If Mamba Mentality was a loan officer, her name would be Christina Cho…read more My fiancé and I discovered the dream of a first home and within that same week of expressing our interest, Christina and her team got us pre-approved and equipped with the knowledge we needed to confidently move forward with the financial component of buying a home. From the get go, Christina had our best interests in mind, making sure to call and check in with us at key points throughout the loan process and ensure that we actually understood all that we were moving forward with. More importantly, when we did have questions or concerns, Christina carved out the time to help get us caught up to speed. Despite the two major end of year holidays, Christina's decisiveness and practicality combined with the precise foresight by her team - Tiffany and Ann - allowed us to steamroll through loan process. We went from expressing our interest in a home without any prior knowledge to the process or having been pre-approved to, within 30 days, receiving our keys to our new place. If you're serious about buying a home and can take care of business, Christina and her team will see you through the finish line.

I am incredibly grateful to Christina Cho and her team at Lock & Key for guiding us through both…read moreour first home purchase and, most recently, our refinancing. From start to finish, they supported us every step of the way--negotiating the best possible deals and breaking down complicated terminology and processes so we could make informed decisions with confidence. They were always available to answer our questions and even made time during the Christmas holidays to help us navigate some difficult decisions, which truly meant a lot to us. A special shout-out to Ann, who was amazing and consistently helped us work through logistical challenges. We are so thankful for the dedication, professionalism, and care from this entire team. Highly recommend!

I can't thank Giving Tree Lending enough, especially Christine, for her incredible support. We…read moreencountered a very tricky HOA issue during our closing process that could have delayed everything. Christine stepped in, communicated proactively with all parties, and made sure we stayed on track. Her expertise and dedication are the reasons we were able to close so quickly. Highly recommended. https://www.experience.com/reviews/christine-15948352

Im a realtor that works in North OC and Giving Tree Lending is amazing. They have over a hundred…read moredifferent products to accommodate my clients based on their needs and situation. They have been able to successfully close difficult transactions, offer the most competitive rates and most importantly they are so communicative even during off business hours. They even do loans for manufactured homes. Highly recommend them for buyers who are looking to get pre-approved.

A huge huge huge thank you to Carrington (and specifically to the awsome Ira) who approved me for a…read moremortgage on the house I've rented for the last 12 years. My landlady finally decided she was ready to sell and gave me the first chance at the house - but practically at the last minute. Scrambling to find a mortgage before my lease ran out, jumping through all the hoops, gathering all the paperwork (102 separate items - I counted), and wondering if we were going to make it was hugely stressful. Ira did a fantastic job of keeping everything on track, keeping me informed, and talking me off the ledge a few times. :) No, seriously, I can't say enough good about the company. As a first time homebuyer, there was so much I didn't know and so many things to be confused and worried about. Everyone I spoke to at Carrington took the time to explain things to me and make sure I knew what was going on at every step of the process. We closed this past Friday and I couldn't be more thrilled knowing that my house is now TRULY mine.

I have had mortgage's for nearly 15 years and this is BY FAR the WORST company I have ever dealt…read morewith. Unfortunately, it was not by choice, my loan was sold to them and it has been an absolute nightmare ever since. The pure incompetency is unmated by any other lenders. The letter I received said that I would use my original lender until the 3rd of the month (my payment is due the first). So, I made my payment to my old company and then Carrington sent me a late notice. This has been going on for two months now. My wife has called at least a dozen times, emailed customer service, and even sent written correspondence. We have explained that the letter explicitly stated, payments will not go to Carrinton until the following month. Even though every time we call, customer service is able to pull up notes from previous interactions, there has been no resolve. Most recently, I thought this issue was corrected. My previous lender conducted an escrow analysis and dropped my payment a couple hundred dollars. Carrington purchased my loan before that happened so we were "short" a couple hundred dollars in their eyes. We simply stated, if thats the issue we will cover the extra cost and they assured us it would. Turns out, Carrington is even able to mess that up, they debited our account, and still said we were delinquent. In 15 years, I've never made missed a house payment, not even close. Now this joke of a company is sending me late notices. Even though there was supposedly a 60 day sanctuary period while they get their affairs in order. Turns out, it takes them longer than 60 days to do that or much of anything for that matter. In short, I am receiving the first late notices I've ever received in my life, my recently reduced mortgage payment has been increased back to the pre-audited rate, and my wife calls this company just about every week to rectify the issue and is only met with false statements and well below average customer service. Please sell my loan to any other company, it would be greatly appreciated.

