Best mortgage lenders in Pennsylvania
No lender is best for everyone, so this page ranks Pennsylvania lenders on what federal records can measure: who makes the most loans here, who leads for FHA and VA, and what their Pennsylvania borrowers paid. All figures are 2025 HMDA data; no lender pays to be listed.
Who leads for what in Pennsylvania
"Most loans" and "Largest average loan" are among the 15 lenders with the most Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
| # | Lender | Type | Loans | FHA | VA | Avg loan | Approval* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocket Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 16,043 | 19.1% | 5.2% | $210,056 | 79.4% |
| 2 | PNC Bank | Bank | 11,263 | 1.0% | 0.2% | $164,664 | 75.2% |
| 3 | Citizens | Bank | 10,441 | 1.1% | 0.2% | $189,595 | 67.1% |
| 4 | United Wholesale Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 9,333 | 20.1% | 13.8% | $290,307 | 84.1% |
| 5 | CrossCountry Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 8,399 | 20.7% | 4.3% | $315,624 | 95.6% |
| 6 | Members 1ST | — | 6,367 | 0.7% | 0.3% | $128,652 | 65.5% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union | — | 5,896 | 0.0% | 0.0% | $120,246 | 83.8% |
| 8 | First National Bank of Pennsylvania | — | 5,819 | 1.0% | 0.5% | $211,117 | 68.7% |
| 9 | PennyMac | Nonbank lender | 4,488 | 29.3% | 9.8% | $267,676 | 81.8% |
| 10 | Police & Fire | — | 3,973 | 0.0% | 0.0% | $126,417 | 57.6% |
| 11 | Movement Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 3,902 | 16.6% | 4.0% | $282,829 | 96.7% |
| 12 | Guild Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 3,258 | 14.8% | 4.1% | $272,897 | 97.2% |
| 13 | First Commonwealth Bank | — | 3,223 | 3.1% | 0.6% | $120,141 | 69.8% |
| 14 | Fulton Bank, National Association | — | 3,211 | 3.5% | 0.7% | $233,470 | 78.4% |
| 15 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | Nonbank lender | 3,119 | 11.0% | 3.3% | $384,923 | 93.3% |
Source: 2025 HMDA originations, FFIEC/CFPB. FHA/VA = share of each lender's Pennsylvania 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: Chase, Newrez, AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Veterans United, Bank of America, New American Funding, Truist, Freedom Mortgage, M&T Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union.
FHA lenders in Pennsylvania
16,578 FHA home-purchase loans were made in Pennsylvania in 2025 by 311 lenders. The typical FHA buyer here paid $10,153 in loan costs, including the 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium, at a median rate of 6.49%. The ten lenders that made the most:
| # | Lender | FHA purchases | Share | Loan costs | APR vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 1,478 | 8.9% | $10,972 | +0.74 |
| 2 | Rocket Mortgage | 1,227 | 7.4% | $9,170 | +0.61 |
| 3 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 920 | 5.5% | $10,598 | +0.54 |
| 4 | Movement Mortgage | 578 | 3.5% | $10,476 | +0.84 |
| 5 | CMG Home Loans | 454 | 2.7% | $12,280 | +0.45 |
| 6 | Guild Mortgage | 440 | 2.7% | $10,837 | +0.65 |
| 7 | PennyMac | 426 | 2.6% | $9,759 | +0.43 |
| 8 | New American Funding | 407 | 2.5% | $10,928 | +0.98 |
| 9 | Ixonia Bank | 335 | 2.0% | $9,510 | +0.83 |
| 10 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | 302 | 1.8% | $12,123 | +0.53 |
| All Pennsylvania FHA buyers | 16,578 | 100% | $10,153 | +0.59 |
Among them, Rocket Mortgage had the lowest median loan costs ($9,170) and CMG Home Loans the highest ($12,280) — $3,110 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 Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania
6,333 VA home-purchase loans were made in Pennsylvania in 2025 by 273 lenders. The typical VA buyer here paid $6,746 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 | 1,891 | 29.9% | $5,229 | −0.12 |
| 2 | Navy Federal Credit Union | 355 | 5.6% | $4,604 | −0.60 |
| 3 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 298 | 4.7% | $7,844 | −0.06 |
| 4 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 242 | 3.8% | $6,160 | −0.30 |
| 5 | Rocket Mortgage | 207 | 3.3% | $8,000 | −0.29 |
| 6 | USAA | 163 | 2.6% | $6,600 | −0.23 |
| 7 | PennyMac | 150 | 2.4% | $10,998 | −0.36 |
| 8 | Movement Mortgage | 130 | 2.1% | — | — |
| 9 | Guild Mortgage | 119 | 1.9% | $9,419 | −0.09 |
| 10 | CMG Home Loans | 107 | 1.7% | $10,517 | −0.47 |
| All Pennsylvania VA buyers | 6,333 | 100% | $6,746 | −0.20 |
Among them, Navy Federal Credit Union had the lowest median loan costs ($4,604) and PennyMac the highest ($10,998) — $6,394 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 Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania market?
1,101 institutions reported Pennsylvania home-loan records for 2025 — the 10th-most of any state. The single most active lender accounts for 5.1% of all records and the top five for 19.3%, the 7th-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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania borrowers took FHA loans 9.7% of the time and VA loans 4.3% (U.S. 13.2% and 8.2%). Buying near $832,750 or above? 1 Pennsylvania county has a higher conforming limit, so check which side of the jumbo line your county puts you on before comparing quotes.
