Best mortgage lenders in South Carolina
No lender is best for everyone, so this page ranks South Carolina lenders on what federal records can measure: who makes the most loans here, who leads for FHA and VA, and what their South Carolina borrowers paid. All figures are 2025 HMDA data; no lender pays to be listed.
Who leads for what in South Carolina
"Most loans" and "Largest average loan" are among the 15 lenders with the most South Carolina 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 South Carolina
| # | Lender | Type | Loans | FHA | VA | Avg loan | Approval* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocket Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 9,760 | 16.4% | 11.0% | $233,055 | 81.2% |
| 2 | United Wholesale Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 6,429 | 24.5% | 29.8% | $330,481 | 84.4% |
| 3 | DHI Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 4,153 | 43.2% | 22.5% | $296,522 | 79.4% |
| 4 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | — | 3,577 | 2.1% | 0.6% | $279,612 | 76.1% |
| 5 | Movement Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 2,978 | 22.5% | 13.6% | $304,016 | 96.0% |
| 6 | SouthState Bank, National Association | — | 2,816 | 4.4% | 1.1% | $315,352 | 75.0% |
| 7 | Lennar Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 2,694 | 26.9% | 14.8% | $282,643 | 87.0% |
| 8 | loanDepot | Nonbank lender | 2,670 | 32.2% | 11.9% | $244,977 | 74.8% |
| 9 | Guild Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 2,670 | 26.3% | 11.3% | $243,228 | 93.5% |
| 10 | Navy Federal Credit Union | Credit union | 2,487 | 0.0% | 25.4% | $209,644 | 68.4% |
| 11 | Vanderbilt Mortgage And Finance, Inc. | — | 2,449 | 18.7% | 13.0% | $235,233 | 32.9% |
| 12 | Veterans United | Nonbank lender | 2,333 | 2.7% | 93.1% | $321,485 | 70.2% |
| 13 | CrossCountry Mortgage | Nonbank lender | 2,233 | 28.8% | 15.0% | $305,811 | 93.9% |
| 14 | PennyMac | Nonbank lender | 2,199 | 26.9% | 22.0% | $260,748 | 81.2% |
| 15 | Truist | Bank | 2,178 | 2.1% | 1.3% | $314,234 | 59.0% |
Source: 2025 HMDA originations, FFIEC/CFPB. FHA/VA = share of each lender's South Carolina 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, Freedom Mortgage, 21st Mortgage Corporation, Chase, Bank of America, AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Mr. Cooper, Founders Federal Credit Union, New American Funding, Village Capital & Investment LLC.
FHA lenders in South Carolina
18,162 FHA home-purchase loans were made in South Carolina in 2025 by 339 lenders. The typical FHA buyer here paid $10,392 in loan costs, including the 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium, at a median rate of 6.125%. The ten lenders that made the most:
| # | Lender | FHA purchases | Share | Loan costs | APR vs benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DHI Mortgage | 1,795 | 9.9% | $8,087 | −1.04 |
| 2 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 890 | 4.9% | $11,430 | +0.37 |
| 3 | Lennar Mortgage | 724 | 4.0% | $11,633 | +0.36 |
| 4 | Guild Mortgage | 622 | 3.4% | $10,260 | +0.55 |
| 5 | Movement Mortgage | 596 | 3.3% | $13,721 | +0.43 |
| 6 | loanDepot | 587 | 3.2% | $12,568 | −0.85 |
| 7 | Rocket Mortgage | 584 | 3.2% | $10,391 | +0.34 |
| 8 | NVR Mortgage | 539 | 3.0% | $10,874 | +0.28 |
| 9 | CrossCountry Mortgage | 477 | 2.6% | $11,667 | +0.60 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt Mortgage And Finance, Inc. | 457 | 2.5% | $10,560 | +0.12 |
| All South Carolina FHA buyers | 18,162 | 100% | $10,392 | +0.29 |
Among them, DHI Mortgage had the lowest median loan costs ($8,087) and Movement Mortgage the highest ($13,721) — $5,634 apart on similar loans, which is why a second Loan Estimate is worth getting. Homebuilder-owned lenders can show far-below-market APRs because builders pay to buy down the rate on their own new homes.
Source: 2025 HMDA loan-level records (FFIEC/CFPB), first-lien FHA home purchases in South Carolina. Costs and APR vs benchmark are medians of each lender's 30-year fixed loans here; "—" = fewer than 30. How these figures are built.
VA lenders in South Carolina
11,586 VA home-purchase loans were made in South Carolina in 2025 by 308 lenders. The typical VA buyer here paid $6,362 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 | 1,713 | 14.8% | $4,871 | −0.22 |
| 2 | DHI Mortgage | 933 | 8.1% | $6,709 | −1.67 |
| 3 | Navy Federal Credit Union | 484 | 4.2% | $4,711 | −0.63 |
| 4 | Lennar Mortgage | 400 | 3.5% | $3,704 | −0.52 |
| 5 | United Wholesale Mortgage | 378 | 3.3% | $5,220 | −0.34 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt Mortgage And Finance, Inc. | 314 | 2.7% | $3,847 | −0.70 |
| 7 | Movement Mortgage | 302 | 2.6% | $8,545 | −0.36 |
| 8 | First Heritage Mortgage, LLC | 278 | 2.4% | $10,386 | −0.28 |
| 9 | Guild Mortgage | 256 | 2.2% | $7,869 | −0.13 |
| 10 | Rocket Mortgage | 244 | 2.1% | $7,439 | −0.45 |
| All South Carolina VA buyers | 11,586 | 100% | $6,362 | −0.40 |
Among them, Lennar Mortgage had the lowest median loan costs ($3,704) and First Heritage Mortgage, LLC the highest ($10,386) — $6,682 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 South Carolina. 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 South Carolina market?
1,138 institutions reported South Carolina home-loan records for 2025 — the 7th-most of any state. The single most active lender accounts for 5.0% of all records and the top five for 19.6%, the 9th-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 South Carolina
South Carolina borrowers took FHA loans 17.3% of the time and VA loans 13.5% (U.S. 13.2% and 8.2%). Every South Carolina 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 SC Housing's Palmetto Home Advantage or SC Housing Homebuyer Program — only participating lenders can offer them (terms and sources).
South Carolina lender FAQ
Who is the biggest mortgage lender in South Carolina?
By 2025 federal HMDA data, Rocket Mortgage originated the most home loans in South Carolina — about 9,760, or 6.8% of the state's originations.
Which lender makes the most FHA loans in South Carolina?
DHI Mortgage made the most FHA home-purchase loans in South Carolina in 2025 — 1,795, or 9.9% of the 18,162 FHA purchases made by 339 lenders. United Wholesale Mortgage (890) was second.
Which lender makes the most VA loans in South Carolina?
Veterans United made the most VA home-purchase loans in South Carolina in 2025 (1,713, 14.8% of the state's VA purchases). VA loans were 13.5% of South Carolina originations, the 5th-highest VA share among the states.
How much are closing costs on an FHA loan in South Carolina?
The typical South Carolina FHA buyer in 2025 paid $10,392 in total loan costs on a median $275,000 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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