Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Virginia

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 Lenders363
Total Loans107,069
Median Rate Spread0.23%
Virginia Market Insights
  • Navy Federal Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Virginia, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
  • Top-ranked by institution type in Virginia: Bank: Truist Bank (#5). Credit union: Navy Federal Credit Union (#1). Mortgage company: First Heritage Mortgage (#3).
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Virginia, Navy Federal Credit Union and Newport News Shipbuilding Employees Credit Union INC DBA Bayport Credit Union 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 #7 in Virginia, 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 #8 in Virginia, the nation's largest lender by volume.

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

Lenders often score differently for different loan products. Get tailored rankings by selecting your product type.

By Institution Type

Some consumers only want to work with a credit union, bank, or focused mortgage company. See our rankings here!

Shopping for a mortgage? Click the heart icon to save lenders to My Home and make comparison painless.

RankLenderOverallPricingPull ThroughPlaceAvg FeesRate Spread# of LoansAction
1
NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Credit UnionDirect
Exceptional
Exceptional
Sound
Exceptional
$676Fees
0.500%Below
2,985
2
Virginia Credit Union, Inc.
Credit UnionDirect
Exceptional
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$865Fees
0.206%Above
959
3
First Heritage Mortgage, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,628Fees
0.111%Above
2,537
4
CAPITAL CENTER, L.L.C.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$679Fees
0.109%Above
987
5
Truist Bank
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$600Fees
0.033%Above
1,973
6
NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION, INC. DBA BAYPORT CREDIT UNION
Credit UnionDirect
Strong
Exceptional
Strong
Exceptional
$1,000Fees
0.911%Below
330
7
UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,621Fees
0.053%Below
5,540
8
ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
Exceptional
$4,013Fees
0.255%Above
8,280
9
Bank of America, National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$1,615Fees
0.158%Below
635
10
INTERCOASTAL MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,021Fees
0.033%Above
1,467
11
United Bank
BankDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Exceptional
$2,070Fees
0.054%Above
1,181
12
Atlantic Coast Mortgage, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,984Fees
0.143%Above
2,726
13
Alcova Mortgage LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,085Fees
0.485%Above
2,183
14
U.S. Bank National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$175Credit
0.005%Below
546
15
NBKC BANK
BankDirect
Strong
Exceptional
Sound
Strong
$338Fees
0.284%Below
247
16
ATLANTIC BAY MORTGAGE GROUP, L.L.C.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,457Fees
0.328%Above
3,596
17
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$573Fees
0.090%Below
460
18
FREEDOM FIRST Federal Credit Union
Credit UnionDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$1,652Fees
0.204%Above
311
19
FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
Exceptional
$1,846Fees
0.016%Below
2,170
20
MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,905Fees
0.226%Above
3,473
21
First National Bank of Pennsylvania
BankDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Strong
$1,253Fees
0.016%Above
486
22
PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Exceptional*
Sound
Strong
$878Fees
0.147%Below
320
23
Apple Federal Credit Union
Credit UnionDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$2,365Fees
0.078%Below
223
24
Citibank, National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Exceptional
Sound
Strong
$876Fees
0.331%Below
219
25
LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
Exceptional
$2,615Fees
0.067%Above
1,197
26
Ameris Bank
BankDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,795Fees
0.068%Above
756
27
Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Exceptional
$2,190Fees
0.205%Above
1,856
28
C & F Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,278Fees
0.331%Above
1,122
29
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
$1,868Fees
0.007%Below
1,109
30
FIRST SAVINGS MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Exceptional
$3,083Fees
0.200%Above
885
31
Towne Bank
BankDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,887Fees
0.177%Above
872
32
Atlantic Union Bank
BankDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Exceptional
$2,168Fees
0.239%Above
641
33
CMG MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,283Fees
0.061%Above
1,677
34
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
BankDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
Exceptional
$2,242Fees
0.051%Above
1,157
35
PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
Exceptional
$1,989Fees
0.271%Below
1,090
36
F & M BANK CORP.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Exceptional
$2,114Fees
0.284%Above
295
37
VILLAGE BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Strong
Exceptional
$3,298Fees
0.538%Above
277
38
Citizens Bank, National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$1,175Fees
0.074%Below
248
39
Mortgage Research Center, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Strong
Exceptional
$2,153Fees
0.561%Above
3,201
40
NFM, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,691Fees
0.437%Above
1,384
41
PNC Bank, National Association
BankDirect
Strong
Strong
Strong
Strong
$567Fees
0.032%Above
227
42
FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
Strong
$2,209Fees
0.346%Above
524
43
Vellum Mortgage, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Strong
$3,123Fees
0.258%Above
333
44
FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$2,893Fees
0.284%Above
1,469
45
GUARANTEED RATE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Exceptional
$1,512Fees
0.105%Below
996
46
Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Exceptional
$3,728Fees
0.480%Above
749
47
SWBC MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Acceptable
Exceptional
Strong
$3,741Fees
0.405%Above
288
48
Tidewater Home Funding, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Strong
Strong
$3,265Fees
0.040%Above
258
49
AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD MORTGAGE ACCEPTANCE COMPANY LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Strong
Exceptional
$3,695Fees
0.375%Above
1,740
50
SOUTHERN TRUST MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Mediocre
Strong
Exceptional
$4,161Fees
0.355%Above
1,292

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Virginia?+

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 Virginia), 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 Virginia?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 363 lenders originated a combined 107,069 loans in Virginia. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Virginia is 0.23%. 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 Virginia'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)

10
Pricing
Rate and fee competitiveness (33%)
10
Pull Through
Reliability in closing loans (33%)
10
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.