1st Northern California at a glance, 2025
Every figure is from the lender's own HMDA filing. "vs national" compares with all lenders combined.
How the B grade breaks down
Each component is a percentile rank among 1,883 small mortgage lenders. Higher is better. Components the lender does not report are left out and the weights redistributed.
Approval oddsdecision denial rate, weight 45%
4th36.5% deniedPricingmedian rate spread over APOR, weight 30%
98th-0.76 ptsProcesswithdrawn + incomplete share, weight 15%
86th2.7%Closing coststotal loan costs ÷ loan amount, weight 10%
74th1.30% of loanTrend, 2023–2025
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Decision denial | Median rate | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 117 | 60 | 41.9% | 43.4% | 7.00% | $6.6M |
| 2024 | 129 | 75 | 34.1% | 34.9% | 7.00% | $11M |
| 2025 | 183 | 102 | 35.5% | 36.5% | 5.88% | $46M |
What 1st Northern California lends
Applications by purpose and loan type in 2025, with the denial rate for each. A lender's mix explains a lot of its headline rate: HELOCs and FHA loans are denied far more often than conventional purchase loans.
By loan purpose
By loan type
Also: 0 home-equity lines, 0 reverse mortgages, 0 manufactured homes, 6 investment properties.
Why 1st Northern California denies applications
Primary reason reported for each of the 65 denials in 2025. Lenders can cite up to four reasons; this is the first one listed.
Who gets approved at 1st Northern California
Decision denial rate by applicant profile. Groups with fewer than 20 applications are omitted.
| Applicant income | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50k – $100k | 23 | 13 | 36.4% |
| $100k – $150k | 24 | 15 | 33.3% |
| $150k – $250k | 53 | 32 | 32.7% |
| Over $250k | 78 | 42 | 36.8% |
| Applicant age | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | 26 | 7 | 61.5% |
| 35–44 | 51 | 26 | 38.8% |
| 45–54 | 40 | 25 | 35.9% |
| 55–64 | 36 | 25 | 25.0% |
| 65–74 | 22 | 13 | 25.0% |
Where 1st Northern California lends
2 states and 19 counties in 2025. Click a state for the lender's full record there.
| State | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 181 | 102 | 35.9% | 5.88% | #377 |
Frequently asked questions
1st Northern California denied 36.5% of the applications it decided on in 2025. The national figure across all lenders was 22.6%. On approval odds it ranks in the 4th percentile of small mortgage lenders.
The most common reason 1st Northern California gave in 2025 was "collateral", cited on 29.2% of its denials. Lenders report up to four reasons per denial to the CFPB; the full breakdown is on this page.
The median interest rate on loans 1st Northern California originated in 2025 was 5.88%, and its median rate spread over the average prime offer rate was -0.76 points. Rates on this page are what borrowers actually got, not advertised rates.
In 2025, 8% of its applications were for home purchases, 73% for refinancing (including cash-out), and 19% for home improvement or other purposes. By loan type: 100% conventional, 0% FHA, 0% VA.
Every figure on this page comes from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Loan/Application Register published by the CFPB, which lenders are required by federal law to file. We add the grade and the comparisons; we do not add facts.