First Northern mortgage approval rate & lending review
First Northern decided 831 mortgage applications and funded 718 loans across the 616 counties Fat Boy Data covers, 2023–2025.
These are the decisions First Northern reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, not its advertised interest rates.
First Northern at a glance
Approval is 11.8 points above the 79.1% national rate for the same mix of loan types.
Approval rates by loan type
| Loan type | Approval | Approved | Taken up | Typical loan | Loans made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage lenders | 98% | 432 / 441 | 94% | $165K | 406 |
| Home improvement loans | 78% | 156 / 199 | 100% | $45K | 156 |
| Cash-out refinance | 77% | 62 / 81 | 92% | $85K | 57 |
| Investment property purchase | 97% | 70 / 72 | 97% | $115K | 68 |
First Northern lending by state
| State | Approval | Typical loan | Decided | Loans made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 91% | $165K | 798 | 686 |
Fat Boy Data covers 616 counties, 79.6% of the US population, not every county in every state. States with fewer than 20 decisions are not listed.Methodology.
Where First Northern lends most
| County | Loan type | Approval | Decided | Loans made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County, IL | Mortgage lenders | 98% | 328 | 302 |
| Cook County, IL | Home improvement loans | 77% | 71 | 55 |
| Winnebago County, IL | Home improvement loans | 72% | 69 | 50 |
| Winnebago County, IL | Investment property purchase | 98% | 50 | 48 |
| Winnebago County, IL | Cash-out refinance | 73% | 30 | 21 |
The county markets where First Northern made the most loans. Each link opens that market with every lender ranked.
Questions about First Northern
What is First Northern's mortgage approval rate?
First Northern approved 91.0% of the 831 mortgage applications it decided across the 616 counties Fat Boy Data covers, 2023–2025, 11.8 points above the 79.1% national rate for the same mix of loan types.
How often do borrowers take the loan First Northern offers?
Borrowers accepted 95% of the loans First Northern approved, against 96% for all home purchase mortgage lenders nationally. A low take-up usually means the approved terms were not competitive.
What size loans does First Northern make?
The typical home purchase mortgage loan First Northern made was $165K; across all loan types its typical loan ran from $45K to $165K. HMDA reports amounts in $10,000 brackets, so these are midpoints.
Where does First Northern lend?
First Northern decided applications in 12 of the states Fat Boy Data covers, most of them in Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida.
Can I apply to First Northern directly?
Yes. First Northern is a bank or credit union with 4 branches in the FDIC and NCUA registries, and it takes mortgage applications directly.
Does this page show First Northern's interest rates?
No. HMDA filings record who applied, who was approved and how much was borrowed, not the rate offered. Use the approval rate and take-up here to judge how First Northern treats applications, then get a rate quote from the lender.