Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in Lincoln

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 Lenders44

Total Loans3,800

Median Rate Spread0.20%

Lincoln Market Insights

West Gate Bank is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in Lincoln, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Lincoln, Navy Federal Credit Union and Union Bank and Trust scores highest on Conventional pricing while Rocket Mortgage and West Gate Bank leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #11 in Lincoln, 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 Lincoln: Rocket Mortgage (#8) and Lincoln FSB of Nebraska (#2).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Lincoln

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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	WEST GATE BANK BankDirect & Wholesale	Exceptional	Exceptional*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$704Fees	0.136%Below	310
2	Lincoln FSB of Nebraska BankDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,173Fees	0.032%Below	547
3	Union Bank and Trust Company BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,070Fees	0.080%Below	356
4	Pinnacle Bank BankDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,097Fees	0.113%Below	231
5	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$761Fees	0.183%Above	144
6	CORNHUSKER BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$500Fees	0.094%Above	144
7	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,381Fees	0.223%Above	299
8	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$4,108Fees	0.335%Above	189
9	First National Bank of Omaha BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,248Fees	0.140%Above	85
10	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$693Fees	0.826%Below	22
11	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$2,049Fees	0.146%Above	53
12	CHARTER WEST BANK BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,526Fees	0.236%Above	184
13	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,482Fees	0.474%Above	153
14	Exchange Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Sound	$696Fees	0.179%Below	11
15	First Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,871Fees	0.117%Above	94
16	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,478Fees	0.107%Above	38
17	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,596Fees	0.228%Above	20
18	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,132Fees	0.168%Above	118
19	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,737Fees	0.291%Above	56
20	Security First Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$924Fees	0.040%Below	67
21	Citizens Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,463Fees	0.312%Above	13
22	NBKC BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	Acceptable	$476Fees	0.061%Below	10
23	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,181Fees	0.221%Above	16
24	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,962Fees	0.399%Above	24
25	LIBERTY FIRST CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,839Fees	0.028%Below	168
26	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$1,082Fees	0.130%Above	19
27	DELMAR FINANCIAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,863Fees	0.254%Above	45
28	Frontier Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$375Fees	0.245%Above	41
29	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,406Fees	0.178%Below	29
30	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,935Fees	0.399%Above	29
31	Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Grand Island BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	Sound	$909Fees	0.007%Above	13
32	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Acceptable	$1,902Fees	0.298%Above	10
33	Access Bank BankDirect	Sound	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	$1,914Fees	0.390%Above	10
34	Financial Funding Solutions, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Strong	Sound	Sound	Sound	$1,140Fees	0.076%Above	24
35	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,083Fees	0.416%Above	21
36	REGENT FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Sound	$2,032Fees	0.352%Above	17
37	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Sound	Sound	$2,127Fees	0.826%Above	29
38	Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,895Fees	0.533%Above	26
39	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,846Fees	0.384%Above	15
40	CHURCHILL MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,886Fees	0.514%Above	12
41	USAA Federal Savings Bank BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Acceptable	Sound	$1,195Fees	0.079%Below	17
42	Farm Credit Mid-America, ACA Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Mediocre*	Strong	Sound	Sound	$6,137Fees	0.486%Above	10

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Lincoln, NE?+

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 Lincoln, NE), 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 Lincoln, NE?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 44 lenders originated a combined 3,800 loans in Lincoln, NE. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Lincoln, NE?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Lincoln, NE is 0.20%. 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 Lincoln, NE'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.