Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in Chicago

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 Lenders254

Total Loans69,290

Median Rate Spread0.45%

Chicago Market Insights

Greenstate Credit Union is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in Chicago, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
Top-ranked by institution type in Chicago: Bank: Associated Bank National Association (#2). Credit union: Greenstate Credit Union (#1). Mortgage company: United Wholesale Mortgage (#4).
There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Chicago, Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association and Associated Bank National Association scores highest on pricing while United Wholesale Mortgage and Greenstate Credit Union leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #4 in Chicago, 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 Chicago: Rocket Mortgage (#12) and Guaranteed Rate (#15), both outside Safe Rate's top 10. Independent lenders and specialists tend to score higher on our composite scorecard.

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

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

FHA Loans Conventional Loans VA Loans Jumbo Loans USDA Loans

By Institution Type

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

Banks Credit Unions Mortgage Companies

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

★ Chicago Exclusive Offer ★

Get a personalized quote from Safe Rate Mortgage (NMLS #1590949). Competitive rates, easy process, and a personal touch.

Rank	Lender	Overall	Pricing	Pull Through	Place	Avg Fees	Rate Spread	# of Loans
1	GREENSTATE Credit Union Credit UnionDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	Exceptional	$894Fees	0.049%Above	826
2	Associated Bank, National Association BankDirect	Exceptional	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$520Fees	0.097%Above	305
3	Old National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$909Fees	0.018%Above	452
4	UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,875Fees	0.444%Above	5,055
5	U.S. Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$173Fees	0.152%Above	1,013
6	Bank of America, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$1,662Fees	0.093%Below	814
7	Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	Strong	$275Fees	0.438%Below	221
8	The Huntington National Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$876Credit	0.180%Above	1,680
9	Citibank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Exceptional	$1,772Credit	0.106%Below	702
10	NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$533Fees	0.502%Below	312
11	JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,681Fees	0.147%Above	5,072
12	ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,536Fees	0.424%Above	3,770
13	Busey Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	Strong	$788Fees	0.667%Above	160
14	NBKC BANK BankDirect	Strong	Exceptional	Sound	Strong	$686Fees	0.045%Below	147
15	GUARANTEED RATE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,024Fees	0.354%Above	5,815
16	LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Exceptional	$2,845Fees	0.666%Above	2,013
17	A & N MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,607Fees	0.337%Above	1,027
18	Fifth Third Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Exceptional	$501Credit	0.216%Above	937
19	CIBC Bank USA BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,094Credit	0.159%Above	185
20	PNC Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	$252Credit	0.168%Above	347
21	PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Exceptional*	Sound	Strong	$731Fees	0.031%Above	224
22	GMFS LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$1,762Fees	0.474%Above	177
23	TOWNE MORTGAGE COMPANY Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Exceptional	$1,472Fees	0.561%Above	734
24	MLD MORTGAGE INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Exceptional	Strong	$2,488Fees	0.373%Above	213
25	FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,744Fees	0.649%Above	2,058
26	Barrington Bank & Trust Company, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$1,916Fees	0.445%Above	1,731
27	KEY MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$1,736Fees	0.344%Above	967
28	THE LOAN STORE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$377Fees	0.318%Above	717
29	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,683Fees	0.061%Below	469
30	BMO Bank National Association BankDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$406Fees	0.420%Above	453
31	FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$2,052Fees	0.567%Above	421
32	Marquette Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,676Fees	0.055%Above	174
33	NUMARK CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,361Fees	0.198%Above	152
34	PROPER RATE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Exceptional	$1,665Fees	0.261%Above	1,200
35	PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Strong	Strong	$918Fees	0.297%Above	493
36	ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Sound*	Exceptional	Strong	$832Fees	0.682%Above	185
37	First American Bank BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$1,203Fees	0.144%Above	141
38	BAY EQUITY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Strong	Exceptional	$2,272Fees	0.312%Above	744
39	COMPASS MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Exceptional	$2,732Fees	0.579%Above	537
40	MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Sound	Sound	Strong	$1,694Fees	0.399%Above	501
41	Flagstar Bank, N.A. BankDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Strong	Strong	$2,367Fees	0.559%Above	460
42	ALLIANT CREDIT UNION Credit UnionDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$629Fees	0.041%Above	170
43	Nations Lending Corporation Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,557Fees	0.504%Above	159
44	Liberty Bank for Savings BankDirect	Strong	Strong	Sound	Strong	$581Fees	0.254%Below	149
45	CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Exceptional	$2,831Fees	0.552%Above	3,117
46	UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP. Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale	Strong	Acceptable*	Exceptional	Exceptional	$1,839Fees	0.570%Above	819
47	GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Exceptional	Strong	$2,394Fees	0.604%Above	814
48	RESICENTRAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale	Strong	Sound*	Sound	Strong	$334Fees	0.503%Above	378
49	AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Mediocre	Exceptional	Exceptional	$3,172Fees	0.689%Above	1,346
50	M/I FINANCIAL, LLC Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect	Strong	Acceptable	Strong	Strong	$3,230Fees	0.106%Above	283

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Chicago?+

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 Chicago), 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 Chicago?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 254 lenders originated a combined 69,290 loans in Chicago. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Chicago is 0.45%. 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 Chicago'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.