Like other reviewers, we were first time homebuyers that had no experience navigating the homebuying process, and little solid advice on who to work with to figure it out. Being internet-generation people, we dutifully poked every online corner to try to find who would get us the best deal - recommendations from realtors, local banks, the big online lending sites, and finally, trusty old Yelp. Ultimately we chose to go with Houtan based on the strength of his reviews, and although we don't have a large frame of reference, have nothing but positive things to say about him. I can echo many of the other things already said here: Houtan responds to contact promptly, even on nights and weekends. He is very patient explaining the options, process, and answering questions. I am sure we were somewhat frustrating, as we delayed committing to him while shopping around, but he certainly never let on and was always happy to help. Houtan makes sure to be available during closings via phone to answer questions, which really helped move things along and let us meet a tight deadline to close. One of the things we came to learn about mortgage shopping that we did not know at the time is that it's not like car shopping. If you're using a broker, the rate you get quoted is not likely to vary much from one to another. You're really choosing based on two things: fees, and someone you trust to guide you efficiently through the process, make sure everything is in order and on time, and to continue to work in your best interest. This is where Houtan really shines. Houtan was true to his word whenever he gave it, and equally as important, was upfront about his limitations. When we bought, rates were on a rise, and we missed out on the lowest rates due to taking our time shopping. As the rates began to climb and I worried about the impact on the payment, I knew there was a provision to relock if the rates fell enough. Once we locked and they started to go down a bit (of course) I pressed Houtan to get us a lower rate. They never fell far enough, but he always looked and responded to my inquiries. And at closing, he gave us the credit we had negotiated. The great service didn't end with the closing, though. We encountered a lot of problems once we moved in, and were having a lot of trouble getting responses and help from our attorney and realtor. With no one else to ask, I reached out to Houtan to for advice (who presumably had the least ongoing interest in us after closing), and as before he was extremely prompt to respond and helpful with his referral. He has occasional customer appreciation events and really seems to care about keeping his clients coming back. What ultimately motivated me to write this review is that, a few months ago Houtan contacted us to tell us that rates had fallen since our closing and he could now get us a refinance at those lower rates we were looking for before. Whether he remembered us specifically or just was reviewing his files, we really appreciated that we were working with someone who was watching these things and looking for opportunities to do business again that would benefit us. And even though our inexperience again caused roadblocks, Houtan was still very patient, thoroughly explained what we were facing as the situation changed, and ultimately was clearly focused on a long-term relationship over anything else. You want to work with someone like that, they're not easy to find! read more

When looking for a Mortgage Brokers, the most important thing you should consider is how smart the actual broker is in terms of how well they know the system (financial and laws) and how well they know their numbers. Houtan is by far a genius when it comes to these two vital aspects of buying a house. You need someone who knows how to get things to work in your favor (in this very convoluted system). You need someone who you can trust with the mathematical complication of financing a house, again, in your favor. Finally, you need someone who is quick and responsive to your needs and all your questions. I was a first time Home Owner with many questions. I phone interviewed 5 different mortgage brokers, and sent in my financial paperwork to three of them. I needed someone who understood my situation realistically. Many of them were more than happy to offer all kinds of wonderful things and promise a "no problems" situation. Some of them were all doom and gloom. Houtan was very realistic with me in terms of what I can expect and afford within the limitations I had financially. He had options depending on the structure of the loan and we looked at what different down payments and programs would mean for me. Houtan knew how every factor affected the house buying process and the financial implications. Best of all, Houtan explained EVERYTHING to a T! He picked up the phone every time I called! If not, I quickly got a call back, even on the weekends and Holidays! (In escrow during Thanksgiving) I wanted someone responsive and Houtan was it! He and his assistant replied quickly to every email no matter what time it was! I really appreciated the email responses and thorough answers. Last of all.... I won't give details, but he was able to save me A LOT of money at the end of the deal. His structure savvy methods of getting us the right loan at the right interest rate was invaluable!! Needless to say, you will not go wrong should you choose Houtan Hormozian and his team! I will refer him to everyone I know! I will also use him in all of my future home financing needs! No question! read more

After contacting multiple mortgage brokers that I was referred to through friends and family I was still skeptical about using anyone them since none of them answered my questions with clarity I was looking for so I decided to do my own research online on finding a suitable broker who would understand my complicated tax returns and employment situation. Came across Crestico Funding online multiple times so I decided to contact them. Houtan and Shayan over at Crestico Funding work as a team, after making an inquire on the site I was contacted in less than 2 hours and talked to Houtan about my situation and instead of getting a short typical answer that everyone else gave me which was "don't worry, it's not an issue, we will help you" I was educated about the process and solutions that are available to me to make the decision instead of walking into a trap-hole like everyone else was planning for me! Working with The team made the process very pleasant as I never had to worry about being left in the dark or not getting my questions answered or not get updates. At the end rate and closing cost was as competitive as everyone else was offering but the exceptional service that was provided made the process truly a hassle free and pleasant experience for me. I definitely recommend Houtan and Shayan over at Crestico Funding! read more

