Largest lenders in Lee County
| # | Lender | Grade | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sauk Valley Bank & Trust | B | 85 | 62 | 9.4% | — |
| 2 | U.S. Bank | D | 54 | 24 | 37.0% | 7.44% |
| 3 | Rocket Mortgage | C | 51 | 35 | 17.7% | 6.99% |
| 4 | Midland States Bank | C | 25 | 15 | 20.0% | 5.99% |
| 5 | Guaranteed Rate | B | 25 | 14 | 8.0% | 6.75% |
| 6 | Guild Mortgage | A | 25 | 19 | 4.0% | 6.63% |
| 7 | First State Bank | B | 23 | 18 | 13.0% | 7.06% |
| 8 | Fifth Third Bank | D | 20 | 7 | 40.0% | 7.50% |
| 9 | Central Bank Illinois | A | 20 | 16 | 0.0% | — |
| 10 | Mortgage Research Center | C | 20 | 12 | 10.0% | 6.25% |
| 11 | United Shore Financial Services | B | 16 | 13 | 12.5% | 6.63% |
| 12 | Broker Solutions | D | 14 | 10 | 0.0% | 6.44% |
| 13 | AmeriSave Mortgage | D | 12 | 2 | 66.7% | 7.31% |
| 14 | Towne Mortgage | B | 12 | 11 | 0.0% | 6.49% |
| 15 | Coastal Community Bank | C | 12 | 5 | 0.0% | 12.49% |
| 16 | Envoy Mortgage | D | 11 | 10 | 0.0% | 6.63% |
| 17 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | B | 10 | 4 | 30.0% | 7.00% |
| 18 | Holcomb Bank | B | 10 | 7 | 0.0% | — |
| 19 | JPMorgan Chase Bank | B | 9 | 4 | 11.1% | 6.81% |
| 20 | Newrez | D | 9 | 4 | 11.1% | 7.13% |
| 21 | Compeer Financial, Flca | C | 9 | 5 | 22.2% | 7.15% |
| 22 | Loandepot.Com | D | 9 | 3 | 0.0% | 7.00% |
| 23 | Figure Lending | C | 9 | 3 | 11.1% | 9.60% |
| 24 | Crosscountry Mortgage | B | 7 | 5 | 14.3% | 6.49% |
| 25 | Carrington Mortgage Services | D | 7 | 0 | 57.1% | — |
Best approval odds in Lee County
Lowest decision denial rate among lenders that decided at least 50 applications here in 2025.
| # | Lender | Decided | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sauk Valley Bank & Trust | 71 | 11.3% |
What Lee County borrowers applied for
By loan purpose
By loan type
Why applications were denied
Lee County by year
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Median loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 615 | 361 | 17.6% | 6.75% | $105,000 |
| 2024 | 692 | 434 | 17.8% | 7.00% | $105,000 |
| 2025 | 755 | 445 | 15.5% | 6.88% | $125,000 |
Frequently asked questions
15.5% of applications in Lee County were denied in 2025, against 17.1% statewide in Illinois.
Sauk Valley Bank & Trust, with 85 applications in 2025 and a denial rate of 9.4%.
The median mortgage application in Lee County in 2025 was for $125,000; the median property value on originated loans was $185,000.