PlainLender

Bell Bank

Fargo, ND

Bell Bank processed 13,496 mortgage applications in 2024 per HMDA data reported to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), originating 10,872 loans with a 5.8% denial rate. Home Purchase was the primary loan purpose. Based in Fargo, ND. The approval rate of 80.6% reflects originated loans as a share of all applications. Below you will find a breakdown by loan type, loan purpose, denial reasons, and demographic lending patterns as required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.

Portfolio scale. Bell Bank processed 13,496 HMDA-reported mortgage applications in 2024, originating 10,872 loans and denying 781 for a denial rate of 5.8% (applicants themselves withdrew 1,720 files before a decision). The average loan amount was $305,468 at a 6.655% average note rate, and applicants self-reported an average income of $37,000. The lender reports under LEI 549300WYBPIWKK6SQC06 from Fargo, ND.

Why approval and denial rates diverge. Approval (origination) rate and denial rate do not sum to 100% — HMDA records several outcomes beyond approved-and-funded, including files that were approved but not accepted by the applicant, withdrawn, or closed for incompleteness. Bell Bank's 80.6% origination rate tells you how often an application turned into funded money; the 5.8% denial rate is a separate read on underwriting strictness. The most frequently cited denial reasons in this file were Debt-to-income ratio, Collateral, Credit history, which together explain the majority of rejections. Most activity concentrated in Conventional loans (12,115 applications).

How to read this page. These figures are aggregate HMDA disclosures — they describe this lender's overall 2024 book, not your individual odds. Approval and denial rates are shaped by the applicant mix a lender actually receives: credit profile, loan-to-value, debt-to-income, property type, and geography. A lower denial rate at one lender versus another does not necessarily mean easier underwriting — it often reflects borrower self-selection and loan-product specialization. This page is informational data reporting, not financial, legal, or mortgage advice. Compare multiple lenders, read your Loan Estimate carefully, and consult a licensed mortgage professional before applying. Data reflects 2024 disclosures published by the CFPB in 2025.

13,496
Applications
10,872
Originated
5.8%
Denial Rate
$305,468
Avg Loan Amount
Avg Interest Rate: 6.655% Avg Applicant Income: $37,000

Lending Activity

Type Applications Originated Denied Avg Loan
Conventional 12,115 9,809 682 $302,955
FHA 847 638 79 $295,319
VA 495 391 19 $390,273
USDA 39 34 1 $229,872

Top loan types — Bell Bank

Top loan types — Bell Bank Horizontal bar chart of the top 4 items by value (applications). Top loan types — Bell Bank Top 4 1. Conventional 12,115 2. FHA 847 3. VA 495 4. USDA 39 Top 5 loan types by application volume at Bell Bank (HMDA 2023). Source: CFPB HMDA loan/application register.

Source: CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) loan/application register HMDA 2023 LAR — application-level mortgage data for Bell Bank (LEI: 549300WYBPIWKK6SQC06) · 2023 HMDA reports filed annually; covers applications received during the calendar year. Approval rates exclude withdrawn / incomplete applications. Denial reasons are lender-reported.

Denial Analysis

Debt-to-income ratio
364
Collateral
230
Credit history
216
Other
65
Credit application incomplete
37
Employment history
26
Unverifiable information
17
Insufficient cash
14

Loan Purpose Breakdown

Purpose Applications Originated Avg Loan
Home Purchase 10,070 8,411 $337,977
Home Improvement 1,082 859 $119,584
Other 993 732 $158,978
Refinancing 980 659 $326,102
Cash-out Refinancing 370 211 $303,351

Geographic Coverage — Lending by Race

Derived race categories as reported under HMDA. Source: CFPB.

Race Applications Approval Rate Denial Rate
White 10,142 81.5% 5.5%
Asian 610 78.8% 4.8%
Black or African American 558 76.7% 11.3%
Joint 377 83.0% 2.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 62 71.0% 12.9%
2 or more minority races 12 66.7% 8.3%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 6 50.0% 16.7%

Lending by Ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity, not a race. Shown separately per U.S. Census Bureau standards.

Ethnicity Applications Approval Rate Denial Rate
Not Hispanic or Latino 10,177 81.2% 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 909 77.3% 8.9%
Joint 333 85.3% 3.9%

Nearby Lenders in ND

Other HMDA-reporting lenders in ND with similar activity. Compare any two side-by-side.

Gate City Bank

Fargo, ND

4,682 apps 3,056 originated 10.3% denied

ALERUS FINANCIAL NA

GRAND FORKS, ND

2,632 apps 2,038 originated 6.6% denied

First International Bank & Trust

Minot, ND

1,791 apps 1,437 originated 6.6% denied

FIRST COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

JAMESTOWN, ND

1,333 apps 512 originated 18.4% denied

Town and Country Credit Union

MINOT, ND

770 apps 609 originated 3.0% denied
Compare Bell Bank vs Gate City Bank →

Mortgage Lending Guides

Why Mortgages Get Denied
Common denial reasons and how to improve your chances
Comparing Mortgage Lenders
What to look for when choosing a mortgage lender
Getting the Best Mortgage Rate
Strategies for securing the lowest interest rate
Understanding HMDA Data
How to read and interpret mortgage disclosure data
Denial Rates by Demographics
Demographic patterns in mortgage approval and denial

Explore More Data

Bank Financial Data → Credit Union Data → Financial Advisor Lookup → Home Insurance Costs → Property Tax Data → Rent Price Data →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mortgage applications did Bell Bank process?
Bell Bank processed 13,496 mortgage applications in the 2023 HMDA reporting year. Of these, 10,872 were originated (approved and funded), 1,720 were withdrawn by the applicant, and 781 were denied.
What is Bell Bank's mortgage approval rate?
Bell Bank has an approval (origination) rate of 80.6%, meaning 80.6% of all applications resulted in a funded mortgage. The denial rate is 5.8%.
What is the average loan amount at Bell Bank?
The average mortgage loan amount at Bell Bank is $305,468. The average interest rate is 6.655%. The average applicant income is $37,000.
What are the most common reasons for mortgage denial at Bell Bank?
The most common reasons for mortgage denial at Bell Bank are: Debt-to-income ratio, Collateral, Credit history. In total, 781 applications were denied out of 13,496 total applications.
What types of mortgage loans does Bell Bank offer?
Bell Bank processes Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA loans. The most common type is Conventional with 12,115 applications and an average loan amount of $302,955.
What loan purposes does Bell Bank serve?
Bell Bank serves the following loan purposes: Home Purchase (10,070 applications), Home Improvement (1,082 applications), Other (993 applications), Refinancing (980 applications), Cash-out Refinancing (370 applications). Home Purchase is the most common purpose.
Where is Bell Bank located?
Bell Bank is headquartered in Fargo, ND. The lender is identified by LEI 549300WYBPIWKK6SQC06 in HMDA data.
How does Bell Bank compare in lending across racial demographics?
Bell Bank reports demographic lending data under HMDA requirements. White applicants have an approval rate of 81.5% and denial rate of 5.5%; Asian applicants have an approval rate of 78.8% and denial rate of 4.8%; Black or African American applicants have an approval rate of 76.7% and denial rate of 11.3%. This data reflects derived race categories as reported by applicants.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024. Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) 2024 Snapshot.

Data from FFIEC / CFPB HMDA 2024 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset. Demographic data reflects derived categories as reported by applicants. Denial rates include all application outcomes. This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.