1st Financial

What 1st Financial does

1st Financial, Inc. is a privately held, Maryland-incorporated mortgage banking firm founded in 2002 and headquartered in Millersville, MD. The company originates home purchase and refinance loans for retail consumer borrowers through a hybrid distribution model: seven licensed branch offices (one in Maryland, six across Florida) staffed by loan officers, supplemented by an online self-service application portal (Loan App Elite) and a referral channel comprising REALTORS, home builders, financial planners, and partner banks/credit unions. The firm holds NMLS ID 185076 and is licensed as a mortgage lender and broker in approximately 10 U.S. states including Maryland, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, and the District of Columbia. The company is led by industry veterans with more than 100 years of combined mortgage experience and describes itself as well-capitalized.

The core product suite consists of conventional and government-backed (FHA) home purchase mortgages, rate/term and cash-out refinances, adjustable-rate and balloon loan programs, and specialized non-QM offerings (stated income, bank statement, and foreign national loans) primarily distributed through partner channels. Supporting tools include a suite of eight online mortgage calculators (payment/amortization, rent vs. own, APR, debt consolidation, prepayment savings, early payoff, refinance break-even, tax savings) and pre-qualification services. The technology stack is built on ICE Mortgage Technology's Encompass loan origination platform for processing, document generation, and loan management; no proprietary AI/ML capability is disclosed. Revenue is generated primarily through mortgage origination fees (transaction-based pricing) and interest spread on originated and sold or held loans; rates are individually quoted based on borrower qualification and lock/float election rather than publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led with inside-sales digital self-service and channel partner motions layered on top, targeting individual home buyers and refinancers rather than institutional or enterprise customers.

Name

1st Financial

Legal name

1ST FINANCIAL, INC.

Website

https://ffiloans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

1st Financial is a privately held, Maryland-based mortgage banker founded in 2002 that originates home purchase and refinance loans for retail consumers via seven Florida/Maryland branches, an Encompass-powered online application portal, and a REALTOR/builder/credit-union referral channel across 10 licensed states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Mortgage Banking

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Cash-Out Refinance Origination (FSALAAAF)

Keywords

• Residential mortgage lending
• Home purchase loans
• Home refinance loans
• Mortgage banking services
• Alternative documentation loans

Headquarters

HQ city

Linthicum Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Origination Fees: Fees charged for originating home purchase and refinance loans. The company offers various loan programs including FHA, conventional, adjustable rate, and balloon loans.
2. Interest Spread: Revenue generated from the spread between the interest rate charged to borrowers and the cost of funds. Mortgage lenders typically earn income through this interest rate differential on held or sold loans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

1st Financial is a privately held mortgage banking firm that originates residential home purchase loans and refinance loans for individual consumers, supported by an online application platform (Loan App Elite) and a suite of online mortgage calculators. The company also offers specialized loan programs including stated income, bank statement, and foreign national programs distributed through partner channels such as real estate agents, home builders, financial planners, and banks/credit unions.

Product overview

1st Financial is a mortgage banking firm offering home purchasing loans and home refinancing products through an integrated digital platform. The core product suite includes traditional mortgage lending (home purchasing and refinancing) supported by an online loan application system (Loan App Elite). The company provides supplementary tools including a Mortgage Toolbox with eight financial calculators (Payment/Amortization, Rent vs. Own, APR, Debt Consolidation, Prepayment Savings, Early Payoff, Refinance Break-Even, and Tax Savings), pre-qualification services, and specialized loan programs (Stated Income, Bank Statement, Foreign National) primarily distributed through partner channels including realtors, builders, financial planners, and credit unions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home Purchasing Loans Mortgage loans designed to finance the purchase of a residential home, with pre-qualification support and options for fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage programs. For individual home buyers.
• Home Refinancing Refinance programs allowing homeowners to replace an existing mortgage with a new loan for a lower rate, different term, cash-out, or debt consolidation. For individual homeowners with an existing mortgage.
• Stated Income and Non-Traditional Loan Programs Specialized mortgage programs that accommodate borrowers without traditional documentation, including stated income, bank statement, and foreign national loan programs, typically distributed through partner banks, credit unions, and referral sources.
• Loan App Elite (Online Borrower Application) Online self-service mortgage application portal that lets borrowers apply for a loan, upload documents, and track loan status digitally through the company's website. For individual home buyers and refinancers.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• REALTORScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReal estate agents who refer home buyers to 1st Financial. Partners benefit from comprehensive process updates as milestones occur, real-time loan status information, and a purchase-focused company that understands time restraints. The goal is transparent communication from application through closing with no chaotic events.
• Home BuilderscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHome construction financing partners. 1st Financial understands new construction transactions differ from resale purchases and has designed operations to support builder business, including obtaining required loan pre-approval prior to permits and handling new construction appraisal nuances.
• Financial PlannersmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinancial advisors who refer clients for mortgage financing. 1st Financial offers low rate policies and competitive products including stated programs, bank statement programs, and foreign national programs to help partners keep customers satisfied.
• Banks and Credit UnionsmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinancial institution partners who use 1st Financial as an additional outlet for customers who may not fit ultra-conservative product offerings. Programs include stated programs, bank statement, and foreign national programs to help partners keep customers happy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rocket Mortgage (Rocket Companies): Largest U.S. retail mortgage lender and direct-to-consumer originator. Comparable because both originate agency-conforming purchase and refinance mortgages for U.S. consumers; differs vastly in scale, proprietary tech stack, and marketing reach.
• United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM): Largest U.S. wholesale mortgage lender serving independent mortgage brokers. Comparable in originating purchase-focused agency mortgages; differs in operating through a wholesale broker channel rather than retail branches.
• loanDepot: National retail and wholesale mortgage lender with both retail branches and a large D2C platform (Rocket-style). Comparable because it originates purchase and refinance mortgages through branch loan officers and digital channels.
• Homepoint: Wholesale and retail mortgage lender (taken private in 2023). Comparable as a multi-channel originator serving consumers through partner and direct channels.
• NewRez (Newcastle Investment Holdings): National mortgage lender and servicer with retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels, owned by Searchlight Capital and others. Comparable as a multi-state retail mortgage banker operating at larger scale.

Direct peers

• CrossCountry Mortgage: Mid-sized retail-focused mortgage banker operating through a large branch network of licensed loan officers, purchase-focused across multiple states. Closely comparable in operating model (branch-based LOs, partner referrals, multi-state licensing).
• Paramount Residential Mortgage Group (PRMG): Privately held retail mortgage banker with multi-state branch presence and a broad product set including non-QM programs. Closely comparable as a similarly sized private retail lender with diversified loan products.
• Guild Mortgage: Mid-sized retail mortgage lender with branch-based loan officers focused on purchase originations across many states. Comparable in purchase emphasis, branch distribution, and partner (REALTOR) channel.
• New American Funding: Privately held retail mortgage lender with multi-state branch network, diverse product set, and strong REALTOR/builder relationships. Comparable in operating model, size tier, and partner-driven origination approach.
• Caliber Home Loans: Mid-sized retail and wholesale mortgage banker offering agency and non-agency products. Comparable in multi-state licensing, partner referrals, and product breadth including specialty programs.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ffiloans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1st-financial-inc-

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 Financial