Lower · California · 2025

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

Lower took 722 mortgage applications in California in 2025, ranking #203 of 1,147 lenders active in the state. It originated 36.6% of them and denied 14.7% (27.7% of the applications it decided), against a statewide denial rate of 17.4%.

722Applicationsin CA
27.7%Decision denial ratestate 22.4%
6.75%Median ratestate 6.63%
$405,000Median loanstate $385,000
$117MVolume43 counties

Lower in California vs the state

14.7%Denial rate-2.74 pts vs state
27.7%Decision denial rate+5.28 pts vs state
36.6%Origination rate-19.63 pts vs state
6.75%Median rate+0.13 pts vs state
0.41Rate spread (pts)+0.13 pts vs state
$150kMedian applicant income
264Loans originated
106Denied

Trend in California

YearApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateMedian rateRank in state
20232389018.1%6.99%#321
202461622415.3%6.63%#220
202572226414.7%6.75%#203

What Lower lends in California

By loan purpose

Home purchase 164 23% · 9.8% denied
Refinance 110 15% · 14.6% denied
Cash-out refinance 445 62% · 16.4% denied
Home improvement 1 0% · 0.0% denied
Other / HELOC 2 0% · 50.0% denied

By loan type

Conventional 450 62% · 11.6% denied
FHA 192 27% · 20.3% denied
VA 80 11% · 18.8% denied

Why it denied California applicants

Debt-to-income ratio 41 39%
Credit history 29 27%
Collateral 14 13%
Other 8 8%
Incomplete application 8 8%
Employment history 3 3%
Insufficient cash 3 3%

Where in California

Counties with the most Lower applications in 2025.

CountyApplicationsOriginatedDeniedDenial rate
Los Angeles County 1134116 14.2%
Riverside County 994411 11.1%
San Diego County 86407 8.1%
San Bernardino County 61216 9.8%
Sacramento County 441911 25.0%
Kern County 35109 25.7%
Orange County 32122 6.3%
San Joaquin County 2382 8.7%
Placer County 2053 15.0%
Alameda County 2034 20.0%

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: 722 applications in 2025, of which 264 were originated and 106 denied.

14.7% of all applications, or 27.7% of the applications it actually decided on. The California statewide average across all lenders was 17.4%.

The median rate on loans Lower originated in California in 2025 was 6.75%, against a statewide median of 6.63%.

About this data. Figures are Lower'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