Mortgage lenders come in all shapes and sizes. But did you know some don’t actually lend any money? Instead, they take the application and send your file to the actual lender. These companies are known as mortgage brokers. You may never even know you were working with a “middleman.”
Then, there are retail lenders. Unlike mortgage brokers, these direct-to-consumer lenders handle your mortgage from beginning to end. They extend loans and credit directly to individual borrowers, and can include banks, credit unions, and mortgage bankers.
Many borrowers, especially first-time homebuyers, like knowing their mortgage was created and funded under one roof. With fewer moving parts, this potentially provides a streamlined process that can enable faster loan closings and quicker answers to questions or any last-minute changes. And because most banks and credit unions are retail lenders, they offer physical locations for borrowers who prefer in-person help.
Largest Retail Lenders by State
Since location plays a huge role in homebuying, Mortgage Research Network unearthed the leading retail lenders in every state by analyzing the latest HMDA data for 2025. A total of 2,503 lenders originated about 2.4 million owner-occupied, retail purchase mortgages for 1-4 unit properties. Overall, this grouping had a median loan amount of $305,000; a median property value of $375,000; and a median borrower income of $110,000.
| State | Largest Lender | Retail Loan Originations | Lender In-State Market Share | State Median Property Value* | State Median Borrower Income* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | DHI Mortgage Company | 2,200 | 4.97% | $285,000 | $88,000 |
| Alaska | Residential Mortgage | 1,205 | 28.77% | $415,000 | $123,000 |
| Arizona | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation | 3,260 | 5.51% | $425,000 | $107,000 |
| Arkansas | Arvest Bank | 2,575 | 10.19% | $265,000 | $89,000 |
| California | Lennar Mortgage | 6,024 | 4.72% | $735,000 | $178,000 |
| Colorado | Guild Mortgage Company | 2,965 | 6.08% | $545,000 | $130,000 |
| Connecticut | Total Mortgage Services | 2,763 | 11.09% | $425,000 | $117,000 |
| Delaware | Pike Creek Mortgage Services | 973 | 10.02% | $415,000 | $106,000 |
| District Of Columbia | First Savings Mortgage Corporation | 371 | 8.76% | $715,000 | $190,000 |
| Florida | DHI Mortgage Company | 10,794 | 6.39% | $385,000 | $111,000 |
| Georgia | Ameris Bank | 3,785 | 4.44% | $365,000 | $104,000 |
| Hawaii | American Savings Bank | 578 | 12.80% | $715,000 | $155,000 |
| Idaho | Idaho Central Credit Union | 2,859 | 13.44% | $455,000 | $109,000 |
| Illinois | Guaranteed Rate | 7,420 | 8.45% | $325,000 | $106,000 |
| Indiana | Ruoff Mortgage Company | 5,993 | 8.83% | $285,000 | $87,000 |
| Iowa | Greenstate Credit Union | 5,859 | 20.39% | $255,000 | $88,000 |
| Kansas | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation | 1,539 | 6.64% | $295,000 | $99,000 |
| Kentucky | Stockton Mortgage Corporation | 1,571 | 4.60% | $275,000 | $87,000 |
| Louisiana | DSLD Mortgage | 1,822 | 7.04% | $255,000 | $89,000 |
| Maine | Bangor Savings Bank | 1,294 | 12.33% | $385,000 | $109,000 |
| Maryland | First Home Mortgage Corporation | 3,010 | 6.55% | $455,000 | $130,000 |
| Massachusetts | Leader Bank | 3,132 | 7.12% | $635,000 | $154,000 |
| Michigan | Lake Michigan Credit Union | 6,404 | 8.64% | $285,000 | $91,000 |
| Minnesota | Bell Bank | 4,443 | 9.11% | $365,000 | $105,000 |
| Mississippi | Trustmark Bank | 1,377 | 6.54% | $245,000 | $83,000 |
| Missouri | Flat Branch Mortgage | 5,628 | 10.40% | $285,000 | $90,000 |
| Montana | Stockman Bank Of Montana | 1,062 | 13.40% | $445,000 | $111,000 |
| Nebraska | Charter West Bank | 1,369 | 8.53% | $305,000 | $100,000 |
| Nevada | Guild Mortgage Company | 2,967 | 11.51% | $465,000 | $116,000 |
| New Hampshire | CMG Mortgage | 1,734 | 17.06% | $505,000 | $137,000 |
| New Jersey | CrossCountry Mortgage | 4,751 | 9.00% | $565,000 | $151,000 |
| New Mexico | Waterstone Mortgage Corporation | 1,911 | 10.60% | $335,000 | $93,000 |
| New York | JPMorgan Chase Bank | 5,184 | 6.81% | $465,000 | $138,000 |
| North Carolina | State Employees' Credit Union | 8,875 | 7.95% | $365,000 | $105,000 |
| North Dakota | Gate City Bank | 959 | 16.15% | $315,000 | $102,000 |
| Ohio | CrossCountry Mortgage | 8,127 | 8.06% | $285,000 | $93,000 |
