Best mortgage lenders in Illinois
No lender is best for everyone, so this page ranks Illinois lenders on what federal records can measure: who makes the most loans here, who leads for FHA and VA, and what their Illinois borrowers paid. All figures are 2025 HMDA data; no lender pays to be listed.
Who leads for what in Illinois
"Most loans" and "Largest average loan" are among the 15 lenders with the most Illinois originations in 2025 (the latter counts lenders with at least 300 loans in the state); FHA and VA leaders count every lender's home-purchase loans.
The 15 lenders that made the most home loans in Illinois
| # | Lender | Type | Loans | FHA | VA | Avg loan | Approval* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocket Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 11,970 | 18.7% | 5.3% | $216,028 | 78.1% |
| 2 | United Wholesale Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 11,397 | 18.0% | 10.8% | $310,416 | 84.9% |
| 3 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | Nonbank lender | 10,217 | 12.2% | 4.6% | $346,748 | 92.3% |
| 4 | Chase | Bank | 8,778 | 2.0% | 0.7% | $444,738 | 87.0% |
| 5 | CrossCountry Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 5,600 | 18.6% | 4.4% | $336,764 | 93.4% |
| 6 | U.S. Bank | Bank | 4,571 | 3.2% | 1.7% | $252,040 | 54.2% |
| 7 | Huntington Bank | Bank | 4,352 | 2.5% | 0.6% | $317,622 | 62.4% |
| 8 | loanDepot | Nonbank lender | 4,241 | 30.2% | 4.0% | $223,972 | 77.4% |
| 9 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 4,215 | 18.2% | 3.2% | $263,126 | 92.0% |
| 10 | Fifth Third Bank | Bank | 4,111 | 1.0% | 0.4% | $248,133 | 59.7% |
| 11 | Greenstate Credit Union | — | 3,954 | 5.1% | 1.3% | $228,280 | 90.8% |
| 12 | BMO Bank | Bank | 3,906 | 1.9% | 0.1% | $213,374 | 59.9% |
| 13 | PNC Bank | Bank | 3,711 | 1.2% | 0.7% | $198,339 | 67.1% |
| 14 | New American Funding | Nonbank lender | 3,581 | 28.2% | 5.2% | $233,215 | 86.3% |
| 15 | Veterans United | Nonbank lender | 2,965 | 4.7% | 89.6% | $281,924 | 75.8% |
Source: 2025 HMDA originations, FFIEC/CFPB. FHA/VA = share of each lender's Illinois loans. *Approval = originated ÷ (originated + denied); it mirrors a lender's channel and borrower mix, not how hard it is to qualify.
Also among the 25 lenders with the most HMDA filings here: PennyMac, Newrez, Bank of America, Mr. Cooper, Freedom Mortgage, Coastal Community Bank, AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Citizens Equity First, Citibank, National Association, Guild Mortgage.
FHA lenders in Illinois
15,174 FHA home-purchase loans were made in Illinois in 2025 by 296 lenders. The typical FHA buyer here paid $10,342 in loan costs, including the 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium, at a median rate of 6.60%. The ten lenders that made the most:
| # | Lender | FHA purchases | Share | Loan costs | APR vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 1,195 | 7.9% | $11,815 | +0.72 |
| 2 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | 1,039 | 6.8% | $11,651 | +0.76 |
| 3 | Rocket Mortgage | 889 | 5.9% | $9,118 | +0.65 |
| 4 | loanDepot | 844 | 5.6% | $12,145 | +0.94 |
| 5 | New American Funding | 722 | 4.8% | $7,862 | +1.05 |
| 6 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 701 | 4.6% | $12,107 | +0.88 |
| 7 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | 693 | 4.6% | $12,299 | +1.03 |
| 8 | Guild Mortgage | 483 | 3.2% | $10,254 | +0.84 |
| 9 | American Pacific Mortgage Corporation | 397 | 2.6% | $12,513 | +0.92 |
| 10 | Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc. | 397 | 2.6% | $5,881 | +0.89 |
| All Illinois FHA buyers | 15,174 | 100% | $10,342 | +0.78 |
Among them, Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc. had the lowest median loan costs ($5,881) and American Pacific Mortgage Corporation the highest ($12,513) — $6,632 apart on similar loans, which is why a second Loan Estimate is worth getting.
