Joel and his team were AMAZING. From start to finish, Joel made the whole process simple; he was truly there with us every step of the way. Being first time home buyers, we were nervous (and excited) about making the biggest purchase of our life. We had questions about everything from "How much can we afford?" to "How much of a down payment?" to "How do construction loans work?" and even "Can we borrow money to do renovations?" Clearly, we felt like we could ask Joel anything and he promptly gave us an honest, patient answer, even in the evenings, on weekends and over holidays. In fact, we made the offer on our house on a Saturday, and Joel took time to get us an approval letter the same day. Before Joel, we viewed the mortgage process as this enormous undertaking. With Joel, it was honestly the easiest part. We spent way more time agonizing over finding the right house than we did worrying about the loan itself. Closing was a breeze, as Joel and his team had the documents prepared well in advance. We were able to look at everything ahead of time, which made the day go by so faster. Even the closing escrow officer mentioned how easy it was to work with Joel. Seriously, we could go on and on, but the bottom line is you won't find a better loan officer in Austin. Joel has our business for life, and we have already enthusiastically recommended him to friends and family. read more

I've used Joel and his team for two refinancing loans and I've recommended several friends who have used him as well. We've all had the same great experience and agree that Joel is professional and trust-worthy. On my first loan I had a candid discussion with Joel and learned that his compensation is based on a fixed fee that's independent of the loan rate or points. This gave me confidence that Joel was working to get me the lowest rate possible and structure the best loan for my needs. On both of my loans, it turned out that my rate was the lowest of all the other rates that I had investigated and lower than what my co-workers said that they had received from other companies. As an engineer, I'm compelled to do all the loan math myself, check/understand all the details, and look at all the different options; Joel has always been patient with me and clearly communicated the loan details to ensure that I understand and am comfortable with my loans. I whole-heartedly recommend Joel. read more

I've known Joel for a little over ten years, and he's handled the financing of the three homes I've purchased in that time. I've also refinanced both my primary residence and an income property, and I turned to Joel each time. I'm always impressed with Joel's approach to customer relationships. It's obvious he wants you to be well-informed and comfortable with every step of the process, and he doesn't hesitate to go the extra mile for you. When he financed my first home, he went with me to the signing at the title company, and explained each document. He told me what each page meant (in plain language) and why it was in that mile-high stack of paperwork I was working my way through. I thought that was just what all mortgage brokers did. Silly me! Joel did it because he recognized it was what I needed to feel confident and comfortable with the process. I trust him completely, and wouldn't dream of working with anyone else! read more

I've used Joel three times now, once for my original mortgage and two times for refinancing. Joel is knowledgeable, prompt and kind. I had no idea what to expect when I bought my first house, but Joel walked me through everything and answered every question I could come up with. With my first refinance, Joel was able to move me to a 15 year loan instead of a 30 year loan, cutting 10 years off of my loan at the time; that was a huge win for me. And with our last refinance we got an amazing rate and closed very quickly, a requirement I wasn't sure he could meet, but he did. I recommend Joel to all of my friends and would use him again in a heartbeat! read more

As a first-time home-buyer, Joel was able to make me feel at ease through the whole process of getting my loan. He was very focused on making sure that the options he presented to me fit within our budget. I was never left in the dark about anything, as he would regularly update me on my loan status, and answer any of my e-mails in his prompt and reliable way. Bottom line is that he made this whole process very easy for me. He was recommended to me by my sister, who also had a wonderful experience with him. He actually saved her from several problems created by her inexperienced realtor. I highly recommend Joel and Prime Lending! read more

Joel is simply THE BEST. He helped me through my first home buying experience 6 years ago, and worked with me to refinance my loan last year. He helped me to lower my interest rate, monthly payment, AND got a bunch of renovation work done! He worked with my brother (I recommended him!) during his first home buying this summer, and again, he was nothing short of excellent. Not only is Joel super professional and very talented at his job, he's also a really friendly, genuine guy. As you can see, if I recommended Joel to my own brother, obviously I'd give him 5 stars for the general public. read more