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 PHFA's Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years (K-FIT) or Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan — only participating lenders can offer them (terms and sources).
Pennsylvania checks: DoBS licensing and PHFA lenders
Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) licenses non-bank lenders, including mortgage brokers, originators, lenders and servicers. Its Consumer Help Center says those companies can be researched on NMLS Consumer Access; complaints go through the DoBS Portal or 1-800-PA-BANKS (722-2657).
PHFA’s home purchase loans are offered through a network of approved participating lenders: you work with the lender through closing, then make your monthly payments to PHFA. Its participating-lender report shows which PHFA programs each lender offers, and PHFA notes that not all participating lenders offer FHA, VA or USDA (RD) loans. Of the state’s ten most active lenders, PNC Bank, Citizens and CrossCountry Mortgage are on it, as are seven of the ten biggest FHA purchase lenders.
Budget for Pennsylvania’s realty transfer tax
Pennsylvania taxes the transfer of the home itself. Per the Department of Revenue:
- The state tax is 1 percent of the value of the real estate transferred.
- County Recorders of Deeds collect it, often along with an additional local realty transfer tax.
- The seller (grantor) and the buyer (grantee) are jointly and severally liable for the tax.
- Some transfers are exempt, including certain transfers among family members.
PHFA lists transfer taxes with appraisals and title fees among the closing costs you need funds for. Check the transfer-tax line on each Loan Estimate, and ask how your sales agreement divides the tax.
Pennsylvania credit unions and banks in the ranking
Three Pennsylvania credit unions are among the state’s 25 most active lenders: Members 1st Federal Credit Union of Enola (7th), Police and Fire Federal Credit Union of Philadelphia (11th) and Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) of Harrisburg (12th). Police and Fire and PSECU reported no FHA or VA loans in 2025, so they are not the place to look for a government-backed loan. Credit unions lend to their members, so check eligibility first.
Pennsylvania-based banks in the top 25: PNC Bank (Pittsburgh, 2nd), First National Bank of Pennsylvania (Hermitage, 9th), First Commonwealth Bank (Indiana, 16th) and Fulton Bank (Lancaster, 23rd). None of the five banks among the 15 most active lenders made the top ten for FHA home purchases in 2025; the only bank in it is Ixonia Bank of Ixonia, Wisconsin (9th).
| Lender | Based in | Type | Rank | 2025 records | FHA purchase rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNC Bank | Pittsburgh, PA | Bank | 2 | 20,786 | — |
| Members 1st Federal Credit Union | Enola, PA | Credit union | 7 | 10,864 | — |
| First National Bank of Pennsylvania | Hermitage, PA | Bank | 9 | 9,918 | — |
| Newrez | Fort Washington, PA | Nonbank lender | 10 | 9,603 | — |
| Police and Fire Federal Credit Union | Philadelphia, PA | Credit union | 11 | 8,485 | — |
| Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) | Harrisburg, PA | Credit union | 12 | 8,308 | — |
| First Commonwealth Bank | Indiana, PA | Bank | 16 | 5,398 | — |
| Fulton Bank | Lancaster, PA | Bank | 23 | 4,693 | — |
Rank = position among the 25 lenders with the most Pennsylvania HMDA records in 2025; FHA purchase rank = position among the ten biggest Pennsylvania FHA home-purchase lenders in 2025; "—" = outside those lists. Headquarters from our lender profiles or the lender's GLEIF legal-entity record (linked).
Facts in the Pennsylvania sections above were checked November 6, 2026 against these sources: PA DoBS — non-bank licensees; PA DoBS — Consumer Help Center; PHFA — Home Purchase Loans (archived Jul 13, 2026); PHFA participating lenders (updated May 14, 2026, archived); PA Department of Revenue — Realty Transfer Tax; GLEIF — Ixonia Bank. Agency lender lists, program terms and rules change often — confirm with the agency or lender before you rely on them.
Pennsylvania lender FAQ
Who is the biggest mortgage lender in Pennsylvania?
By 2025 federal HMDA data, Rocket Mortgage originated the most home loans in Pennsylvania — about 16,043, or 5.9% of the state's originations.
Which lender makes the most FHA loans in Pennsylvania?
CrossCountry Mortgage made the most FHA home-purchase loans in Pennsylvania in 2025 — 1,478, or 8.9% of the 16,578 FHA purchases made by 311 lenders. Rocket Mortgage (1,227) was second.
Which lender makes the most VA loans in Pennsylvania?
Veterans United made the most VA home-purchase loans in Pennsylvania in 2025 (1,891, 29.9% of the state's VA purchases). VA loans were 4.3% of Pennsylvania originations, the 6th-lowest VA share among the states.
How much are closing costs on an FHA loan in Pennsylvania?
The typical Pennsylvania FHA buyer in 2025 paid $10,153 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.
Do you have to be a first-time home buyer for a PHFA loan?
Not for most of them. PHFA says HFA Preferred, Keystone Government and the Keystone Flex loans (with K-FIT or K-DATE assistance) have no first-time buyer requirement.
The Keystone Home Loan does: everyone who will live in the home must not have owned their principal residence in the previous three years, unless you buy in a targeted county or area or are a discharged U.S. veteran.
Keystone Flex needs a 660 minimum FICO score. PHFA income limits apply to most of these loans, though Keystone Government has no income or price limits of its own beyond the FHA, VA and USDA rules, and homebuyer education is required for many of them.
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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