Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in San Rafael

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 Lenders29

Total Loans1,476

Median Rate Spread-0.02%

San Rafael Market Insights

Us Bank National Association is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in San Rafael, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In San Rafael, Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association and Citibank National Association 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 #2 in San Rafael, 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 San Rafael: Rocket Mortgage (#4) and Wells Fargo Bank National Association (#3).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in San Rafael

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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	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$515Credit	0.209%Below	92
2	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,814Fees	0.064%Above	136
3	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$318Credit	0.303%Below	200
4	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,366Fees	0.044%Above	137
5	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$436Credit	0.385%Below	63
6	Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	Strong	$220Fees	0.544%Below	44
7	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,987Fees	0.059%Below	60
8	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$235Credit	0.027%Below	32
9	Citibank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,390Credit	0.318%Below	32
10	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,931Fees	0.379%Above	97
11	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Acceptable	$0Fees	0.751%Below	10
12	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,601Fees	0.119%Above	62
13	BMO Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$756Credit	0.064%Below	51
14	Charles Schwab Bank, SSB BankWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	Strong	$579Fees	0.364%Below	43
15	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,975Fees	0.262%Above	66
16	Ameris Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$266Credit	0.011%Above	18
17	REDWOOD Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$230Fees	0.055%Below	38
18	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,534Fees	0.016%Below	22
19	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$1,635Fees	0.466%Above	15
20	MASON MCDUFFIE MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	Strong	$3,105Fees	0.386%Above	36
21	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$107Credit	0.163%Above	21
22	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	$2,119Fees	0.063%Below	11
23	EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$4,711Fees	0.512%Above	39
24	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$1,054Fees	0.298%Above	27
25	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Sound	Sound	$2,853Fees	0.432%Above	20
26	GUARANTEED RATE AFFINITY, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$2,552Fees	0.110%Above	40
27	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	Acceptable	$6,393Fees	0.816%Below	10
28	OriginPoint, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	Strong	$3,121Fees	0.307%Above	41

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in San Rafael, CA?+

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 San Rafael, CA), 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 San Rafael, CA?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 29 lenders originated a combined 1,476 loans in San Rafael, CA. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in San Rafael, CA?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in San Rafael, CA is -0.02%. 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 San Rafael, CA'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.