What does it take to make a successful mortgage company? If you ask the internet (which is always right), it takes a balance of client acquisition, efficient loan processing and strict regulatory compliance.
A look at Scotsman Guide’s 2026 Top Mortgage Lenders will tell you which companies did the best job succeeding at this.
This year’s top 95 lenders collectively helped 2.1 million households complete one of the most complicated financial transactions a family can make, totaling more than $750 billion in mortgage loans in 2025.
For the second year in a row, Pennymac took home the trophy for Top Overall Mortgage Lender. Its $146.1 billion volume accounted for nearly 20% of the overall total among our top lenders, with its originators closing 388,727 units. Pennymac’s volume — divided into 8% wholesale, 13% retail and 79% correspondent — was nearly an 8% improvement over last year’s total figure.
“Being recognized by Scotsman Guide as a Top Lender is a meaningful reflection of what our team and partners have been able to accomplish together,” said Doug Jones, Pennymac’s president and chief mortgage banking officer. “It showcases the work happening across our platform every day and the partnerships that make that success possible.”
The industry powerhouse, based in Westlake Village, Calif., also took Scotsman Guide’s No. 1 position in the Top Wholesale Lenders and Top Correspondent Lenders categories.
“Pennymac’s growth is driven by the scale of our platform and our ability to execute consistently across market cycles. Over the past year, we maintained a disciplined approach to the business while continuing to invest in our people, technology and operational capabilities,” Jones added. “By leveraging our production and servicing offerings, we are dedicated to supporting our partners across all channels. This has enabled us to operate efficiently and continue delivering an exceptional customer experience.”
The overall second-place finisher, AmeriHome Mortgage Co., is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., just three miles northwest of Pennymac along Highway 101. It closed 159,833 loans for $55.8 billion. In third place was CrossCountry Mortgage, based in Cleveland, with $50.2 billion on 132,266 total units.
Rounding out the top five were CMG Financial, based in San Ramon, Calif., and Rate, based in Chicago.
Wholesale account executives did some heavy lifting in 2025. The top 24 AEs closed more than $10 billion in total volume on 20,224 total units closed. Three AEs finished 2025 with more than 1,000 total units closed, including one who more than doubled that.
Chris Calderon of Forward Lending led the field among Top Wholesale Account Executives, closing 2,099 loans for $1.13 billion. Industry veteran Ian Potter from CMG Financial came in second with $605.4 million on 1,149 units, while Allen Wayne Samuel of Forward Lending took third with $536.8 million on 1,275 units.
Scotsman Guide added a new category this year under the private lending umbrella: Top Fix & Flip Lenders. Pittsburgh-based Kiavi took top honors among fix-and-flip lenders, followed by Renovo Financial and Conventus Lending.
Kiavi also won the overall prize among Top Private Lenders, closing 23,986 units for $7.6 billion. Genesis Capital placed second with $3.2 billion and Renovo Financial ranked third with $3 billion. RCN Capital was the Top DSCR Lender with a volume just eclipsing $1 billion.
Congratulations to all the companies recognized this year. It’s an acknowledgement of all the hard work and effort that went into serving homeowners in our communities.
