The Golden 1 · California · 2025

The Golden 1 in California: approval rate, denial rate and rates (2025)

The Golden 1 took 11,609 mortgage applications in California in 2025, ranking #19 of 1,147 lenders active in the state. It originated 52.6% of them and denied 33.2% (37.7% of the applications it decided), against a statewide denial rate of 17.4%.

12kApplicationsin CA
37.7%Decision denial ratestate 22.4%
7.75%Median ratestate 6.63%
$135,000Median loanstate $385,000
$2.3BVolume56 counties

The Golden 1 in California vs the state

33.2%Denial rate+15.81 pts vs state
37.7%Decision denial rate+15.33 pts vs state
52.6%Origination rate-3.59 pts vs state
7.75%Median rate+1.13 pts vs state
0.53Rate spread (pts)+0.25 pts vs state
$145kMedian applicant income
6,107Loans originated
3,858Denied

Trend in California

YearApplicationsOriginatedDenial rateMedian rateRank in state
20238,8215,01828.8%8.50%#18
20248,2984,44333.7%9.25%#26
202511,6096,10733.2%7.75%#19

What The Golden 1 lends in California

By loan purpose

Home purchase 1,784 15% · 11.8% denied
Refinance 980 8% · 20.3% denied
Cash-out refinance 2,184 19% · 32.5% denied
Home improvement 4,432 38% · 37.0% denied
Other / HELOC 2,229 19% · 49.4% denied

By loan type

Conventional 11,463 99% · 33.3% denied
FHA 146 1% · 25.3% denied

Why it denied California applicants

Debt-to-income ratio 1,509 39%
Credit history 692 18%
Unverifiable information 663 17%
Collateral 648 17%
Other 285 7%
Employment history 39 1%
Insufficient cash 21 1%
Mortgage insurance denied 1 0%

Where in California

Counties with the most The Golden 1 applications in 2025.

CountyApplicationsOriginatedDeniedDenial rate
Sacramento County 3,1611,7241,021 32.3%
Placer County 909512273 30.0%
Fresno County 696317295 42.4%
Alameda County 636363144 22.6%
Santa Clara County 609365123 20.2%
San Joaquin County 537242230 42.8%
Contra Costa County 447258122 27.3%
Los Angeles County 430210155 36.0%
El Dorado County 387202138 35.7%
Stanislaus County 366177129 35.2%

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: 11,609 applications in 2025, of which 6,107 were originated and 3,858 denied.

33.2% of all applications, or 37.7% of the applications it actually decided on. The California statewide average across all lenders was 17.4%.

The median rate on loans The Golden 1 originated in California in 2025 was 7.75%, against a statewide median of 6.63%.

About this data. Figures are The Golden 1'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