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Safe Rate Rankings

Best USDA Mortgage Lenders in Florida

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 5 PsRankings are calculated from observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place, plus Promptness when a lender has answered real shopper quote requests.
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 Lenders604
Total Loans290,958
Median Rate Spread0.31%
Florida Market Insights
  • United Wholesale Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked USDA lender in Florida, leading on pricing, pullthrough, USDA product expertise, and local knowledge.
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In Florida, Plains Commerce Bank and University Bank scores highest on USDA pricing while Guild Mortgage Company 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 Florida, 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.

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in Florida

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1
United Wholesale Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Exceptional
Avg Fees
$3,415Fees
2
Guild Mortgage Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Exceptional
Avg Fees
$3,651Fees
3
NewRez
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,830Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,381Fees
5
FBC Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,642Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,326Fees
7
CMG Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,473Fees
8
Ameris Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,570Fees
9
Kind Lending
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,914Fees
10
Paramount Residential Mortgage Group
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,991Fees
11
Equity Prime Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,680Fees
12
American Financial Network
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,176Fees
13
Lower
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,000Fees
14
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,798Fees
15
Plaza Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,519Fees
16
CrossCountry Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$4,161Fees
17
Regions Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,339Fees
18
Union Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,300Fees
19
Movement Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,407Fees
20
Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,480Fees
21
Inspire Home Loans
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,584Fees
22
Everett Financial
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,986Fees
23
RMC Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$4,148Fees
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,711Fees
25
Primary Residential Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$4,806Fees
26
The Mortgage Firm
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,492Fees

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in Florida?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 5 Ps framework. Four are derived 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 Florida), and Product (performance on specific loan types). The fifth, Promptness, is behavioral: it credits lenders who answer real shopper quote requests quickly. Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0 to 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 Florida?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 604 lenders originated a combined 290,958 loans in Florida. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

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

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in Florida 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 Florida's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use an equal-weight average of scores across the 5 Ps — Pricing, Product, Pull-Through, and Place — with lender promptness blending in as the fifth once a lender has responded to real shopper quote requests.

Our Point System (Max 50 Points)

10/ 50 pts
Pricing
How competitively a lender prices vs. the market benchmark (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Product
Performance on your specific loan type (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Pull Through
How reliably a lender closes the loans it starts (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Place
Depth of a lender's expertise in your local market (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Promptness
How quickly a lender answers real quote requests — blended in once they respond (20%).

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.