Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional 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 Conventional lender in Richmond, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Richmond, Navy Federal Credit Union and Capital Center 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 #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 (#4) and Virginia Credit Union (#1).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Richmond

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By Institution Type

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Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Product	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	Virginia Credit Union, Inc. Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$584Fees	0.188%Above	681
2	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,254Fees	0.058%Above	492
3	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$618Fees	0.417%Below	317
4	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,453Fees	0.284%Above	1,551
5	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,602Fees	0.035%Above	997
6	CAPITAL CENTER, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$612Fees	0.059%Above	653
7	First Heritage Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,111Fees	0.259%Above	622
8	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$693Credit	0.121%Above	189
9	First National Bank of Pennsylvania BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,116Fees	0.054%Above	205
10	United Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,846Fees	0.131%Above	584
11	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,026Fees	0.043%Above	338
12	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,463Fees	0.311%Above	607
13	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,574Fees	0.255%Below	111
14	Alcova Mortgage LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,885Fees	0.469%Above	455
15	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$597Fees	0.199%Below	110
16	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,569Fees	0.025%Above	225
17	C & F Mortgage Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$3,324Fees	0.322%Above	658
18	ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,255Fees	0.277%Above	422
19	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,804Fees	0.123%Above	229
20	Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,732Fees	0.256%Above	505
21	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,453Fees	0.166%Above	212
22	Atlantic Coast Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,706Fees	0.234%Above	209
23	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$4,268Fees	0.532%Above	495
24	Ameris Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,276Fees	0.141%Above	108
25	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,449Fees	0.411%Above	153
26	Towne Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$2,853Fees	0.305%Above	249
27	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,981Fees	0.437%Above	116
28	SWBC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,595Fees	0.441%Above	86
29	SouthState Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,742Fees	0.359%Above	53
30	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	$3,604Fees	0.215%Above	52
31	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,574Fees	0.301%Above	250
32	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,733Fees	0.170%Below	180
33	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$2,255Fees	0.197%Above	82
34	Fulton Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,527Fees	0.300%Above	117
35	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,397Fees	0.351%Above	95
36	PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,841Fees	0.407%Above	68
37	SOUTHERN TRUST MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$3,942Fees	0.444%Above	340
38	VILLAGE BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$3,018Fees	0.504%Above	237
39	AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,972Fees	0.336%Above	198
40	Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$3,835Fees	0.478%Above	142
41	FIRST HOME MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$4,090Fees	0.533%Above	88
42	NexBank BankWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,383Fees	0.052%Above	78
43	RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	—	Strong	Strong	Sound	—	—	51
44	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,868Fees	0.113%Above	46
45	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,587Fees	0.316%Above	44
46	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$4,320Fees	0.297%Above	39
47	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$2,266Fees	0.036%Above	352
48	Plains Commerce Bank BankWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,286Fees	0.300%Above	67
49	Atlantic Union Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,755Fees	0.125%Above	61
50	Towne First Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,328Fees	0.341%Above	244

❓ 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 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.