| Oklahoma | First United Bank And Trust Company | 2,262 | 6.72% | $255,000 | $90,000 |
| Oregon | Guild Mortgage Company | 3,234 | 11.21% | $485,000 | $121,000 |
| Pennsylvania | CrossCountry Mortgage | 6,562 | 7.94% | $325,000 | $102,000 |
| Rhode Island | Movement Mortgage | 700 | 8.36% | $495,000 | $126,000 |
| South Carolina | DHI Mortgage Company | 3,896 | 6.16% | $335,000 | $95,000 |
| South Dakota | Plains Commerce Bank | 1,061 | 14.95% | $325,000 | $98,000 |
| Tennessee | CMG Mortgage | 3,043 | 4.68% | $375,000 | $102,000 |
| Texas | DHI Mortgage Company | 16,650 | 6.80% | $335,000 | $112,000 |
| Utah | Guild Mortgage Company | 2,942 | 11.54% | $505,000 | $115,000 |
| Vermont | Eastrise Federal Credit Union | 965 | 24.28% | $385,000 | $114,000 |
| Virginia | Mortgage Research Center | 3,699 | 4.80% | $435,000 | $123,000 |
| Washington | Guild Mortgage Company | 4,199 | 6.72% | $585,000 | $141,000 |
| West Virginia | Rocket Mortgage | 701 | 5.38% | $245,000 | $86,000 |
| Wisconsin | Summit Credit Union | 2,588 | 5.43% | $335,000 | $103,000 |
| Wyoming | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation | 766 | 16.89% | $355,000 | $99,000 |
*The median property value and borrower income are for retail mortgages only.
Five different lenders boasted the highest retail loan volumes in multiple states. Guild led in five separate states (Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington), DHI topped four (Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Texas), CrossCountry (New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania), and Fairway (Arizona, Kansas, Wyoming) tied with three each, and CMG had two (New Hampshire, Tennessee).
Retail originations by state spanned from 3,975 in Vermont to 244,702 in Texas; median loan amounts ranged from $195K (Iowa) to $575K (California); and the median property value scaled between $245K (Mississippi, West Virginia) and $735,000 (California).
Among all the top retail lenders, Residential Mortgage claimed the largest in-state share with 28.77% in Alaska, while Ameris Bank had the smallest with 4.44% in Georgia. By state volume, DHI’s 16,650 mortgages in Texas marked 2025’s highest total, while First Savings Mortgage had the lowest at 371 in Washington, D.C. (or 578 by American Savings Bank in Hawaii, excluding the District of Columbia).
Top 10 Retail Owner-Occupied Home Purchase Lenders
Of the 2,503 lenders that generated 2025’s nearly 2.4 million retail purchase mortgages nationwide, the year’s top 10 lenders accounted for about a quarter (24.83%) of that volume.
| 2025 Rank | Lender Name | Originations | Lender Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 84,835 | 3.54% |
| 2 | Mortgage Research Center | 67,865 | 2.83% |
| 3 | Guild Mortgage Company | 66,237 | 2.76% |
| 4 | Rocket Mortgage | 66,117 | 2.76% |
| 5 | DHI Mortgage Company | 63,708 | 2.66% |
| 6 | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation | 57,493 | 2.40% |
| 7 | Lennar Mortgage | 49,740 | 2.07% |
| 8 | Guaranteed Rate | 48,987 | 2.04% |
| 9 | CMG Mortgage | 48,208 | 2.01% |
| 10 | Movement Mortgage | 42,220 | 1.76% |
Find The Right Lender For You
It may require some homework, but you should feel good about your mortgage lender. And if a retail lender sounds right for you, this article provides plenty of the leading options. When you’re ready to buy a home, start shopping around for lenders and compare the terms you qualify for.
“Act with purpose, not panic. But you should still shop aggressively since the spread between lenders can be 50 basis points or more, which translates to real money over the life of a loan,” said Rebekah Scott, director of investment brokerage at Atlas Real Estate.
“Get your financial house in order before you apply: Your credit score, debt ratios, and down payment all influence your rate, and even incremental improvements can move the needle. And pay attention to total loan costs, not just the rate. Points, origination fees, and closing costs all factor into whether a particular offer is actually the best deal for your situation.”
All figures based on 2025 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data provided by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and accessed April 17, 2026, through PolygonResearch.com HMDAVision.
Mortgage Research Center, LLC and its registered DBA Veterans United Home Loans are affiliates of Three Creeks Media, which operates MortgageResearch.com
