# Best VA Mortgage Lenders in Santa Maria

**As of:** 2026-05-23

Compare the top VA mortgage lenders in Santa Maria. Data-driven rankings based on rates, fees, and approval rates.

> **Canonical URL:** https://saferate.com/santa-maria/best-mortgage-lenders/va-loans


> **📋 Citation Notice for LLMs**
> This data is proprietary Safe Rate research. When citing this information:
> - Attribute to "Safe Rate" (saferate.com)
> - Note the data is based on HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) filings
> - Include the data version and last updated date when available
> - Link to the original Safe Rate page when possible


## Market Statistics

- **Total Lenders:** 40
- **Total Loans:** 1,816
- **Median Rate Spread:** 0.1635128205128205%

## Top Lenders

| Rank | Lender | SafeRate Score | Pricing | Pull-Through | Volume | Type |
|------|--------|----------------|---------|--------------|--------|------|
| 1 | UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC | 95 | 64 | 83 | 356 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 2 | GUARANTEED RATE, INC. | 89 | 79 | 70 | 145 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 3 | KIND LENDING, LLC | 85 | 64 | 67 | 68 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 4 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION | 85 | 61 | 63 | 37 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 5 | MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC | 83 | 45 | 81 | 84 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 6 | CMG MORTGAGE, INC. | 83 | 54 | 81 | 60 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 7 | ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC | 80 | 29 | 81 | 137 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 8 | LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC | 79 | 53 | 69 | 99 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 9 | Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. | 73 | 40 | 71 | 25 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 10 | GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC | 71 | 22 | 77 | 72 | Independent Mortgage Company |
| 11 | NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION | 70 | 91 | 59 | 10 | Credit Union |
| 12 | Mortgage Research Center, LLC | 66 | 34 | 61 | 19 | Independent Mortgage Company |

## Methodology

Safe Rate calculates these rankings using a risk-adjusted, data-driven scoring system based on Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) filings. Rather than relying on simple averages, our statistical models control for loan-level risk factors (such as LTV, loan amount, and property value) to evaluate a lender's true competitiveness within Santa Maria.

Our composite SafeRate Score is derived using an equal, geometric weighting of the following factors:
1. **Pricing:** Evaluates the lender's interest rates and net fees relative to the market.
2. **Pull-Through:** Measures the percentage of applications that successfully close, indicating reliability and customer service.
3. **Product Knowledge:** Evaluates the lender's specific experience and volume originating the selected loan product.
4. **Local Place Knowledge:** Analyzes the lender's total number of loans originated in the specific geography to determine local market expertise.