Compare Mortgage Lenders

Select two lenders to compare side by side using 2023 HMDA federal data: approval rates, denial rates, loan sizes, loan types, and geographic reach.

Lender A

American Federal Bank

Fargo, ND

View full profile →
Lender B

Bell Bank

Fargo, ND

View full profile →

Key Metrics

Metric American Federal Bank Bell Bank
Total Applications 298 13,496
Loans Originated 200 10,872
Approval Rate (higher is better) 67.1% 80.6%
Denial Rate (lower is better) 5.7% 5.8%
Avg Loan Amount $319,094 $305,468
Avg Interest Rate (lower is better) N/A 6.655%
Avg Applicant Income N/A $37,000
Applications Denied 17 781
Applications Withdrawn 20 1,720

✓ Better indicates the more favorable value for borrowers. Data: CFPB HMDA 2023.

Loan Type Mix

Loan Type American Federal Bank Bell Bank
Conventional 285 (95.6%) 12,115 (89.8%)
FHA 13 (4.4%) 847 (6.3%)
VA 495 (3.7%)
USDA 39 (0.3%)

Loan Purpose Breakdown

Purpose American Federal Bank Bell Bank
Home Purchase 224 10,070
Cash-out Refinancing 32 370
Refinancing 22 980
Home Improvement 20 1,082
Other 993

Top States by Loan Volume

American Federal Bank

No state data available.

Bell Bank
State Originated Rank
Minnesota 6,342 #1
North Dakota 569 #3

Summary

American Federal Bank
  • 298 total applications · 200 originated
  • Approval rate: 67.1%
  • Denial rate: 5.7%
  • Avg loan: $319,094
  • HQ: Fargo, ND
Bell Bank
  • 13,496 total applications · 10,872 originated
  • Approval rate: 80.6%
  • Denial rate: 5.8%
  • Avg loan: $305,468
  • Avg rate: 6.655%
  • HQ: Fargo, ND
Data from the CFPB HMDA 2023 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset. Approval rates are calculated as originated / total applications. Denial rates are as reported by lenders. This data is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

Methodology

Comparisons are drawn from the CFPB 2024 HMDA Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset, published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and distributed via the FFIEC. Every figure on this page comes from lenders' mandatory HMDA filings — not voluntary marketing claims.

Approval (origination) rate = originated ÷ total applications. Denial rate = denied ÷ total applications. Rates do not sum to 100% because HMDA also records withdrawn, incomplete, and approved-but-not-accepted outcomes. Denial rates reflect a lender's applicant mix as much as its underwriting stance; compare alongside loan-type mix and geography before drawing conclusions.

Side-by-side comparisons are informational only and do not constitute financial, legal, or mortgage advice. Always obtain and compare written Loan Estimates before applying.