Homestar Financial Corporation

What Homestar Financial Corporation does

Homestar Financial Corporation (d/b/a HOMESTAR) is a privately held, full-service retail mortgage banking company headquartered in Gainesville, Georgia (NMLS #70864), founded in April 2002 by Wes Hunt. The company originates and funds first-lien residential mortgages through 53+ branch locations licensed across all 50 states, with a product suite spanning Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, Jumbo (up to $3M), Reverse, and FHA 203(k) loans, plus proprietary programs including HOMESTAR RefiNow™ (LMI refinance), NATURALiving Home Mortgage (rural, hobby farm, and steel-sided/barndominium properties), and a Doctor/Medical Professional program. Originations are distributed through Mortgage Loan Originators under three production models (Retail, Branch P&L, Division P&L), supplemented by a direct-to-consumer channel via the My HOMESTAR Mortgage App and online application portal.

The company operates an integrated origination technology stack built around Encompass (loan origination system), SimpleNexus (point-of-sale), Surefire (CRM and marketing automation), Candor (automated underwriting — Homestar was among the first five lenders to implement Candor), RingCentral (communications), ThoughtSpot (analytics), CompenSafe (LO compensation), and an in-house Fastrak pre-underwriting department, with Hybrid eClosing and NexusPay payment processing. Every step of the loan process — application, processing, underwriting, closing, and funding — is performed in-house, which the company positions as a cycle-time and control advantage relative to brokers and delegated-shop correspondents.

Homestar generates revenue primarily through transaction fees on loan originations, including origination fees and gains on sale of loans into the secondary market, with pricing varying by loan program, credit profile, LTV, and debt-to-income. Customers are predominantly individual and SMB residential borrowers (first-time and repeat homebuyers, veterans, rural buyers, and niche property buyers), with no disclosed enterprise anchor customers. On August 29, 2024, OCMBC, Inc. completed the acquisition of Homestar Financial Corporation, absorbing a coast-to-coast, top-ranked purchase lender into a larger mortgage platform.

Name

Homestar Financial Corporation

Legal name

Homestar Financial Corporation

Website

https://homestarfc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Homestar Financial Corporation is a privately held, full-service residential mortgage lender originating Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, Jumbo, Reverse, and niche loans through 53+ branches in all 50 states, serving individual and SMB homebuyers via in-house processing, underwriting, and proprietary technology; acquired by OCMBC, Inc. in August 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Mortgage Lending

NAICS

Real Estate Credit (522292)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Mortgage Origination & Servicing (Retail) (FSABAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cash-Out Refinance Origination (FSALAAAF), Reverse Mortgage Origination (HECM & Proprietary) (FSALAIAA), Renovation Mortgage Origination (FHA 203(k), HomeStyle, CHOICERenovation) (FSALAAAL)

Keywords

• Residential mortgage lending
• Home loan origination
• Mortgage refinancing
• Loan programs
• Mortgage banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices56 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Origination: HOMESTAR originates mortgage loans including Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, Jumbo, Reverse, and 203(k) loans. Revenue is generated through origination fees and the sale of loans into the secondary market.
2. Refinance Services: Provides refinance options including traditional refinance, cash-out refinance, and the proprietary HOMESTAR RefiNow program. Revenue generated through refinance origination fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Homestar Financial Corporation is a full-service mortgage banking company that originates and refinances residential home loans. The company controls every stage of the loan process in-house, including processing, underwriting, closing, and funding, and offers a comprehensive suite of loan programs including Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, Jumbo, Reverse Mortgage, FHA 203K, HOMESTAR RefiNow, and NATURALiving Home Mortgage. It distributes these products through a national branch network of 53+ locations, online application tools, and a mobile app, and is licensed to lend in all 50 states.

Product overview

HOMESTAR is a full-service mortgage banking company offering a comprehensive suite of home loan products and services. The company operates as a single-platform lender controlling the entire loan process in-house (processing, underwriting, closing, and funding). Core products include Conventional, FHA, USDA, VA, Jumbo, and Reverse Mortgages, along with specialized programs like FHA 203K renovation loans, the HOMESTAR RefiNow™ refinance program, and the NATURALiving Home Mortgage Program for rural properties and hobby farms. Supporting digital tools include the My HOMESTAR Mortgage App, an online Mortgage Calculator, and educational resources through the Learning Center. The company also partners with American Pacific Mortgage Corporation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HOMESTAR RefiNow™: A refinancing program that helps borrowers save up to $3,000 per year on their mortgage.
• NATURALiving Home Mortgage Program
• My HOMESTAR Mortgage App
• HOMESTARCares
• The Summit

