Best mortgage lenders in Montana
No lender is best for everyone, so this page ranks Montana lenders on what federal records can measure: who makes the most loans here, who leads for FHA and VA, and what their Montana borrowers paid. All figures are 2025 HMDA data; no lender pays to be listed.
Who leads for what in Montana
"Most loans" and "Largest average loan" are among the 15 lenders with the most Montana 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 Montana
| # | Lender | Type | Loans | FHA | VA | Avg loan | Approval* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockman Bank of Montana | — | 2,183 | 7.6% | 6.0% | $292,384 | 92.3% |
| 2 | Glacier Bank | — | 1,904 | 5.0% | 2.0% | $404,937 | 79.6% |
| 3 | Rocket Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 1,465 | 12.5% | 10.2% | $267,239 | 80.8% |
| 4 | United Wholesale Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 1,414 | 14.1% | 27.1% | $407,377 | 89.3% |
| 5 | Opportunity Bank of Montana | — | 1,139 | 9.8% | 3.8% | $256,317 | 87.8% |
| 6 | Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company | — | 816 | 20.2% | 11.9% | $351,924 | 98.4% |
| 7 | CrossCountry Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 640 | 15.9% | 11.7% | $405,063 | 93.2% |
| 8 | First Interstate Bank | — | 610 | 1.5% | 0.0% | $208,181 | 73.0% |
| 9 | Guild Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 547 | 25.2% | 6.2% | $276,426 | 95.3% |
| 10 | U.S. Bank | Bank | 538 | 0.7% | 1.5% | $376,747 | 66.0% |
| 11 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | Nonbank lender | 462 | 14.3% | 10.8% | $457,100 | 90.6% |
| 12 | Veterans United | Nonbank lender | 439 | 2.1% | 94.8% | $389,442 | 73.7% |
| 13 | PennyMac | Nonbank lender | 364 | 16.2% | 12.6% | $333,544 | 82.2% |
| 14 | Altana Federal Credit Union | — | 356 | 0.0% | 0.0% | $155,028 | 80.9% |
| 15 | Freedom Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 331 | 27.2% | 64.7% | $378,052 | 84.2% |
Source: 2025 HMDA originations, FFIEC/CFPB. FHA/VA = share of each lender's Montana 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: Newrez, Chase, Mr. Cooper, AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, New American Funding, AmeriSave Mortgage, Kind Lending, LLC, 21st Mortgage Corporation, loanDepot, Navy Federal Credit Union.
FHA lenders in Montana
1,608 FHA home-purchase loans were made in Montana in 2025 by 102 lenders. The typical FHA buyer here paid $12,957 in loan costs, including the 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium, at a median rate of 5.99%. The ten lenders that made the most:
| # | Lender | FHA purchases | Share | Loan costs | APR vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company | 160 | 10.0% | $15,525 | +0.30 |
| 2 | Stockman Bank of Montana | 157 | 9.8% | $12,133 | +0.17 |
| 3 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 119 | 7.4% | $12,413 | +0.30 |
| 4 | Guild Mortgage | 117 | 7.3% | $12,793 | +0.28 |
| 5 | Opportunity Bank of Montana | 106 | 6.6% | $8,555 | −0.05 |
| 6 | Glacier Bank | 86 | 5.3% | $11,791 | +0.09 |
| 7 | Lower, LLC | 71 | 4.4% | $13,485 | −0.00 |
| 8 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 70 | 4.4% | $15,013 | +0.36 |
| 9 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | 57 | 3.5% | $14,559 | +0.28 |
| 10 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | 53 | 3.3% | $11,230 | +0.36 |
| All Montana FHA buyers | 1,608 | 100% | $12,957 | +0.24 |
Among them, Opportunity Bank of Montana had the lowest median loan costs ($8,555) and Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company the highest ($15,525) — $6,970 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 Montana. Costs and APR vs benchmark are medians of each lender's 30-year fixed loans here; "—" = fewer than 30. How we measured this.
VA lenders in Montana
1,426 VA home-purchase loans were made in Montana in 2025 by 101 lenders. The typical VA buyer here paid $6,756 in loan costs (including the VA funding fee for borrowers who owe it) at a median rate of 6.125%. The ten lenders that made the most:
| # | Lender | VA purchases | Share | Loan costs | APR vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veterans United | 325 | 22.8% | $4,721 | −0.30 |
| 2 | Stockman Bank of Montana | 123 | 8.6% | $8,032 | −0.40 |
| 3 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 118 | 8.3% | $4,630 | −0.57 |
| 4 | Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company | 82 | 5.8% | $10,560 | −0.36 |
| 5 | USAA | 49 | 3.4% | $5,300 | −0.31 |
| 6 | Navy Federal Credit Union | 48 | 3.4% | $4,964 | −0.63 |
| 7 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | 45 | 3.2% | $7,007 | −0.63 |
| 8 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 44 | 3.1% | $4,905 | −0.38 |
| 9 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | 39 | 2.7% | $4,671 | −0.58 |
| 10 | Opportunity Bank of Montana | 37 | 2.6% | $7,618 | −0.52 |
| All Montana VA buyers | 1,426 | 100% | $6,756 | −0.42 |
Among them, United Wholesale Mortgage had the lowest median loan costs ($4,630) and Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company the highest ($10,560) — $5,930 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 Montana. 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 Montana market?
553 institutions reported Montana home-loan records for 2025 — the 12th-fewest of any state. The single most active lender accounts for 7.3% of all records and the top five for 27.8%, the 9th-most 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 Montana
Montana borrowers took FHA loans 10.7% of the time and VA loans 11.5% (U.S. 13.2% and 8.2%). Every Montana 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 Montana Housing's Bond Advantage DPA — only participating lenders can offer them (terms and sources).
Montana lender FAQ
Who is the biggest mortgage lender in Montana?
By 2025 federal HMDA data, Stockman Bank of Montana originated the most home loans in Montana — about 2,183, or 9.5% of the state's originations.
Which lender makes the most FHA loans in Montana?
Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company made the most FHA home-purchase loans in Montana in 2025 — 160, or 10.0% of the 1,608 FHA purchases made by 102 lenders. Stockman Bank of Montana (157) was second.
Which lender makes the most VA loans in Montana?
Veterans United made the most VA home-purchase loans in Montana in 2025 (325, 22.8% of the state's VA purchases). VA loans were 11.5% of Montana originations, the 12th-highest VA share among the states.
How much are closing costs on an FHA loan in Montana?
The typical Montana FHA buyer in 2025 paid $12,957 in total loan costs on a median $335,000 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.
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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