Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Richmond

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 Lenders150

Total Loans18,305

Median Rate Spread0.26%

Richmond Market Insights

Virginia Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Richmond, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Richmond: Bank: United Bank VA (#6). Credit union: Virginia Credit Union (#1). Mortgage company: Capital Center (#2).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Richmond, Navy Federal Credit Union and Capital Center scores highest on 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 #5 in Richmond, 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 Richmond: Rocket Mortgage (#8) and Virginia Credit Union (#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	Virginia Credit Union, Inc. Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$584Fees	0.188%Above	681
2	CAPITAL CENTER, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$612Fees	0.059%Above	653
3	First Heritage Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,111Fees	0.259%Above	622
4	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$618Fees	0.417%Below	317
5	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,602Fees	0.035%Above	997
6	United Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,846Fees	0.131%Above	584
7	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,254Fees	0.058%Above	492
8	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,453Fees	0.284%Above	1,551
9	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$693Credit	0.121%Above	189
10	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,574Fees	0.255%Below	111
11	C & F Mortgage Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,324Fees	0.322%Above	658
12	Alcova Mortgage LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,885Fees	0.469%Above	455
13	VILLAGE BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Strong	Exceptional	$3,018Fees	0.504%Above	237
14	First National Bank of Pennsylvania BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,116Fees	0.054%Above	205
15	RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Exceptional	Sound	—	—	51
16	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,463Fees	0.311%Above	607
17	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$2,266Fees	0.036%Above	352
18	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Sound	Strong	$597Fees	0.199%Below	110
19	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,732Fees	0.256%Above	505
20	ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,255Fees	0.277%Above	422
21	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,268Fees	0.532%Above	495
22	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,026Fees	0.043%Above	338
23	Towne Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,853Fees	0.305%Above	249
24	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,804Fees	0.123%Above	229
25	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,569Fees	0.025%Above	225
26	Atlantic Coast Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,706Fees	0.234%Above	209
27	Towne First Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,328Fees	0.341%Above	244
28	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$1,733Fees	0.170%Below	180
29	Ameris Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$3,276Fees	0.141%Above	108
30	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$1,453Fees	0.166%Above	212
31	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Sound	$2,587Fees	0.316%Above	44
32	SOUTHERN TRUST MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Strong	Exceptional	$3,942Fees	0.444%Above	340
33	SWBC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,595Fees	0.441%Above	86
34	Atlantic Union Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,755Fees	0.125%Above	61
35	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$3,604Fees	0.215%Above	52
36	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$1,409Fees	0.847%Above	260
37	Presidential Bank, FSB BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,084Fees	0.425%Above	199
38	Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,835Fees	0.478%Above	142
39	Tidewater Home Funding, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$2,929Fees	0.027%Below	55
40	SouthState Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	$1,742Fees	0.359%Above	53
41	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,449Fees	0.411%Above	153
42	Fulton Bank, National Association BankDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Strong	$1,527Fees	0.300%Above	117
43	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,981Fees	0.437%Above	116
44	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	$2,255Fees	0.197%Above	82
45	AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$2,972Fees	0.336%Above	198
46	TIDEWATER MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$5,112Fees	0.326%Above	95
47	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Sound	Strong	$2,574Fees	0.301%Above	250
48	FIRST HOME MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	$4,090Fees	0.533%Above	88
49	NexBank BankWholesale	Sound	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,383Fees	0.052%Above	78
50	PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,841Fees	0.407%Above	68

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Richmond, VA?+

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 Richmond, VA), 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 Richmond, VA?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 150 lenders originated a combined 18,305 loans in Richmond, VA. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Richmond, VA?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Richmond, VA is 0.26%. 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 Richmond, VA'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.