Largest lenders in Watauga County
| # | Lender | Grade | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Employees' | C | 293 | 183 | 16.4% | 6.25% |
| 2 | Rocket Mortgage | C | 109 | 84 | 13.8% | 6.75% |
| 3 | Movement Mortgage | A | 75 | 59 | 2.7% | 6.81% |
| 4 | Truist Bank | C | 71 | 42 | 23.9% | 6.66% |
| 5 | Bank of America | F | 65 | 33 | 20.0% | 6.24% |
| 6 | United Community Bank | B | 61 | 37 | 31.2% | 6.88% |
| 7 | First National Bank of Pennsylvania | B | 60 | 31 | 33.3% | 6.49% |
| 8 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust | B | 53 | 39 | 18.9% | 6.38% |
| 9 | Fairway Independent Mortgage | B | 53 | 39 | 1.9% | 6.88% |
| 10 | Skyline National Bank | B | 47 | 46 | 2.1% | — |
| 11 | United Shore Financial Services | B | 38 | 28 | 7.9% | 6.63% |
| 12 | Guild Mortgage | A | 37 | 23 | 2.7% | 6.75% |
| 13 | Wells Fargo Bank | B | 30 | 16 | 10.0% | 6.25% |
| 14 | Navy Federal Credit Union | D | 29 | 15 | 6.9% | 7.75% |
| 15 | Pennymac Loan Services | C | 28 | 16 | 7.1% | 6.12% |
| 16 | Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance | F | 28 | 4 | 35.7% | 7.63% |
| 17 | PNC Bank | D | 26 | 15 | 30.8% | 7.38% |
| 18 | Newrez | D | 23 | 13 | 8.7% | 6.50% |
| 19 | Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group | A | 22 | 20 | 0.0% | 6.93% |
| 20 | JPMorgan Chase Bank | B | 20 | 12 | 20.0% | 6.38% |
| 21 | Bank of Tennessee | C | 20 | 16 | 0.0% | 6.81% |
| 22 | AmeriSave Mortgage | D | 17 | 1 | 76.5% | 9.63% |
| 23 | Fifth Third Bank | D | 16 | 7 | 25.0% | 7.13% |
| 24 | Broker Solutions | D | 16 | 5 | 18.8% | 6.75% |
| 25 | Crosscountry Mortgage | B | 14 | 9 | 0.0% | 7.25% |
Best approval odds in Watauga County
Lowest decision denial rate among lenders that decided at least 50 applications here in 2025.
| # | Lender | Decided | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Movement Mortgage | 68 | 2.9% |
| 2 | Rocket Mortgage | 99 | 15.2% |
| 3 | State Employees' | 233 | 20.6% |
| 4 | Truist Bank | 59 | 28.8% |
| 5 | United Community Bank | 56 | 33.9% |
| 6 | First National Bank of Pennsylvania | 52 | 38.5% |
What Watauga County borrowers applied for
By loan purpose
By loan type
Why applications were denied
Watauga County by year
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Median loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,784 | 1,124 | 15.6% | 6.88% | $255,000 |
| 2024 | 1,607 | 979 | 15.8% | 7.00% | $285,000 |
| 2025 | 1,935 | 1,204 | 15.5% | 6.63% | $305,000 |
Frequently asked questions
15.5% of applications in Watauga County were denied in 2025, against 18.1% statewide in North Carolina.
State Employees', with 293 applications in 2025 and a denial rate of 16.4%.
The median mortgage application in Watauga County in 2025 was for $305,000; the median property value on originated loans was $575,000.