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First Farmers and Merchants Bank

Columbia, TN

First Farmers and Merchants Bank processed 396 mortgage applications in 2024 per HMDA data reported to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), originating 266 loans with a 20.7% denial rate. Home Improvement was the primary loan purpose. Based in Columbia, TN. The approval rate of 67.2% reflects originated loans as a share of all applications.

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several outcomes beyond approved-and-funded, including files that were approved but not accepted by the applicant, withdrawn, or closed for incompleteness. First Farmers and Merchants Bank's 67.2% origination rate tells you how often an application turned into funded money; the 20.7% denial rate is a separate read on underwriting strictness. The most frequently cited denial reasons in this file were Debt-to-income ratio, Credit history, Collateral, which together explain the majority of rejections. Most activity concentrated in Conventional loans (395 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.

396
Applications
266
Originated
20.7%
Denial Rate
$177,222
Avg Loan Amount
Avg Interest Rate: 8.343% Avg Applicant Income: $32,000

Lending Activity

Type Applications Originated Denied Avg Loan
Conventional 395 266 82 $176,924
FHA 1 0 0 $295,000

Source: CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) loan/application register HMDA 2024 LAR, application-level mortgage data for First Farmers and Merchants Bank (LEI: 254900VKT2R0R20CR104) · 2024 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 Approval rates exclude withdrawn / incomplete applications.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
47
Credit history
27
Collateral
10
Other
8
Unverifiable information
2

Loan Purpose Breakdown

Purpose Applications Originated Avg Loan
Home Improvement 132 90 $87,652
Refinancing 109 78 $231,606
Other 84 53 $110,595
Home Purchase 71 45 $339,085

Geographic Coverage — Lending by Race

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

Race Applications Approval Rate Denial Rate
White 360 68.3% 19.4%
Black or African American * 18 33.3% 55.6%
Asian * 3 33.3% 33.3%
Joint * 2 50.0% 50.0%

* Fewer than 50 applications -- percentages for this group have wide statistical uncertainty and should not be read as precise.

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 370 66.2% 21.9%
Hispanic or Latino * 8 62.5% 12.5%
Joint * 2 100.0% 0.0%

* Fewer than 50 applications -- percentages for this group have wide statistical uncertainty and should not be read as precise.

Nearby Lenders in TN

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

21st Mortgage

KNOXVILLE, TN

173,573 apps 30,274 originated 44.1% denied

Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, INC

MARYVILLE, TN

124,520 apps 20,306 originated 42.7% denied

FIRSTBANK

LEXINGTON, TN

21,086 apps 6,413 originated 43.2% denied

First Community Mortgage

MURFREESBORO, TN

13,521 apps 10,523 originated 6.2% denied

First Horizon Bank

MEMPHIS, TN

13,326 apps 7,808 originated 21.7% denied
Compare First Farmers and Merchants Bank vs 21st Mortgage →

Mortgage Lending Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mortgage applications did First Farmers and Merchants Bank process?
First Farmers and Merchants Bank processed 396 mortgage applications in the 2024 HMDA reporting year. Of these, 266 were originated (approved and funded), 28 were withdrawn by the applicant, and 82 were denied.
What is First Farmers and Merchants Bank's mortgage approval rate?
First Farmers and Merchants Bank has an approval (origination) rate of 67.2%, meaning 67.2% of all applications resulted in a funded mortgage. The denial rate is 20.7%.
What is the average loan amount at First Farmers and Merchants Bank?
The average mortgage loan amount at First Farmers and Merchants Bank is $177,222. The average interest rate is 8.343%. The average applicant income is $32,000.
What are the most common reasons for mortgage denial at First Farmers and Merchants Bank?
The most common reasons for mortgage denial at First Farmers and Merchants Bank are: Debt-to-income ratio, Credit history, Collateral. In total, 82 applications were denied out of 396 total applications.
What types of mortgage loans does First Farmers and Merchants Bank offer?
First Farmers and Merchants Bank processes Conventional, FHA loans. The most common type is Conventional with 395 applications and an average loan amount of $176,924.
What loan purposes does First Farmers and Merchants Bank serve?
First Farmers and Merchants Bank serves the following loan purposes: Home Improvement (132 applications), Refinancing (109 applications), Other (84 applications), Home Purchase (71 applications). Home Improvement is the most common purpose.
Where is First Farmers and Merchants Bank located?
First Farmers and Merchants Bank is headquartered in Columbia, TN. The lender is identified by LEI 254900VKT2R0R20CR104 in HMDA data.
How does First Farmers and Merchants Bank compare in lending across racial demographics?
First Farmers and Merchants Bank reports demographic lending data under HMDA requirements. White applicants have an approval rate of 68.3% and denial rate of 19.4%; Black or African American applicants have an approval rate of 33.3% and denial rate of 55.6%; Asian applicants have an approval rate of 33.3% and denial rate of 33.3%. 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.

Every figure on PlainLender is rendered directly from CFPB HMDA federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on CFPB HMDA federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.