What 1st Priority Mortgage does

1st Priority Mortgage, Inc. is a privately held mortgage lender founded in 1986 and headquartered in Williamsville, New York, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. The company originates residential mortgage loans — including fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, SONYMA, and physician-focused products — and layers on a portfolio of exclusive programs (Buy Before You Sell, Rate Reducer, Cash Advantage, Lock N Shop, Loyalty Lend, 2nd Look, Make Your Move) designed to differentiate in competitive offer and high-rate environments. Self-service tools include an online pre-qualification questionnaire and a third-party affordability calculator. The business is licensed across New York, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania (NMLS #29600) and serves homebuyers in 13 states through a network of 42+ visible mortgage consultants, supplemented by inbound phone and contact-form channels.

The company's go-to-market is anchored by a captive distribution pipeline from Howard Hanna's 471 neighborhood real estate offices, which feed mortgage-ready buyers into origination under a 'One-Stop Shopping' model that bundles Real Estate, Mortgage, Title & Escrow, and Insurance. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on each loan closed, with no subscription, SaaS, or recurring servicing economics disclosed. The company self-positions as the third-largest real estate mortgage company in the United States, supported by a 4.84-star average across 5,603 customer reviews, and it is pursuing geographic expansion beyond its current 13-state footprint. Technology stack is conventional (TLS-encrypted web forms, standard affordability calculations) with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, proprietary underwriting models, or API platform.

Name

1st Priority Mortgage

Legal name

1st Priority Mortgage, Inc.

Website

https://1stprioritymortgage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

1st Priority Mortgage is a privately held residential mortgage lender and Howard Hanna subsidiary originating home loans across 13 states through a captive real estate agent referral network, offering conventional, government-backed, and exclusive differentiated loan programs to individual homebuyers and refinancers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mortgage Lending

NAICS

Real Estate Credit (522292), Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

Purchase Mortgage Origination (Homebuyer Focused) (FSALAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

First-Time Homebuyer (FTHB) Mortgage Origination (FSALAAAG)

Keywords

• Mortgage lending
• Home loan origination
• Residential mortgages
• Government-backed loans
• Refinancing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Williamsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Origination Fees: Revenue generated from originating mortgage loans. Fees are collected at closing from borrowers. Interest rates are subject to credit and property approval with terms and conditions that may apply.
2. VA Loan Origination: VA loans offered to eligible veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible military spouses. As a VA-delegated lender with in-house approval capabilities, the company earns origination fees on these government-backed loans.
3. Buy Before You Sell Program Fees: Equity advancement program allowing homeowners to purchase new homes before selling current ones. The company earns fees on the equity loan component with 90-day deferred interest payments.
4. Rate Reducer Buydown Program: 2-1 buydown agreement where seller/builder covers the difference between buyer's payment and adjusted rate. The company earns origination fees on the underlying mortgage loan.
5. Cash Advantage Program: Program provides cash upfront to help buyers make competitive all-cash offers. Company earns standard origination fees on the mortgage loan when the transaction closes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

1st Priority Mortgage originates residential mortgage loans for individual homebuyers, homeowners refinancing, and real estate investors, offering fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages, FHA, VA, USDA, SONYMA, Jumbo, and Physician's Plus loan programs. The company pairs these with exclusive programs (Buy Before You Sell, Rate Reducer, Cash Advantage, Lock N Shop, Loyalty Lend, 2nd Look) and delivers service through a network of local Mortgage Consultants reinforced by the Howard Hanna real estate referral ecosystem.

Product overview

1st Priority Mortgage is a family-owned mortgage lending company operating as part of the Howard Hanna Real Estate Services network, offering a comprehensive suite of mortgage products and exclusive financing programs. The core product portfolio includes traditional fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages, government-backed loans (FHA, VA, USDA), jumbo loans, refinancing solutions, and specialized programs like SONYMA for New York residents and the Physician's Plus Program for medical professionals. The company's exclusive add-on programs differentiate its offering: Buy Before You Sell enables homeowners to purchase before selling; Rate Reducer provides a 2-1 buydown structure; Cash Advantage allows all-cash offers; Lock N Shop secures rates during home shopping; Loyalty Lend rewards returning customers with refinance credits; and 2nd Look helps customers compare competitive offers. Supporting these products are self-service tools including an online prequalification platform and an affordability calculator, all delivered through a network of Mortgage Consultants operating across 13 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buy Before You Sell: Program allowing homeowners to purchase a new home before selling their current one by using equity in their present home.
• Rate Reducer
• Cash Advantage
• Lock N Shop
• Loyalty Lend
• 2nd Look
• Make Your Move

