First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union at a glance, 2025
Every figure is from the lender's own HMDA filing. "vs national" compares with all lenders combined.
How the C grade breaks down
Each component is a percentile rank among 412 home-equity (HELOC) lenders. Higher is better. Components the lender does not report are left out and the weights redistributed.
Approval oddsdecision denial rate, weight 45%
31st30.6% deniedPricingmedian rate spread over APOR, weight 30%
100th-5.17 ptsProcesswithdrawn + incomplete share, weight 15%
8th23.8%Closing coststotal loan costs ÷ loan amount, weight 10%
24th4.25% of loanTrend, 2023–2025
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Decision denial | Median rate | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 215 | 123 | 21.9% | 27.7% | — | $33M |
| 2024 | 163 | 115 | 7.4% | 9.5% | — | $30M |
| 2025 | 713 | 376 | 23.3% | 30.6% | 1.99% | $67M |
What First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union 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: 572 home-equity lines, 0 reverse mortgages, 1 manufactured homes, 19 investment properties.
Why First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union denies applications
Primary reason reported for each of the 166 denials in 2025. Lenders can cite up to four reasons; this is the first one listed.
Who gets approved at First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union
Decision denial rate by applicant profile. Groups with fewer than 20 applications are omitted.
| Applicant income | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 85 | 19 | 71.6% |
| $50k – $100k | 224 | 109 | 32.1% |
| $100k – $150k | 163 | 102 | 23.3% |
| $150k – $250k | 152 | 99 | 18.2% |
| Over $250k | 81 | 46 | 17.9% |
| Applicant age | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | 76 | 38 | 34.5% |
| 35–44 | 192 | 103 | 30.9% |
| 45–54 | 168 | 87 | 34.1% |
| 55–64 | 154 | 85 | 26.7% |
| 65–74 | 82 | 41 | 28.8% |
| Over 74 | 32 | 16 | 27.3% |
Where First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union lends
10 states and 81 counties in 2025. Click a state for the lender's full record there.
| State | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 579 | 305 | 23.8% | 1.99% | #99 |
| Mississippi | 111 | 60 | 23.4% | 1.99% | #120 |
| Arkansas | 13 | 7 | 15.4% | 1.99% | #315 |
Frequently asked questions
First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union denied 30.6% of the applications it decided on in 2025. The national figure across all lenders was 22.6%. On approval odds it ranks in the 31st percentile of home-equity (HELOC) lenders.
The most common reason First South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union gave in 2025 was "debt-to-income ratio", cited on 40.4% 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 South Financial Federally Insured State-Chartered Credit Union originated in 2025 was 1.99%, and its median rate spread over the average prime offer rate was -5.17 points. Rates on this page are what borrowers actually got, not advertised rates.
In 2025, 17% of its applications were for home purchases, 8% for refinancing (including cash-out), and 75% for home improvement or other purposes. By loan type: 96% conventional, 3% 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.