Schoolsfirst · California · 2025

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

Schoolsfirst took 19,086 mortgage applications in California in 2025, ranking #7 of 1,147 lenders active in the state. It originated 74.5% of them and denied 10.0% (11.7% of the applications it decided), against a statewide denial rate of 17.4%.

19kApplicationsin CA
11.7%Decision denial ratestate 22.4%
6.25%Median ratestate 6.63%
$155,000Median loanstate $385,000
$3.4BVolume55 counties

Schoolsfirst in California vs the state

10.0%Denial rate-7.38 pts vs state
11.7%Decision denial rate-10.70 pts vs state
74.5%Origination rate+18.33 pts vs state
6.25%Median rate-0.38 pts vs state
-0.35Rate spread (pts)-0.62 pts vs state
$141kMedian applicant income
14,224Loans originated
1,917Denied

Trend in California

YearApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateMedian rateRank in state
202313,93710,45610.3%7.50%#9
202416,93712,40311.6%7.00%#7
202519,08614,22410.0%6.25%#7

What Schoolsfirst lends in California

By loan purpose

Home purchase 2,300 12% · 1.9% denied
Refinance 667 3% · 10.3% denied
Cash-out refinance 5,145 27% · 9.5% denied
Home improvement 6,846 36% · 9.7% denied
Other / HELOC 4,128 22% · 15.7% denied

By loan type

Conventional 19,039 100% · 10.0% denied
FHA 47 0% · 21.3% denied

Why it denied California applicants

Debt-to-income ratio 1,186 62%
Credit history 263 14%
Other 233 12%
Collateral 168 9%
Insufficient cash 29 2%
Unverifiable information 25 1%
Incomplete application 7 0%
Employment history 5 0%
Mortgage insurance denied 1 0%

Where in California

Counties with the most Schoolsfirst applications in 2025.

CountyApplicationsOriginatedDeniedDenial rate
Orange County 6,4034,992529 8.3%
Los Angeles County 4,0222,959452 11.2%
Riverside County 3,2862,360352 10.7%
San Bernardino County 2,4021,725265 11.0%
Sacramento County 1,028763132 12.8%
San Diego County 51239733 6.4%
Placer County 25019918 7.2%
El Dorado County 17013016 9.4%
Ventura County 116916 5.2%
Kern County 944716 17.0%

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%
Pennymac Loan ServicesC 18,75413.5%6.50%
NewrezD 17,00019.3%6.63%
Loandepot.ComD 16,64518.7%6.63%
Coastal Community BankC 15,8302.7%9.99%

Frequently asked questions

California: 19,086 applications in 2025, of which 14,224 were originated and 1,917 denied.

10.0% of all applications, or 11.7% of the applications it actually decided on. The California statewide average across all lenders was 17.4%.

The median rate on loans Schoolsfirst originated in California in 2025 was 6.25%, against a statewide median of 6.63%.

About this data. Figures are Schoolsfirst'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