Products and services

• Fixed Rate Mortgages Traditional fixed-rate mortgage programs with various terms where monthly principal and interest payments remain constant over the life of the loan, providing payment predictability for long-term financial planning. Available to individual homebuyers and homeowners refinancing through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM) Mortgage products where the interest rate adjusts periodically in relation to an index, offering lower initial monthly payments for buyers whose income or tenure plans favor initial affordability over long-term payment stability. Available to individual homebuyers and refinance customers.
• FHA Loans Government-backed mortgage loans offering lower down payment options and flexible credit requirements, designed to help first-time buyers and credit-constrained borrowers enter the housing market. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• VA Loans Department of Veterans Affairs-backed home loans available to veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard, Reserves, and eligible surviving spouses, featuring zero down payment, competitive interest rates, no private mortgage insurance, and flexible credit requirements. Originated by 1st Priority Mortgage as a VA-delegated lender with in-house approval.
• USDA Loans Government-backed mortgage loans for homes in designated rural areas featuring zero down payment and competitive interest rates, targeted at buyers seeking affordable financing in eligible rural communities. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Jumbo Loans Mortgage financing for high-value residential properties that exceed conventional conforming loan limits, allowing buyers to finance luxury homes without compromising on quality or location. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• SONYMA Loans State of New York Mortgage Agency program providing down payment assistance and favorable terms for New York residents, including competitive rates and grant options for qualifying first-time buyers needing extra support to achieve homeownership. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Physician's Plus Program Tailored mortgage financing with flexible terms designed for medical professionals and other advanced-degree holders, easing the path to homeownership for doctors and healthcare providers early in their careers. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Refinancing Refinance solutions to lower interest rates, reduce monthly payments, or access home equity on existing mortgages, with a Loyalty Lend program providing $500 closing cost credit for existing 1st Priority customers who refinance. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Buy Before You Sell Equity-based bridge financing program allowing homeowners to make a non-contingent offer on a new home before selling their existing one, with 90-day deferred interest on the equity loan component. Available to existing homeowners through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Rate Reducer (2-1 Buydown) 2-1 buydown mortgage program where the seller or builder subsidizes the difference between the buyer's payment and the adjusted rate, providing a lower first-year rate (5.25%), a higher second-year rate (6.25%), and the full note rate from year three onward (7.25%). Available to homebuyers through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Cash Advantage Program that enables buyers to make all-cash-equivalent offers by providing cash upfront to the seller, with a standard mortgage loan closed at the transaction. Designed to give buyers leverage in multiple-offer competitive markets. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Lock N Shop Rate-lock program that allows buyers to secure today's mortgage rate while still shopping for a property, protecting them from rate increases during the home search. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Loyalty Lend Buy Now, Refinance Later program offering a $500 credit toward refinance closing costs for existing 1st Priority customers who refinance their mortgage with the company. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• 2nd Look No-obligation comparison service allowing prospective mortgage customers to compare rates, fees, and services, including a $100 gift card for those who have already been pre-approved elsewhere. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.
• Make Your Move Exclusive program providing extra incentives and flexibility to first-time buyers to support a confident transition into homeownership. Available through 1st Priority Mortgage Consultants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Third-largest real estate mortgage company in the United States
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Howard Hanna Financial ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoward Hanna Financial Services is the parent company of 1st Priority Mortgage. As the third-largest real estate company in the United States, Howard Hanna provides the broader ecosystem including real estate services, title and escrow, and insurance. This partnership enables the 'One-Stop Shopping Experience' combining Real Estate, Mortgage, Title & Escrow, and Insurance services across 13 states and 471 offices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NewRez (New Penn Financial): National retail and wholesale mortgage lender offering conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loans, with a particular focus on servicing. Comparable to 1st Priority as a multi-channel mortgage originator operating retail branches and partner channels in similar geographies.
• Caliber Home Loans: National retail mortgage lender (owned by New Residential Investment / Rithm Capital) originating purchase and refinance loans including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and non-QM. Directly comparable to 1st Priority in retail mortgage origination, product mix, and target borrower segments.
• loanDepot: Large national retail and wholesale mortgage lender offering conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loans through retail branches, direct-to-consumer, and partner referral channels. Closely comparable to 1st Priority in product mix (purchase + refi, government loans), customer base (homebuyers), and multi-channel distribution model.
• CrossCountry Mortgage: Privately held national retail mortgage lender offering conventional and government-backed loans through a branch network of loan officers across dozens of states. Directly comparable to 1st Priority in retail distribution, product breadth (purchase, refi, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo), and target customer (homebuyers and refinancers).
• Movement Mortgage: Large privately held US retail mortgage lender with branch-based loan officers serving purchase and refinance customers. Closely comparable to 1st Priority as a private retail lender competing in the same purchase market with multi-state branch distribution and similar product offerings.
• Guaranteed Rate: National retail mortgage lender offering purchase, refinance, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loans through retail branches, call center, and a network of loan officers. Directly comparable to 1st Priority as a retail-focused mortgage lender with branch/loan-officer distribution serving similar homebuyer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Rocket Mortgage: Largest US retail mortgage lender, originating purchase and refinance loans nationwide via direct-to-consumer and partner channels. Compares to 1st Priority as the dominant retail mortgage originator competing for the same consumer purchase and refinance demand, though at much greater scale and with proprietary technology.
• United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM): Largest US wholesale mortgage lender serving independent mortgage broker partners. Compares to 1st Priority as a major origination competitor in the purchase market; while 1st Priority is retail/agent-channel and UWM is wholesale, both compete for the same underlying loan demand and use broker/partner referral networks as their primary GTM.
• PNC Mortgage: Bank-affiliated retail mortgage lender offering purchase and refinance loans across many of the same Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states 1st Priority operates in. Comparable as a broader incumbent lender overlapping in geography and product set, though operating as part of a full-service bank rather than as a focused retail mortgage company.

Others

• Howard Hanna Real Estate Services: Parent company and integrated real estate brokerage providing the captive referral channel that drives 1st Priority's origination pipeline. Not a competitor but an ecosystem participant whose growth directly feeds 1st Priority's lead flow; comparable as the upstream distribution partner for the mortgage business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1stprioritymortgage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1stprioritymortgage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 1st Priority Mortgage