We worked with Houtan about 5 years ago to obtain a mortgage, and at that time he was able to navigate a few unique/problematic issues we were facing. Recently we were in the market for another house, and after our first (realtor-recommended) mortgage broker suggested a (dishonest) path forward to resolve some issues, we cut off that relationship and reached out to Houtan a second time (why we reach out to him initially is a mystery and a mistake!). We presented the following issues to Houtan the second time around: Change of lender 2 weeks into escrow, a mortgage on a property for which we had income (but could not prove we had income), somewhat inconsistent earning history for one of us, and another rental property for which we needed to obtain a tenant agreement (timing was tricky on this one for various reasons). Houtan made it work, and he made it easy for us. Houtan was quick to provide relevant information and worked diligently to ensure that closing occurred as quickly as possible. Houtan worked with us closely and was attentive to any issues that arose during the course of the process and, thanks to his in-depth knowledge, was able to offer various ideas to resolve any problems that arose. We're so glad Houtan is still in the business, and we're grateful to have worked with him a second time! read more

Houtan worked to get us a loan for our first purchase. We contacted him last year to get all the necessary paperwork in for a pre-approval. Once we had that within a couple weeks, the search began. It took a few months before putting an offer in, and another month before finally getting an accepted offer. Along the way, Houtan did everything necessary to coordinate between my agents, the sellers agents, the escrow company, lawyers, etc. We only had to review and sign papers, all the messy/tedious stuff was handled by Crestico. Our house had a lot of competition from all cash investors, so part of our final offer was to close escrow as quickly as possible. Meaning Houtan had to push to get our loan approved in less than 20 days from the accepted offer. Everything necessary to get this done, he pulled off seamlessly. I can say now that we finally closed, the loan part of this experience was the easiest part. The escrow company, our agents, sellers' agents, sellers and lawyers were all less coordinated than the mortgage brokers. Going into it we assumed it would be the opposite, but their tight ship at Crestico made for an unexpected (in a positive way) experience. Thanks to Houtan and his team for getting us a loan in the least painful way. read more

A friend of mine sent me Houtan's information when I told him I wanted to refinance but was not satisfied with the terms my own bank was offering. After working with him, I give Houtan and his team at Crestico a perfect score in customer service and providing guidance throughout the whole mortgage and refinance process! From the beginning, Houtan was honest, upfront and professional about explaining exactly what the process entailed and what would happen. After going over my situation patiently and in detail, he was able to put together a plan to help me achieve the goals I had set for myself to lower my monthly payment and pay off some bills. He listened to me and understood what I was looking for and wanted to do and made sure to find the best program for me to match my needs. He did his best to ensure that I was comfortable, informed, equipped and could close on time. He responds to emails and telephone calls after hours, which is very important to me since I own my own business and can't always take a phone call in the middle of the day. Houtan made this a very pleasant experience and Crestico is the only place I will do business with from now on for all my real estate and mortgage needs. Thank you Houtan & Crestico!!! read more

Houtan just completed the mortgage financing for my home purchase and I couldn't be happier with my choice of brokerage. Unlike my previous experience with mortgage brokers it was a breeze to go through this process. My own bank of 15 years waisted two weeks of my time and I had to find a broker on the 11th hour and I am happy that I listened to my realtors recommendation and contacted Houtan. He is knowledgable, experience and most importantly ethical! He delivered exactly what he promised! At first I wasn't sure if he is the right person for me to work with because he was asking too many questions and not giving me the answers I was looking for but as we began the process I realized the questions he was asking for was relevant to the process and he needed the answers to these questions to be able to determine if I qualify for the mortgage that I'm looking for or not. His questions help us have a smooth transition from my old bank. Thank you for your help. I recommend Houtan to anyone who is looking for a excellent service and ethical broker! read more

Houtan is simply wonderful! We were referred to Houtan by our fantastic realtor and were completely blown away once we connected! We had been meeting with a different loan officers at different brokerages and some direct lenders that weren't giving us many options or approaches for our very specific needs. The first phone conversation I had with Houtan, I knew we had to have her help us. She worked day in and day out to help my husband and I purchase our first home with limited funds. She told us about different programs we could qualify for and what exactly we needed and when we needed it. She was extremely informative and yet still very warm and welcoming. He ended up having us close on our home with a conventional loan within about a month of finding the house. He is amazing! Him and his team are fast, accurate, and know what they are doing. You really know they have your best interest at heart. I look forward to referring all of my friends to have him make their dreams come true just like she did for us. Thank you Houtan!! read more

