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

FIRST MERCHANTS BANK

MUNCIE, IN

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Lender B

Ruoff Mortgage Company

Fort Wayne, IN

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Key Metrics

Metric FIRST MERCHANTS BANK Ruoff Mortgage Company
Total Applications 8,454 15,781
Loans Originated 5,503 10,647
Approval Rate (higher is better) 65.1% 67.5%
Denial Rate (lower is better) 16.4% 6.8%
Avg Loan Amount $248,384 $206,344
Avg Interest Rate (lower is better) 6.880% 6.794%
Avg Applicant Income $34,000 $37,000
Applications Denied 1,382 1,066
Applications Withdrawn 1,027 2,636

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

Loan Type Mix

Loan Type FIRST MERCHANTS BANK Ruoff Mortgage Company
Conventional 8,165 (96.6%) 10,071 (63.8%)
FHA 247 (2.9%) 4,571 (29.0%)
VA 30 (0.4%) 814 (5.2%)
USDA 12 (0.1%) 325 (2.1%)

Loan Purpose Breakdown

Purpose FIRST MERCHANTS BANK Ruoff Mortgage Company
Home Purchase 3,154 11,971
Other 2,091 1
Refinancing 1,997 910
Home Improvement 876
Cash-out Refinancing 336 2,899

Top States by Loan Volume

FIRST MERCHANTS BANK
State Originated Rank
Indiana 3,239 #6
Ruoff Mortgage Company
State Originated Rank
Indiana 6,395 #2

Summary

FIRST MERCHANTS BANK
  • 8,454 total applications · 5,503 originated
  • Approval rate: 65.1%
  • Denial rate: 16.4%
  • Avg loan: $248,384
  • Avg rate: 6.880%
  • HQ: MUNCIE, IN
Ruoff Mortgage Company
  • 15,781 total applications · 10,647 originated
  • Approval rate: 67.5%
  • Denial rate: 6.8%
  • Avg loan: $206,344
  • Avg rate: 6.794%
  • HQ: Fort Wayne, IN
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 Rates do not sum to 100% because HMDA also records withdrawn, incomplete, and approved-but-not-accepted outcomes.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.