Safe Rate Rankings

Best Conventional Mortgage Lenders in South Carolina

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 Lenders345

Total Loans79,023

Median Rate Spread0.29%

South Carolina Market Insights

Navy Federal Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked Conventional lender in South Carolina, leading on pricing, pullthrough, Conventional product expertise, and local knowledge.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In South Carolina, Safe Federal Credit Union 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 #4 in South Carolina, 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.
Rocket Mortgage ranks #3 in South Carolina, the nation's largest lender by volume.

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in South Carolina

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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	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$1,122Fees	0.504%Below	1,017
2	SAFE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$574Fees	0.094%Below	315
3	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,996Fees	0.306%Above	5,799
4	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,852Fees	0.090%Above	3,809
5	Truist Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,077Fees	0.109%Above	628
6	First Reliance Bank BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Strong	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,719Fees	0.106%Above	679
7	First Palmetto Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$1,110Fees	0.037%Above	432
8	STATE EMPLOYEES' Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,173Fees	0.714%Below	250
9	First Heritage Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,577Fees	0.146%Above	1,089
10	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,517Fees	0.056%Below	600
11	First National Bank of Pennsylvania BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$1,194Fees	0.007%Above	366
12	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$458Fees	0.112%Above	238
13	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,380Fees	0.337%Above	3,120
14	Ameris Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,896Fees	0.184%Above	1,480
15	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,981Fees	0.078%Above	919
16	NATION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	—	—	300
17	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,633Fees	0.177%Below	1,553
18	SouthState Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$1,899Fees	0.213%Above	1,165
19	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$1,976Fees	0.087%Above	811
20	FOUNDERS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$489Fees	0.234%Below	537
21	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,166Fees	0.363%Above	1,879
22	VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,247Fees	0.026%Above	1,302
23	First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$1,420Fees	0.007%Above	1,145
24	PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,889Fees	0.218%Above	1,294
25	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,369Fees	0.525%Above	1,062
26	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,554Fees	0.347%Above	814
27	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$174Fees	0.026%Below	416
28	NBKC BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Sound	Strong	$475Fees	0.156%Below	214
29	ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,164Fees	0.452%Above	838
30	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,464Fees	0.270%Above	782
31	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,255Fees	0.377%Above	467
32	American Security Mortgage Corp. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,041Fees	0.138%Above	242
33	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,602Fees	0.538%Above	1,294
34	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,228Fees	0.285%Above	476
35	Renasant Bank BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,335Fees	0.237%Above	432
36	VELOCIO MORTGAGE L.L.C. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$871Fees	0.932%Below	399
37	First Federal Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,907Fees	0.016%Below	297
38	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$3,090Fees	0.491%Above	929
39	Gateway First Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Exceptional	$2,453Fees	0.491%Above	507
40	RESOURCE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$2,429Fees	0.304%Above	695
41	Southern First Bank BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	$1,788Fees	0.221%Above	517
42	T2 FINANCIAL LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,462Fees	0.632%Above	468
43	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,026Fees	0.589%Above	462
44	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,459Fees	0.207%Above	311
45	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$3,169Fees	0.168%Above	305
46	Atlantic Coast Mortgage, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$3,899Fees	0.320%Above	256
47	Alcova Mortgage LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	$2,512Fees	0.427%Above	200
48	SRP Federal Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	Strong	$2,828Fees	0.149%Below	176
49	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$1,798Fees	0.017%Above	560
50	Regions Bank BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$2,326Fees	0.105%Above	341

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in South Carolina?+

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 South Carolina), 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 South Carolina?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 345 lenders originated a combined 79,023 loans in South Carolina. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in South Carolina is 0.29%. 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 South Carolina'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.