I had an exceptional experience working with Crestico, and I cannot say enough great things about Marisol -- truly the best person and helper anyone could ask for! From the beginning, Crestico showed professionalism, integrity, and a deep understanding of the real estate and financial services landscape. The team was responsive and knowledgeable, and every step of the process was handled with care and attention to detail. But what truly made the experience outstanding was Marisol. She is not only incredibly knowledgeable and efficient, but also genuinely kind and patient. She took the time to explain every detail, answer all my questions, and guide me through the entire process with confidence and clarity. Marisol went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly, and her dedication made a stressful process feel effortless. If you're looking for a reliable, trustworthy firm -- Crestico is the one. And if you're lucky enough to work with Marisol, you're in the best hands possible. Highly recommend! -- Nathan B. read more

It's a pleasure working with Houtan, Every time I have a question or need assistance, I know I can count on him. He is knowledgeable, professional and is a great resource when it comes to your real estate financing needs. If he doesn't have the answer, he will do all required research and keep digging until he resolves the concern. Houtan is quick to respond, whether in text, email, or cell phone. He even helped me while he was out of the town. Now that's impressive! We loved his service and would recommend anyone that is looking to get a home loan to Him. He is great at what he does. We bought our house a year after the foreclosures on our previous house and we were kind of scare that we weren't going to qualify, but he was able to get us qualified. We are very thankful for all of his help with our loan and all the tips to help improve our credit score. read more

When I relocated to the San Fernando valley, I had no idea about where to start with purchasing my home. Yelp led me to H at Crestico. I had lots of questions and was very new to the area so I thought I would see if yelp would steer me in the right direction. After a brief phone call - I knew H would be able to help me. He set up a time for us to meet and took me to show me some properties. I really liked that he showed me a range of properties and gave me a good idea of what it would take to get into each. I like that he was not pushy or overbearing but readily available to answer all my questions. I would recommend his services and those of CRESTICO to anyone in the market to buy sell or refi. Great customer service is hard to find and truly valuable so I appreciate H and his staff a lot. read more

If you are looking to get a new home loan I highly recommend contacting Houtan and talking to him. He is knowledgeable, patient and best of all doesn't over promise to just make a deal. After interviewing few mortgage brokers I thought I have a pretty good idea of what to expect from him but come to find out his approach toward customer service is nothing like I had expected. His questions were refreshing as I had never thought about mortgage plan the way he works. Average broker is about offering you what you think you want where as Houtan truly gives you homework and makes you think twice about the whole picture. I am really thankful to Houtan and giving me whole new perspective about mortgage financing. read more

By far one of the best mortgage professionals I've worked with. As a homeowner for over 30 years I've gone through my fair share of good and bad loan officers but working with Houtan and his team was a whole new experience and I will add it was a very pleasant one. I'm extremely satisfied with the outcome of my refinance. Houtan delivered on point and exactly as expected with no surprise. Communication was excellent. I will most definitely recommend Houtan to everyone that I know and if you are reading this review, I'll advise you to call him and take advantage of this guys knowledge and experience! read more

Words can't express how happy I am with Marisol Laras help. I would definitely recommend her to everyone interested in buying a home. She has helped me so much with everything. She has made the process so much easier then the other person I was going to use. I was worried she wouldn't be able to close on the day promised because of the limited time given to processes the loan but she is an amazing woman that has keeped her word and for that I am greatly grateful. Professional, friendly patient you name it I have no complaints thank you again may God continue to bless you always. read more

I recently did a refinance with Crestico, and worked with Houtan through the process. Houtan was great and very easy to work with. The thing that impressed me about him was the fact that he was not only very knowledgeable about the mortgages and interest rates, but the macroeconomic factors that can affect the mortgage market as well. He told us exactly when to lock, and we got a great deal as a result. His team was very polite and responsive. I highly recommend them. read more

Having a Crestico location in the Valley makes it much more convenient to find an experienced mortgage broker nearby. The mortgage and loan industry can be very confusing and hard to navigate and it always helps to have a real professional with a vast amount of experience to answer questions and explain concepts that may not be easily understandable. Houtan is patient and goes above and beyond to provide great customer service. read more

I just closed my refinance with Houtan Hormozian and Marisol Lara at Crestico and could not have asked for a more wonderful team! They worked so hard on our file and kept me informed along the way. They are true professionals and I would recommend my friends and family to them. I am so happy to have met them and am so thankful for all they did for us. We are clients for life! Leslie Cutonilli read more

If you're looking for a smooth process and a responsive loan team, use Crestico! Houtan and Marisol are not only extremely knowledgeable about the available loan programs, but also very swift at getting the loan funded. They pushed my deal through the holidays and got the loan funded in about three weeks from start to finish. You'll be happy you chose Crestico! read more

I needed a mortgage loan for a second property. Houtan and Marisol from Crestico came through and were very helpful. Houtan explained everything very thoroughly and made sure that I understood before proceeding to the next step. I will definitely be contacting Houtan for future investments. Highly recommend! read more