Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in Montana

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 Lenders90

Total Loans9,910

Median Rate Spread0.17%

Montana Market Insights

United Wholesale Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in Montana, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Montana, Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association and Navy Federal Credit Union 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 Montana, 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 Montana: Rocket Mortgage (#3) and Stockman Bank of Monta (#5).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Montana

Need rankings for a different loan product?

FHA Loans VA Loans Jumbo Loans USDA Loans

By Institution Type

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	Product	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,936Fees	0.056%Above	821
2	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,118Fees	0.075%Above	216
3	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,224Fees	0.290%Above	696
4	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$946Fees	0.549%Below	64
5	Stockman Bank of Montana BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$3,463Fees	0.052%Above	1,017
6	Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	Sound	$496Fees	0.472%Below	33
7	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,449Fees	0.110%Above	389
8	VALLEY FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$3,373Fees	0.677%Below	100
9	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,505Fees	0.118%Above	65
10	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,787Fees	0.067%Above	30
11	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,847Fees	0.404%Above	439
12	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,965Fees	0.144%Above	303
13	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,438Fees	0.111%Above	109
14	Altana Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$1,749Fees	1.062%Below	60
15	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,699Fees	0.234%Above	155
16	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,366Fees	0.316%Above	121
17	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,459Fees	0.136%Above	92
18	NBKC BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	Sound	$761Fees	0.086%Below	32
19	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,170Fees	0.272%Above	104
20	Glacier Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$3,654Fees	0.126%Above	592
21	EVERGREEN MONEYSOURCE MORTGAGE COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$4,985Fees	0.260%Above	523
22	PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,055Fees	0.136%Above	111
23	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,849Fees	0.275%Above	73
24	Opportunity Bank of Montana BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$3,381Fees	0.038%Above	496
25	KIND LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,708Fees	0.287%Above	176
26	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,372Fees	0.192%Above	153
27	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,778Fees	0.053%Below	120
28	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$962Fees	0.030%Below	72
29	Servion, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	Sound	$3,142Fees	0.299%Above	48
30	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,253Fees	0.156%Above	94
31	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,925Fees	0.388%Above	86
32	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,069Fees	0.141%Above	29
33	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$3,389Fees	0.668%Above	23
34	CORNERSTONE CAPITAL BANK, SSB BankDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$5,483Fees	0.445%Above	134
35	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,868Fees	0.400%Above	66
36	Montana Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	—	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$395Fees	0.044%Above	46
37	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,484Fees	0.214%Above	34
38	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$3,197Fees	0.142%Above	81
39	BILLINGS Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	Strong	$3,741Fees	0.335%Below	47
40	GoPrime Mortgage, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	Strong	$5,367Fees	0.282%Above	73
41	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,172Fees	0.495%Above	336
42	CHURCHILL MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,666Fees	0.289%Above	126
43	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$3,650Fees	0.695%Above	53
44	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$5,493Fees	0.519%Above	47
45	BMO Bank National Association BankDirect	Sound	Strong	Strong	Sound	Sound	$984Fees	0.285%Above	23
46	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Sound	Strong	$3,829Fees	0.051%Below	112
47	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,664Fees	0.381%Above	74
48	CLEARWATER Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	Strong	$2,196Fees	0.263%Below	67
49	Synergy One Lending, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$4,152Fees	0.289%Above	82
50	Ixonia Bank BankDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,000Fees	0.737%Above	33

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Montana?+

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 Montana), 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 Montana?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 90 lenders originated a combined 9,910 loans in Montana. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

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