First City · California · 2025

First City in California: approval rate, denial rate and rates (2025)

First City took 317 mortgage applications in California in 2025, ranking #311 of 1,147 lenders active in the state. It originated 51.4% of them and denied 30.0% (33.1% of the applications it decided), against a statewide denial rate of 17.4%.

317Applicationsin CA
33.1%Decision denial ratestate 22.4%
7.75%Median ratestate 6.63%
$105,000Median loanstate $385,000
$30MVolume6 counties

First City in California vs the state

30.0%Denial rate+12.55 pts vs state
33.1%Decision denial rate+10.70 pts vs state
51.4%Origination rate-4.78 pts vs state
7.75%Median rate+1.13 pts vs state
1.52Rate spread (pts)+1.25 pts vs state
$123kMedian applicant income
163Loans originated
95Denied

Trend in California

YearApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateMedian rateRank in state
202334116436.1%7.25%#275
202420711626.1%8.50%#349
202531716330.0%7.75%#311

What First City lends in California

By loan purpose

Home purchase 18 6% · 11.1% denied
Refinance 21 7% · 23.8% denied
Cash-out refinance 22 7% · 27.3% denied
Home improvement 131 41% · 29.8% denied
Other / HELOC 125 39% · 34.4% denied

By loan type

Conventional 317 100% · 30.0% denied

Why it denied California applicants

Debt-to-income ratio 28 29%
Other 25 26%
Credit history 24 25%
Incomplete application 18 19%

Where in California

Counties with the most First City applications in 2025.

CountyApplicationsOriginatedDeniedDenial rate
Los Angeles County 22912265 28.4%
San Bernardino County 522020 38.5%
Riverside County 21116 28.6%
Orange County 963 33.3%
Kern County 430 0.0%
San Diego County 110 0.0%

Other large lenders in California

LenderGradeApplicationsDenial rateMedian rate
United Shore Financial ServicesB 79,26112.6%6.49%
Rocket MortgageC 58,92517.6%6.75%
Bank of AmericaF 40,19030.8%5.99%
U.S. BankD 32,49331.6%6.50%
JPMorgan Chase BankB 22,0489.7%6.13%
Spring EqD 21,60150.8%8.88%
SchoolsfirstA 19,08610.0%6.25%
Pennymac Loan ServicesC 18,75413.5%6.50%
NewrezD 17,00019.3%6.63%
Loandepot.ComD 16,64518.7%6.63%

Frequently asked questions

California: 317 applications in 2025, of which 163 were originated and 95 denied.

30.0% of all applications, or 33.1% of the applications it actually decided on. The California statewide average across all lenders was 17.4%.

The median rate on loans First City originated in California in 2025 was 7.75%, against a statewide median of 6.63%.

About this data. Figures are First City's own HMDA filing for properties located in California, 2025. The grade is national; state-level figures are shown for context and are not separately graded. Methodology