"Prompt, Reliable, "No Bull" Service!" is accurate! Despite my good credit and a 20% down payment, most banks would not give me a loan for my condo. Joel was able to do just that and offer me an unprecedented interest rate! When dealing with the nitty-gritty of paperwork, Joel and his people were able to expedite the process fairly quickly even when I was out-of-town on business. Even when there was a snag with the HOA at the very end right before closing, Joel was able to resolve the issue without me lifting a finger! I highly recommend Joel to anyone buying a condo. 5 Stars. read more

We went to Joel after speaking with three other lending experts, and having read the excellent Yelp reviews. Those reviews are spot-on, and so is Joel's motto: 'Prompt, Reliable, "No Bull" Service'. Joel immediately made us feel like we were being treated as individuals, rather than another number. He was extraordinarily forthcoming with information right from the start, and that carried through all the way to closing. We had never taken out a construction loan before - and while everyone else made it sound like Mission Impossible, he made it As Good As It Gets! read more

We needed a great rate on a loan in less time than our bank would do. We happen to really like our bank too, but we had no choice but to look elsewhere for a loan. We were recommended to Joel from a friend and we couldn't have been happier with our decision. We got the loan in record time - I dont even want to say here how fast it was but I didn't think it could be done. He knows his stuff and was able to walk us through providing him everything he needed to get it done. And we got a killer rate - call Joel, you wont be sorry you did. read more

Another great experience with Joel and his team. We just closed on a cash-out refinance on one of our properties for the purchase of another property. The process was smooth and the team kept me updated throughout as per usual. They were straightforward and helped me save money where possible. All around a positive experience again. This is our third time using them (two refinances and this cash-out refinance). They are my go-to team and I will not use anyone else. read more

I got in touch in Joel when I was purchasing a new home and was having problems finding financing within a very short time frame. He understood our needs from the very beginning and worked hard to meet our contract deadlines. By being extremely prompt, responsive, and committed, Joel was able to help us close the mortgage loan. His efforts definitely didn't go unnoticed, and I would recommend him again anytime. read more

I've chosen to work with Joel Richardson for a few transactions now. And it's no wonder why. His style of business makes the whole experience very pleasant and positive. He's patient, knowledgeable, responsive, direct, and friendly. I trust him to give me a great deal and great service. In fact, I always recommend him highly to family members and friends who are in the market to buy or refinance. Thanks, Joel! read more

Joel was great to work with buying my first home. I had a lot of questions, and his responses were always prompt and very informative. He kept me up to date throughout the whole process, and he was able to lower my rate twice before closing! I never anticipated the 30 day closing process going so smoothly. I look forward to being able to work with Joel and PrimeLending again in the future! read more

Joel with Prime Lending could not have been easier to work with. He was always very much on top of all tasks/paperwork, and responded very quickly to all questions and emails (I had a lot of them as a new homebuyer). He made this entire process very smooth sailing, and I highly recommend working with him. I was extremely pleased and very satisfied with how easy he made everything. A+ read more

As first time homebuyers we needed someone to guide us through the process, Joel was with us every step of the way, answering questions in a timely manner. He communicated clearly and consistently and proved to be someone we could trust with such a large decision. We would recommend Joel to anyone, as he was a true professional and we look forward to working with him again in the future. read more

Joel is awesome! I can't recommend him enough for obtaining a mortgage or for refinancing. With GREAT rates! I've used him twice now and each time he made the process easy, straightforward and got the job done. Which is more than I can say for my own bank which robbed me of $500 in fees and didn't get the job done. Call Joel, I promise you won't regret it. read more

Joel was remarkably helpful and worked with us quickly and at all hours to help us get pre-approval and final approval on a loan for our house. The Austin market moves very quickly and with Joel's help we were able to secure financing and close on a home we are thrilled to own. His speed and flexibility really helped make this possible for us. read more

We were recommended Joel by a fellow first time home buyer. He was absolutely fantastic, thorough and knowledgeable. As first time home buyers ourselves, we had a million questions and he never hesitated to answer anything. The entire process was made very easy be he and his team. We closed without a hitch and are so excited. Thanks Joel! read more

We just closed on our house after a long complicated process from the buyers of our home. Joel was able to help them, too, and streamlined the whole deal and we closed just a few weeks after he came in and saved the day. We were thrilled with our interest rate, his hands on approach, and the man works at night & weekends! read more