Products and services

• Conventional Loans Traditional mortgage loans not insured by the federal government, offering up to 97% maximum financing with fixed or adjustable interest rates for primary residences.
• FHA Loans Federal Housing Administration insured loans designed to help borrowers qualify for a home with easier requirements and down payments as low as 3.5%.
• USDA Loans Rural Development loans for homebuyers purchasing in USDA-designated rural locations, requiring no down payment and offering easier qualification for low-to-moderate income borrowers.
• VA Loans U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs guaranteed loans available to Veterans, Reservists, Active Duty Personnel, and surviving spouses, featuring no down payment, limited closing costs, and no prepayment penalty.
• Jumbo Loans Mortgages for amounts above maximum conforming loan limits, available for primary residences, second homes, and vacation properties up to $3 million.
• Reverse Mortgage Mortgage program for qualifying homeowners 62 or older to access home equity while retaining ownership, with no income, employment, or credit qualifying requirements and no repayment due until the borrower no longer uses the home as a residence.
• FHA 203K Loans Federal Housing Administration insured loans that allow borrowers to purchase or refinance a home and include renovation costs in a single loan, with Limited 203K (up to $35,000) and Full 203K options.
• Home Refinance Mortgage refinancing services allowing homeowners to replace existing mortgages to lower interest rates, shorten loan terms, consolidate debt, or access home equity through cash-out options.
• HOMESTAR RefiNow Program Proprietary affordable refinancing program for Fannie Mae borrowers saving up to $3,000 per year, requiring a 620+ credit score, income at or below 80% of area median income, and a current loan up to 97% LTV on a primary residence; includes a $500 appraisal credit if applicable.
• NATURALiving Home Mortgage Program Specialized financing program for hobby farms, rural properties, and steel-sided homes including barndominiums and shed homes on 5 to 160+ acres, accommodating outbuildings, barns, and stables.
• Doctor/Medical Professional Mortgage Program Specialized mortgage program designed for doctors and medical professionals with potentially flexible qualification terms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save up to $3,000 per year through HOMESTAR RefiNow program

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Pacific Mortgage CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2023HOMESTAR Financial Corporation announced a partnership with American Pacific Mortgage Corporation for collaborative mortgage operations.
• SimpleNexus (nCino company)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology integration partner providing mortgage point-of-sale platform. Part of HOMESTAR's technology stack enabling loan originators with digital tools.
• EncompasscoreTechnology or IntegrationIndustry-leading loan origination system (LOS) used by HOMESTAR for mortgage processing, underwriting, and loan management.
• Surefire (Black Knight)coreTechnology or IntegrationAward-winning mortgage-specific CRM and marketing automation engine. HOMESTAR selected Surefire for its powerful automation and award-winning content library.
• CandorcoreTechnology or IntegrationAutomated underwriting technology for income, asset, and lending decisions. HOMESTAR is one of the first five companies to implement Candor's underwriting technology.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOMESTAR partners with Habitat for Humanity to provide homes for borrowers and sponsors new home builds. Employees contribute through payroll deductions.
• Feeding AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational hunger-relief organization supported annually by HOMESTAR through fundraising. Employees donated 500,000+ meals in 2021 and 800,000+ meals in 2022.
• Georgia Mountain Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food bank where HOMESTAR Founder and CEO Wes Hunt serves on the Board of Directors. HOMESTAR sponsors their annual Empty Bowl Lunch.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NewRez: NewRez (formerly New Penn Financial) is a national retail and correspondent mortgage lender offering a similar full-stack origination platform across conventional, government, and specialty products — directly comparable to Homestar's product breadth and retail model.
• Caliber Home Loans: Caliber is a large multi-channel residential mortgage originator with retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels — a directly comparable national mortgage banker with overlapping agency and specialty product offerings.
• Fairway Independent Mortgage: Fairway is a mid-sized retail-focused mortgage banker with a multi-state branch network and similar product mix including renovation and government loans — closely matching Homestar's branch-led distribution and product portfolio.
• Guaranteed Rate: Guaranteed Rate is a national retail mortgage lender with a comparable branch and direct-to-consumer model and a similar focus on purchase and refinance origination across agency and jumbo products.
• Movement Mortgage: Movement Mortgage is a privately held, mid-to-large retail mortgage banker with a branch network and broad product suite — directly comparable to Homestar in scale, channel mix, and product breadth.
• PrimeLending: PrimeLending is a national retail mortgage originator with a comparable product suite (conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo) and multi-state branch footprint — a directly comparable mid-to-large mortgage banker.
• Guild Mortgage: Guild Mortgage is a national retail mortgage lender with a comparable branch model, similar product mix including specialty government and renovation programs, and overlapping customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• loanDepot: loanDepot is a large national mortgage lender with retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer channels — overlapping product offerings but operating at significantly greater scale than Homestar.
• United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM): UWM is the largest U.S. mortgage lender, primarily wholesale, with a broad product suite that competes with Homestar's retail agency and government loan offerings at much greater scale.
• Rocket Mortgage: Rocket Mortgage is the largest direct-to-consumer mortgage lender in the U.S. and a broad competitor in retail purchase and refinance origination — overlapping capabilities but at materially greater scale and with a digital-first model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/homestarfc
• Facebookfacebook.com/homestarfc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/homestar-financial-corporation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Homestar Financial Corporation