Mortgage lender · Searcy, AR · LEI 254900561K135J92VD38

First Security Bank review: approval odds, rates and grade (2025)

First Security Bank earns a C, in line with the typical performance of mid-size mortgage lenders. It turned down 6.6% of the applications it decided on in 2025, which ranks in the 64th percentile for approval odds. Its median loan was priced 0.71 points above the average prime offer rate, ranking in the 9th percentile on pricing. Compared against 581 mid-size mortgage lenders using 2025 HMDA filings.

1.9kApplications2025
83.2%Originatedof applications
6.6%Decision denial ratenational 22.6%
7.50%Median ratenational 6.63%
$511MLoan volume7 states

First Security Bank at a glance, 2025

Every figure is from the lender's own HMDA filing. "vs national" compares with all lenders combined.

6.0%Denial rate (all applications)-11.94 pts vs national
6.6%Denial rate (decided applications)-15.99 pts vs national
83.2%Origination rate+25.18 pts vs national
8.2%Withdrawn by applicant
0.3%Closed for incompleteness
7.50%Median interest rate+0.88 pts vs national
0.71Median rate spread (pts over APOR)+0.46 pts vs national
$145,000Median loan amount
$3,358Median total loan costs
$99kMedian applicant income
69%Median loan-to-value
1High-cost (HOEPA) loans

How the C grade breaks down

Each component is a percentile rank among 581 mid-size mortgage lenders. Higher is better. Components the lender does not report are left out and the weights redistributed.

Approval oddsdecision denial rate, weight 45%

64th6.6% denied

Pricingmedian rate spread over APOR, weight 30%

9th0.71 pts

Processwithdrawn + incomplete share, weight 15%

87th8.5%

Closing coststotal loan costs ÷ loan amount, weight 10%

48th2.32% of loan

Trend, 2023–2025

YearApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateDecision denialMedian rateVolume
20231,5991,3048.4%9.2%8.34%$225M
20241,6521,3338.7%9.5%8.48%$262M
20251,8701,5566.0%6.6%7.50%$511M

What First Security Bank 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

Home purchase 966 52% · 3.0% denied
Refinance 310 17% · 3.6% denied
Cash-out refinance 68 4% · 13.2% denied
Home improvement 301 16% · 12.0% denied
Other / HELOC 225 12% · 12.4% denied

By loan type

Conventional 1,698 91% · 6.1% denied
FHA 106 6% · 9.4% denied
VA 24 1% · 0.0% denied
USDA / RHS 42 2% · 0.0% denied

Also: 636 home-equity lines, 0 reverse mortgages, 6 manufactured homes, 489 investment properties.

Why First Security Bank denies applications

Primary reason reported for each of the 113 denials in 2025. Lenders can cite up to four reasons; this is the first one listed.

Credit history 50 44%
Debt-to-income ratio 46 41%
Other 9 8%
Collateral 7 6%
Employment history 1 1%

How these reasons compare nationally →

Who gets approved at First Security Bank

Decision denial rate by applicant profile. Groups with fewer than 20 applications are omitted.

Applicant incomeApplicationsOriginatedDecision denial rate
Under $50k21414523.0%
$50k – $100k5414149.4%
$100k – $150k3232744.2%
$150k – $250k2442141.8%
Over $250k1831592.3%
Applicant ageApplicationsOriginatedDecision denial rate
Under 2580625.9%
25–342622027.4%
35–4429121510.8%
45–543332766.3%
55–643022548.9%
65–742111726.7%
Over 7487756.1%

Where First Security Bank lends

7 states and 55 counties in 2025. Click a state for the lender's full record there.

StateApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateMedian rateRank in state
Arkansas1,8431,5355.9%7.50%#16
Florida181222.2%7.75%#778
Oklahoma550.0%7.50%#478

Frequently asked questions

First Security Bank denied 6.6% of the applications it decided on in 2025. The national figure across all lenders was 22.6%. On approval odds it ranks in the 64th percentile of mid-size mortgage lenders.

The most common reason First Security Bank gave in 2025 was "credit history", cited on 44.2% 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 First Security Bank originated in 2025 was 7.50%, and its median rate spread over the average prime offer rate was 0.71 points. Rates on this page are what borrowers actually got, not advertised rates.

In 2025, 52% of its applications were for home purchases, 20% for refinancing (including cash-out), and 28% for home improvement or other purposes. By loan type: 91% conventional, 6% FHA, 1% 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.

About this data. HMDA data is published once a year by the CFPB. The current release covers applications acted on in calendar year 2025. Figures describe applications the lender acted on, including loans it later sold. Interest rates and costs are medians on originated loans only; some depository institutions are exempt from reporting pricing fields, which is why a few cells read "—". MortgageGrades is not affiliated with First Security Bank. Data sources · Methodology