Source: 2025 HMDA loan-level records (FFIEC/CFPB), first-lien FHA home purchases in Illinois. Costs and APR vs benchmark are medians of each lender's 30-year fixed loans here; "—" = fewer than 30. How we compare lenders.
VA lenders in Illinois
6,584 VA home-purchase loans were made in Illinois in 2025 by 229 lenders. The typical VA buyer here paid $5,390 in loan costs (including the VA funding fee for borrowers who owe it) at a median rate of 6.25%. The ten lenders that made the most:
| # | Lender | VA purchases | Share | Loan costs | APR vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veterans United | 2,094 | 31.8% | $4,581 | −0.15 |
| 2 | Navy Federal Credit Union | 335 | 5.1% | $4,893 | −0.57 |
| 3 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | 317 | 4.8% | $5,182 | −0.22 |
| 4 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 246 | 3.7% | $5,418 | −0.20 |
| 5 | USAA | 196 | 3.0% | $5,901 | −0.25 |
| 6 | New American Funding | 146 | 2.2% | $5,010 | +0.27 |
| 7 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 146 | 2.2% | $6,728 | −0.09 |
| 8 | Rocket Mortgage | 135 | 2.1% | $6,877 | −0.16 |
| 9 | Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc. | 131 | 2.0% | $3,946 | +0.08 |
| 10 | Delmar Financial Company | 117 | 1.8% | $4,533 | −0.17 |
| All Illinois VA buyers | 6,584 | 100% | $5,390 | −0.16 |
Among them, Flat Branch Mortgage, Inc. had the lowest median loan costs ($3,946) and Rocket Mortgage the highest ($6,877) — $2,931 apart, though VA costs also depend on how many of a lender's borrowers are exempt from the funding fee.
Source: 2025 HMDA loan-level records (FFIEC/CFPB), first-lien VA home purchases in Illinois. Costs and APR vs benchmark are medians of each lender's 30-year fixed loans here; "—" = fewer than 30. Data notes and limits.
How concentrated is the Illinois market?
1,138 institutions reported Illinois home-loan records for 2025 — the 6th-most of any state. The single most active lender accounts for 4.9% of all records and the top five for 20.5%, the 15th-least concentrated market of 51. With volume spread across many lenders, there is plenty of room to shop beyond the biggest names.
How to choose a lender in Illinois
Illinois borrowers took FHA loans 10.2% of the time and VA loans 5.0% (U.S. 13.2% and 8.2%). Every Illinois county uses the $832,750 conforming limit, so loans above it are jumbo and priced separately.
Get Loan Estimates from three or more lenders in the same two-week window (one credit inquiry) and compare APRs. For down-payment help, ask whether they are approved for IHDA's IHDA Access Home or Access Forgivable, Deferred and Repayable — only participating lenders can offer them (terms and sources).
Illinois checks: IDFPR licensing and IHDA lenders
Illinois licenses mortgage brokers and loan originators through the Division of Banking at the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) under the Residential Mortgage License Act; banks and other depository institutions don’t need that license. Use IDFPR’s license look-up and complaint form.
IHDA’s participating-lender list (effective June 15, 2026) ranks its 162 lenders by the prior year’s IHDA loan production; Neighborhood Loans, Fairway, Guaranteed Rate, Wintrust Mortgage and Flat Branch lead it. Chase, Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage — 1st, 3rd and 4th in Illinois by records — are not on it.
