Safe Rate Rankings

Best VA Mortgage Lenders in Syracuse

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.
Total Lenders49
Total Loans5,037
Median Rate Spread0.28%
Syracuse Market Insights
  • Sefcu Services is Safe Rate's top-ranked VA lender in Syracuse, leading on pricing, pullthrough, VA product expertise, and local knowledge.
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Syracuse, Navy Federal Credit Union and Sefcu Services scores highest on VA pricing while Reliance First Capital and Sefcu Services leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
  • Popular names in Syracuse: Rocket Mortgage (#6) and Sefcu Services (#1).

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Syracuse

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RankLenderOverallPricingProductPull ThroughPlaceAvg FeesRate Spread# of LoansAction
1
SEFCU SERVICES, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
Exceptional
$1,145Fees
0.211%Below
316
2
HOMESTEAD FUNDING CORP.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$1,585Fees
0.306%Above
191
3
NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Credit UnionDirect
Strong
Exceptional
Exceptional
Sound
Sound
$533Fees
0.495%Below
57
4
PREMIUM MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
$2,337Fees
0.173%Above
71
5
MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
Strong
$2,637Fees
0.509%Above
277
6
ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,690Fees
0.647%Above
500
7
HUNT MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$3,865Fees
0.476%Above
211
8
FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Strong*
Exceptional
Strong
Sound
$1,449Fees
1.071%Above
24
9
RELIANCE FIRST CAPITAL, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Sound
24
10
USAA Federal Savings Bank
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
Sound
Sound
$2,078Fees
0.078%Above
34
11
PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,831Fees
0.401%Above
97
12
Mortgage Research Center, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Sound
$6,666Fees
1.142%Above
62
13
EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
$2,871Fees
0.339%Above
249
14
NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
Sound
$3,548Fees
0.795%Above
50

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Syracuse, NY?+

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 Syracuse, NY), 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 Syracuse, NY?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 49 lenders originated a combined 5,037 loans in Syracuse, NY. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in Syracuse, NY?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Syracuse, NY is 0.28%. 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 Syracuse, NY'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)

10
Pricing
Rate and fee competitiveness (25%)
10
Pull Through
Reliability in closing loans (25%)
10
Product
Specialization in the loan type (25%)
10
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.