Universal Lending at a glance, 2025
Every figure is from the lender's own HMDA filing. "vs national" compares with all lenders combined.
How the A grade breaks down
Each component is a percentile rank among 1,883 small mortgage lenders. Higher is better. Components the lender does not report are left out and the weights redistributed.
Approval oddsdecision denial rate, weight 45%
70th5.5% deniedPricingmedian rate spread over APOR, weight 30%
100th-1.05 ptsProcesswithdrawn + incomplete share, weight 15%
47th12.2%Closing coststotal loan costs ÷ loan amount, weight 10%
68th1.43% of loanTrend, 2023–2025
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Decision denial | Median rate | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,371 | 1,040 | 7.7% | 8.7% | 6.63% | $379M |
| 2024 | 90 | 70 | 4.4% | 5.4% | 5.50% | $33M |
| 2025 | 1,036 | 860 | 4.8% | 5.5% | 4.99% | $423M |
What Universal Lending 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: 0 home-equity lines, 0 reverse mortgages, 0 manufactured homes, 31 investment properties.
Why Universal Lending denies applications
Primary reason reported for each of the 50 denials in 2025. Lenders can cite up to four reasons; this is the first one listed.
Who gets approved at Universal Lending
Decision denial rate by applicant profile. Groups with fewer than 20 applications are omitted.
| Applicant income | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50k – $100k | 189 | 155 | 9.9% |
| $100k – $150k | 345 | 287 | 5.9% |
| $150k – $250k | 329 | 281 | 2.1% |
| Over $250k | 165 | 134 | 4.3% |
| Applicant age | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | 44 | 41 | 4.7% |
| 25–34 | 346 | 302 | 4.1% |
| 35–44 | 324 | 268 | 5.3% |
| 45–54 | 163 | 131 | 9.0% |
| 55–64 | 102 | 73 | 7.6% |
| 65–74 | 46 | 35 | 0.0% |
Where Universal Lending lends
7 states and 32 counties in 2025. Click a state for the lender's full record there.
| State | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 449 | 382 | 4.0% | 4.99% | #274 |
| Arizona | 252 | 218 | 5.2% | 5.13% | #160 |
| Oregon | 125 | 99 | 8.0% | 4.99% | #152 |
| Colorado | 117 | 91 | 4.3% | 4.99% | #213 |
| Texas | 72 | 53 | 5.6% | 4.99% | #628 |
| Washington | 16 | 13 | 0.0% | 6.63% | #411 |
| Florida | 5 | 4 | 0.0% | 4.99% | #1,120 |
Frequently asked questions
Universal Lending denied 5.5% of the applications it decided on in 2025. The national figure across all lenders was 22.6%. On approval odds it ranks in the 70th percentile of small mortgage lenders.
The most common reason Universal Lending gave in 2025 was "debt-to-income ratio", cited on 72.0% 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 Universal Lending originated in 2025 was 4.99%, and its median rate spread over the average prime offer rate was -1.05 points. Rates on this page are what borrowers actually got, not advertised rates.
In 2025, 100% of its applications were for home purchases, 0% for refinancing (including cash-out), and 0% for home improvement or other purposes. By loan type: 67% conventional, 26% FHA, 7% 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.