Chicago is home to Guaranteed Rate (2nd) and BMO (11th). Peoria-based CEFCU (23rd) is the only Illinois credit union in the top 25; Iowa-based GreenState Credit Union ranks higher (19th).
| Lender | Based in | Type | Rank | 2025 records | FHA purchase rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | Chicago, IL | Nonbank lender | 2 | 19,791 | 2 |
| BMO Bank | Chicago, IL | Bank | 11 | 8,167 | — |
| GreenState Credit Union | North Liberty, IA | Credit union | 19 | 5,669 | — |
| Citizens Equity First Credit Union (CEFCU) | Peoria, IL | Credit union | 23 | 4,229 | — |
Rank = position among the 25 lenders with the most Illinois HMDA records in 2025; FHA purchase rank = position among the ten biggest Illinois FHA home-purchase lenders in 2025; "—" = outside those lists. Headquarters from our lender profiles or the lender's GLEIF legal-entity record (linked).
Buying in Cook, Will, Kane or Peoria County? Counseling may be required
Illinois runs an Anti-Predatory Lending Database for 1–4 unit owner-occupied homes in Cook County (since July 1, 2008) and Will, Kane and Peoria counties (since July 1, 2010). Housing counseling is required when every borrower is a first-time buyer, or you’re refinancing your primary home, and the loan has at least one of these features:
- interest-only payments
- possible negative amortization
- points and fees above 5% paid at or before closing
- a prepayment penalty
- an adjustable rate that can change in the first three years
The law doesn’t ban any type of loan — whether to go ahead is your decision. Reverse mortgages and home equity lines of credit are exempt, and loans from banks and other depository institutions can go straight to closing once approved.
Facts in the Illinois sections above were checked October 18, 2026 against these sources: IDFPR — check a license; IDFPR — file a complaint; IHDA participating lenders (eff. 6/15/2026); IDFPR — Anti-Predatory Lending Database fact sheet. Agency lender lists, program terms and rules change often — confirm with the agency or lender before you rely on them.
Illinois lender FAQ
Who is the biggest mortgage lender in Illinois?
By 2025 federal HMDA data, Rocket Mortgage originated the most home loans in Illinois — about 11,970, or 5.1% of the state's originations.
Which lender makes the most FHA loans in Illinois?
United Wholesale Mortgage made the most FHA home-purchase loans in Illinois in 2025 — 1,195, or 7.9% of the 15,174 FHA purchases made by 296 lenders. Guaranteed Rate (Rate) (1,039) was second.
Which lender makes the most VA loans in Illinois?
Veterans United made the most VA home-purchase loans in Illinois in 2025 (2,094, 31.8% of the state's VA purchases). VA loans were 5.0% of Illinois originations, the 11th-lowest VA share among the states.
How much are closing costs on an FHA loan in Illinois?
The typical Illinois FHA buyer in 2025 paid $10,342 in total loan costs on a median $245,000 loan — lender fees, required third-party services and the 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium, per the Closing Disclosure.
That figure excludes recording taxes, prepaid interest and insurance, escrow deposits and the down payment.
What are the largest credit unions in Illinois for mortgages?
By 2025 HMDA records, GreenState Credit Union — based in North Liberty, Iowa — was the most active credit union in Illinois’ mortgage market (19th among all lenders), and Peoria’s Citizens Equity First Credit Union (CEFCU) was the biggest Illinois-based one (23rd). Credit unions lend to members, so check eligibility before you apply.
Do I need housing counseling to get a mortgage in Cook County?
Only in some cases. Under Illinois’ Anti-Predatory Lending Database program, counseling is required in Cook, Will, Kane and Peoria counties when all borrowers are first-time buyers (or you’re refinancing your primary home) and the loan has a riskier feature: interest-only payments, possible negative amortization, points and fees over 5%, a prepayment penalty, or an adjustable rate that can change within three years. Loans from banks and other depository institutions are exempt.
Rankings are editorial and independent, built from public federal data — no lender pays to be listed. This is general information, not a recommendation or personalized advice. Confirm all terms directly with the lender.
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