Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Companie Lenders in St. Petersburg

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 Lenders159

Total Loans9,727

Median Rate Spread0.31%

St. Petersburg Market Insights

United Wholesale Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked mortgage company in St. Petersburg, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In St. Petersburg, Provident Funding Associates LP and Fbc Mortgage 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 #1 in St. Petersburg, 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 St. Petersburg: Rocket Mortgage (#2) and United Wholesale Mortgage (#1).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in St. Petersburg

By Loan Product

FHA Loans Conventional Loans VA Loans Jumbo Loans

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Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,155Fees	0.239%Above	1,431
2	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$4,290Fees	0.271%Above	960
3	GERSHMAN INVESTMENT CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$2,940Fees	0.500%Above	90
4	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Sound	Strong	$1,640Fees	0.071%Below	66
5	FBC MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Strong*	Exceptional	Sound	$1,932Fees	0.384%Above	36
6	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,078Fees	0.207%Above	182
7	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,379Fees	0.044%Below	173
8	MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,674Fees	0.443%Above	175
9	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Strong	$3,496Fees	0.304%Above	204
10	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$3,609Fees	0.392%Above	78
11	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$3,837Fees	0.476%Above	415
12	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,766Fees	0.511%Above	138
13	NFM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,044Fees	0.395%Above	126
14	CMG MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,651Fees	0.185%Above	97
15	KIND LENDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$1,845Fees	0.347%Above	94
16	CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,659Fees	0.370%Above	87
17	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$3,210Fees	0.372%Above	73
18	Mortgage Research Center, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$1,789Credit	0.245%Above	137
19	THE MORTGAGE FIRM, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$3,188Fees	0.549%Above	104
20	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Strong	$2,330Fees	0.256%Above	58
21	NEWREZ LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Sound	Strong	$2,391Fees	0.410%Above	206
22	VAN DYK MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,568Fees	0.441%Above	118
23	LOWER, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$2,914Fees	0.219%Above	110
24	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Strong	$3,143Fees	0.471%Above	95
25	HOMEOWNERS FINANCIAL GROUP USA, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Strong	$3,738Fees	0.444%Above	104
26	EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Exceptional	Strong	$3,165Fees	0.664%Above	130
27	AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$3,460Fees	0.735%Above	87
28	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Exceptional	Sound	$3,684Fees	0.473%Above	49
29	Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$3,545Fees	0.519%Above	32
30	NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$2,477Fees	0.150%Above	85
31	Waterstone Mortgage Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Mediocre	Strong	Strong	$4,390Fees	0.550%Above	83
32	MICHIGAN MUTUAL, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$3,730Fees	0.538%Above	37
33	AMWEST FUNDING CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	—	Strong	Sound	—	—	23
34	NATIONS DIRECT MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$2,999Fees	0.487%Above	22
35	Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$3,340Fees	0.541%Above	57
36	BAY EQUITY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Strong	Sound	$2,071Fees	0.194%Above	30
37	EMM LOANS LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$3,416Fees	0.339%Above	25
38	GoodLeap, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Sound	Sound	Sound	$4,340Fees	0.679%Below	25
39	RESICENTRAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Sound*	Sound	Sound	$2,066Fees	0.435%Above	23
40	GUARANTEED RATE AFFINITY, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,660Fees	0.176%Above	59
41	PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$3,254Fees	0.575%Above	29
42	TIDEWATER MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$1,684Fees	0.579%Above	23
43	ZILLOW HOME LOANS, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$2,778Fees	0.618%Above	37
44	LEADERONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Strong	Sound	$4,149Fees	0.421%Above	33
45	SUN WEST MORTGAGE COMPANY, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$3,526Fees	0.433%Above	32
46	NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	$3,380Fees	0.526%Above	82
47	LEGEND LENDING CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	$3,675Fees	0.381%Above	44
48	GOLD STAR MORTGAGE FINANCIAL GROUP, CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Strong	Sound	$3,174Fees	0.314%Above	25
49	PREFERRED LENDING SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Sound	Acceptable	Sound	Strong	$2,861Fees	0.452%Above	38
50	JMAC LENDING, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Sound	Acceptable*	Sound	Sound	$1,750Fees	0.299%Above	37

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in St. Petersburg?+

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 St. Petersburg), 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 St. Petersburg?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 159 lenders originated a combined 9,727 loans in St. Petersburg. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in St. Petersburg?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in St. Petersburg is 0.31%. 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 St. Petersburg'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.