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Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in Riverside

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 5 PsRankings are calculated from observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place, plus Promptness when a lender has answered real shopper quote requests.
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.
Total Lenders250
Total Loans45,263
Median Rate Spread0.37%
Riverside Market Insights
  • Schoolsfirst is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in Riverside, leading on the 5 P's: pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, local knowledge, and promptness.
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Riverside, Schoolsfirst and Wells Fargo Bank National Association scores highest on Conventional pricing while Nmsi and United Wholesale Mortgage leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
  • United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #3 in Riverside, 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 Riverside: Rocket Mortgage (#17) and United Wholesale Mortgage (#3).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Riverside

Need rankings for a different loan product?

Shopping for a mortgage? Hit Get Quote on any lender to add it to My Home and request real quotes.

1
Schoolsfirst
Credit UnionDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$478Fees
2
JPMorgan Chase Bank
BankDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,734Fees
3
United Wholesale Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,170Fees
4
loanDepot
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,142Fees
5
NMSI
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,237Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,760Fees
7
Flagstar Bank
BankDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,896Fees
8
Movement Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,235Fees
9
CrossCountry Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,651Fees
10
Guaranteed Rate
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,471Fees
11
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,291Fees
12
CMG Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,391Fees
13
U.S. Bank National Association
BankDirectDoesn't respond
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$906Fees
14
Guild Mortgage Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,544Fees
15
First Colony Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,169Fees
16
Ark-La-Tex Financial Services
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,946Fees
17
Rocket Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & WholesaleDoesn't respond
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,050Fees
18
Navy Federal Credit Union
Credit UnionDirectDoesn't respond
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$753Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,831Credit
20
American Financial Network
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,646Fees
21
NewRez
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,872Fees
22
Amwest Funding
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees—
23
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,987Fees
24
PrimeLending
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$5,543Fees
25
Bay Equity
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,138Fees
26
Paramount Residential Mortgage Group
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,922Fees
27
New American Funding
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,289Fees
28
Golden Empire Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,777Fees
29
Kind Lending
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,052Fees
30
American Pacific Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$5,706Fees
31
NFM
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,075Fees
32
Nations Direct Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,429Fees
33
Prosperity Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,134Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,039Fees
35
Plaza Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,491Fees
36
PennyMac Loan Services
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & WholesaleDoesn't respond
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,000Fees
37
Freedom Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,572Fees
38
Planet Home Lending
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,860Fees
39
Franklin Loan Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,498Fees
40
Nationstar Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,762Fees
41
Bank of America
BankDirectDoesn't respond
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,714Fees
42
Inspire Home Loans
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,417Fees
43
GoodLeap
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$5,874Fees
44
FBC Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$4,298Fees
45
OCMBC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,713Fees
46
Mortgage Research Center
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,162Fees
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,597Fees
48
Provident Funding Associates
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesaleDoesn't respond
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,476Fees
49
Citibank
BankDirectDoesn't respond
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$907Fees
50
The Loan Store
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesaleDoesn't respond
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,811Fees

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Riverside?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 5 Ps framework. Four are derived 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 Riverside), and Product (performance on specific loan types). The fifth, Promptness, is behavioral: it credits lenders who answer real shopper quote requests quickly. Lenders with no measured requests yet are counted at an estimated 50. Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0 to 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 the 5 P's: Pricing, Pullthrough, Place, Product, and Promptness. Scores of 80 or above earn Champion status; scores of 60–79 earn Superstar status. Four of the P's are calculated from verified HMDA data and Promptness from real shopper quote requests — no lender can pay to improve their position.

How many mortgage lenders are active in Riverside?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 250 lenders originated a combined 45,263 loans in Riverside. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Riverside is 0.37%. 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 Riverside's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use an equal-weight average of scores across the 5 Ps: Pricing, Product, Pull-Through, Place, and Promptness. Promptness measures how quickly a lender answers real shopper quote requests; a lender with none measured yet is counted at an estimate.

Our Point System (Max 50 Points)

10/ 50 pts
Pricing
How competitively a lender prices vs. the market benchmark (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Product
Performance on your specific loan type (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Pull Through
How reliably a lender closes the loans it starts (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Place
Depth of a lender's expertise in your local market (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Promptness
How quickly a lender answers real quote requests — blended in once they respond (20%).

Data Integrity & Updates

Data is updated quarterly based on the latest HMDA filings and proprietary Safe Rate 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.