Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional 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

United Wholesale Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in Knoxville, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
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 Conventional 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 #1 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 (#2) and Mortgage Investors Group (#4).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Knoxville

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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	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,323Fees	0.163%Above	909
2	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,248Fees	0.289%Above	1,012
3	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$782Fees	0.468%Below	104
4	MORTGAGE INVESTORS GROUP, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,609Fees	0.217%Above	1,596
5	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$20Fees	0.201%Above	123
6	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,291Fees	0.143%Above	86
7	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,397Fees	0.292%Above	454
8	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,079Fees	0.078%Below	100
9	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,360Fees	0.012%Above	46
10	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,567Fees	0.365%Above	386
11	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,311Fees	0.334%Above	293
12	Pinnacle Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,491Fees	0.050%Above	134
13	FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,262Fees	0.099%Above	270
14	First Horizon Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,159Fees	0.127%Above	139
15	FirstBank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,009Fees	0.132%Above	90
16	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,688Fees	0.322%Above	116
17	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,577Fees	0.431%Above	89
18	Home Federal Bank of Tennessee BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$3,809Fees	0.358%Below	336
19	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,394Fees	0.226%Above	58
20	Regions Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,691Fees	0.254%Above	180
21	FIRST COLONY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,260Fees	0.094%Above	53
22	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,505Fees	0.217%Above	37
23	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,594Fees	0.024%Above	186
24	KNOXVILLE TVA EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$3,151Fees	0.208%Above	159
25	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,976Fees	0.039%Below	82
26	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,450Fees	0.337%Above	76
27	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$1,773Fees	0.356%Above	70
28	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,072Fees	0.169%Above	67
29	STOCKTON MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,257Fees	0.295%Above	206
30	Countybank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,092Fees	0.198%Above	111
31	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,574Fees	0.597%Above	98
32	Gateway First Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,150Fees	0.491%Above	89
33	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,027Fees	0.240%Above	81
34	EASTMAN CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,435Fees	0.324%Above	33
35	ORNL Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$4,195Fees	0.066%Below	419
36	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,291Fees	0.287%Above	163
37	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,227Fees	0.276%Above	144
38	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,889Fees	0.585%Above	93
39	NexBank BankWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,445Fees	0.474%Above	81
40	CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$5,504Fees	0.386%Above	79
41	RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Strong	Strong	Sound	—	—	52
42	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,649Fees	0.222%Above	27
43	AMERIHOME MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	Sound	$1,421Fees	0.341%Above	53
44	Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,492Fees	0.448%Above	53
45	Renasant Bank BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,297Fees	0.237%Above	29
46	AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,922Fees	0.556%Above	99
47	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$4,176Fees	0.543%Above	90
48	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$5,291Fees	0.549%Above	57
49	PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,178Fees	0.325%Above	34
50	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,328Fees	0.060%Above	104

❓ 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 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.