Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Knoxville

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 Lenders130

Total Loans12,347

Median Rate Spread0.27%

Knoxville Market Insights

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

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	MORTGAGE INVESTORS GROUP, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,609Fees	0.217%Above	1,596
2	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,323Fees	0.163%Above	909
3	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$782Fees	0.468%Below	104
4	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,248Fees	0.289%Above	1,012
5	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,291Fees	0.143%Above	86
6	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$20Fees	0.201%Above	123
7	RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Exceptional	Sound	—	—	52
8	Pinnacle Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,491Fees	0.050%Above	134
9	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	$2,360Fees	0.012%Above	46
10	Countybank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,092Fees	0.198%Above	111
11	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,397Fees	0.292%Above	454
12	Home Federal Bank of Tennessee BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,809Fees	0.358%Below	336
13	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,262Fees	0.099%Above	270
14	FirstBank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$2,009Fees	0.132%Above	90
15	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$2,976Fees	0.039%Below	82
16	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,688Fees	0.322%Above	116
17	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,311Fees	0.334%Above	293
18	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,594Fees	0.024%Above	186
19	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,567Fees	0.365%Above	386
20	First Horizon Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,159Fees	0.127%Above	139
21	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$3,147Fees	0.277%Above	127
22	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,079Fees	0.078%Below	100
23	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$3,577Fees	0.431%Above	89
24	FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	$3,260Fees	0.094%Above	53
25	ORNL Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Sound	Exceptional	$4,195Fees	0.066%Below	419
26	KNOXVILLE TVA EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,151Fees	0.208%Above	159
27	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,394Fees	0.226%Above	58
28	Y-12 Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,890Fees	0.021%Below	183
29	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$2,450Fees	0.337%Above	76
30	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Sound	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,505Fees	0.217%Above	37
31	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$1,135Fees	0.751%Above	242
32	Regions Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,691Fees	0.254%Above	180
33	CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$5,504Fees	0.386%Above	79
34	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Sound	$1,773Fees	0.356%Above	70
35	STOCKTON MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$4,257Fees	0.295%Above	206
36	Gateway First Bank BankDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,150Fees	0.491%Above	89
37	NexBank BankWholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,445Fees	0.474%Above	81
38	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Sound	$2,072Fees	0.169%Above	67
39	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$5,291Fees	0.549%Above	57
40	Commercial Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,014Fees	0.352%Below	56
41	Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$4,492Fees	0.448%Above	53
42	Renasant Bank BankDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	$2,297Fees	0.237%Above	29
43	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	$4,291Fees	0.287%Above	163
44	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$4,027Fees	0.240%Above	81
45	SmartBank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,234Fees	0.077%Above	49
46	EASTMAN CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$2,435Fees	0.324%Above	33
47	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$2,649Fees	0.222%Above	27
48	AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$2,922Fees	0.556%Above	99
49	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$3,889Fees	0.585%Above	93
50	KIND LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$1,886Fees	0.461%Above	30

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Knoxville, TN?+

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 Knoxville, TN), 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 Knoxville, TN?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 130 lenders originated a combined 12,347 loans in Knoxville, TN. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Knoxville, TN?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Knoxville, TN is 0.27%. 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 Knoxville, TN'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.