	0.738%Above	48
35	T2 FINANCIAL LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$3,019Fees	0.439%Above	22
36	GENEVA FINANCIAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$4,849Fees	0.718%Above	100
37	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,737Fees	0.610%Above	63
38	MORTGAGE ASSURANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Strong*	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,953Fees	0.198%Above	28
39	ZILLOW HOME LOANS, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,390Fees	0.217%Above	43
40	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$4,374Fees	0.551%Above	69
41	LEADERONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,420Fees	0.527%Above	41
42	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,221Fees	0.523%Above	19
43	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,193Fees	0.223%Above	26
44	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,900Fees	0.126%Above	64
45	Luminate Home Loans, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,848Fees	0.470%Above	44
46	Click n' Close, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	—	—	28

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Fayetteville?+

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 Fayetteville), 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 Fayetteville?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 101 lenders originated a combined 8,823 loans in Fayetteville. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Fayetteville is 0.17%. 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 Fayetteville'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.