PlainLender

FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST

MINOT, ND

FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST processed 593 mortgage applications in 2024 per HMDA data reported to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), originating 459 loans with a 5.6% denial rate. Home Purchase was the primary loan purpose. Based in MINOT, ND. The approval rate of 77.4% 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. FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST processed 593 HMDA-reported mortgage applications in 2024, originating 459 loans and denying 33 for a denial rate of 5.6% (applicants themselves withdrew 94 files before a decision). The average loan amount was $278,828 at a 6.803% average note rate, and applicants self-reported an average income of $37,000. The lender reports under LEI 5493005A0757T9GRRI44 from MINOT, 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several outcomes beyond approved-and-funded, including files that were approved but not accepted by the applicant, withdrawn, or closed for incompleteness. FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST's 77.4% origination rate tells you how often an application turned into funded money; the 5.6% denial rate is a separate read on underwriting strictness. The most frequently cited denial reasons in this file were Credit history, Debt-to-income ratio, Other, which together explain the majority of rejections. Most activity concentrated in Conventional loans (519 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.

593
Applications
459
Originated
5.6%
Denial Rate
$278,828
Avg Loan Amount
Avg Interest Rate: 6.803% Avg Applicant Income: $37,000

Lending Activity

Type Applications Originated Denied Avg Loan
Conventional 519 416 21 $279,239
FHA 50 25 11 $251,800
VA 21 15 1 $343,095
USDA 3 3 0 $208,333

Top loan types — FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST

Top loan types — FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST Horizontal bar chart of the top 4 items by value (applications). Top loan types — FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST Top 4 1. Conventional 519 2. FHA 50 3. VA 21 4. USDA 3 Top 5 loan types by application volume at FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST (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 FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST (LEI: 5493005A0757T9GRRI44) · 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

Credit history
15
Debt-to-income ratio
14
Other
7
Collateral
4
Employment history
3
Insufficient cash
2

Loan Purpose Breakdown

Purpose Applications Originated Avg Loan
Home Purchase 473 370 $291,258
Refinancing 65 49 $263,308
Cash-out Refinancing 21 13 $283,095
Home Improvement 20 16 $100,500
Other 14 11 $179,286

Geographic Coverage — Lending by Race

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

Race Applications Approval Rate Denial Rate
White 433 75.3% 6.7%
Black or African American 16 50.0% 18.8%
Asian 10 60.0% 0.0%
Joint 8 75.0% 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 6 66.7% 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 450 75.1% 6.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13 46.1% 15.4%
Joint 3 66.7% 33.3%

Nearby Lenders in ND

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

Bell Bank

Fargo, ND

13,496 apps 10,872 originated 5.8% denied

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
Compare FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST vs Bell 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 FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST process?
FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST processed 593 mortgage applications in the 2023 HMDA reporting year. Of these, 459 were originated (approved and funded), 94 were withdrawn by the applicant, and 33 were denied.
What is FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST's mortgage approval rate?
FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST has an approval (origination) rate of 77.4%, meaning 77.4% of all applications resulted in a funded mortgage. The denial rate is 5.6%.
What is the average loan amount at FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST?
The average mortgage loan amount at FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST is $278,828. The average interest rate is 6.803%. The average applicant income is $37,000.
What are the most common reasons for mortgage denial at FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST?
The most common reasons for mortgage denial at FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST are: Credit history, Debt-to-income ratio, Other. In total, 33 applications were denied out of 593 total applications.
What types of mortgage loans does FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST offer?
FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST processes Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA loans. The most common type is Conventional with 519 applications and an average loan amount of $279,239.
What loan purposes does FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST serve?
FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST serves the following loan purposes: Home Purchase (473 applications), Refinancing (65 applications), Cash-out Refinancing (21 applications), Home Improvement (20 applications), Other (14 applications). Home Purchase is the most common purpose.
Where is FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST located?
FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST is headquartered in MINOT, ND. The lender is identified by LEI 5493005A0757T9GRRI44 in HMDA data.
How does FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST compare in lending across racial demographics?
FIRST WESTERN BANK & TRUST reports demographic lending data under HMDA requirements. White applicants have an approval rate of 75.3% and denial rate of 6.7%; Black or African American applicants have an approval rate of 50.0% and denial rate of 18.8%; Asian applicants have an approval rate of 60.0% and denial rate of 0.0%. 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.