I purchased my home in Irvine, CA at an interest rate of 6% in October 2022. Everyone knows that…read morerates increased to between 6.8% and 7.5% from 2023 to 2024. The Federal Reserve cut the rate by 0.5 percentage points on September 18, 2024. My friend informed me that the refinance rate dropped below 6%. I began searching for a new deal to refinance my primary home and submitted some requests with my property and personal information online. At the end of September, Hugo at the Loan Exchange texted me about a great deal. He mentioned that since my credit score was over 800, I qualified for a 5.625% APR with free refinance (0 points, $0 lender fees, and $0 third-party fees). That's exactly what I wanted. The refinance process went smoothly, and my loan was finally funded. If rates continue to decline in 2025 and 2026, I will definitely contact Hugo to arrange another free refinance. I highly recommend Hugo as a capable and professional loan officer.

I recently just refinanced my mortgage with Loan Exchange. I…read moreworked with Daniel Chau. I am a 34 years Real Estate as well as 10 years as a loan processor. My expectations are set very high with my experience and how I managed my files. When I first spoke with Daniel I let him know that I normally work with a person that I have had many wonderful experiences with. I was very concerned about trying someone new. Daniel asked me to give him a try. I decided to and I am so happy I did. Daniel met every expectations that I had. He always answered my questions and took the time to explain different scenarios. He answered my emails and phone calls every time. Even know sometimes I would call or email him on the weekends. He was in the office or on his cell he was there for me. Since, I am in the business I tend to want to mico manage. I didn't have a do that with Daniel. I plan on doing a home equity loan with Daniel as well as another refinance. I highly recommend giving Daniel a try if you want a smooth transaction. Everything Daniel promised me to expect he delivered. I also would like to add that after the loan closed. I received a phone call from Angela from customer support to make sure my experience went well working with Loan Exchange. I appreciate the fact that they do a follow-up.

Simply the best. Most responsive and reliable. She will get things done for you asap. Most…read moreprofessional. We will ask her to help us with our future projects.

Buying a home is not easy. It can be hard to find a good team of people to help you with the…read moreprocess and I'm so glad that Laura was one of the people on my team. She was helpful, supportive, encouraging, and positive throughout my home buying journey. She left no question unanswered and went above and beyond overall. I can't wait for the opportunity to work with her again in the future!

Working with Vivienne and Michelle throughout our loan approval process was great and we would…read moreabsolutely recommend them for your next home loan. We were initially paired with another loan officer from another company and we were frustrated with their lack of transparency and communication style. Vivienne, on the other hand, was super helpful, transparent, and great with her communication. We are so happy that Vivienne was able to step-in so quickly and was able to save us over $7k right from the first loan estimate. As first-time home buyers, we are very grateful for Vivienne's help navigating us through this loan process.

We had an excellent experience working with Vivienne throughout the purchase of our home. From…read morestart to finish, she was responsive, knowledgeable, and incredibly organized, which made a complex process feel much more manageable. Vivienne took the time to clearly explain our options, helped us secure a competitive rate, and stayed on top of every detail to keep things moving forward--especially when unexpected challenges came up close to closing. Her communication was outstanding--she was consistently prompt and even responded outside of normal working hours, which gave us a lot of confidence and peace of mind during a stressful time. What stood out most was her ability to problem-solve quickly and advocate for us when timing became critical. We truly appreciated her professionalism, dedication, and willingness to go above and beyond to get us to the finish line. We would absolutely recommend Vivienne to anyone looking for a reliable, responsive, and highly capable lending partner.

Full circle home loans was an absolute joy to work with. The transition of buying a home was so…read moresmooth and easy. My wife and I would definitely use there services on our next home. Thanks everyone at Full circle.

The only mortgage lender I would use from here on out. Seth is honest, knowledgeable, and truly…read morecares for his customers. He spoke to me about some concerns about the deal to make sure I was aware, and I don't think any other lender would have done that because they would just want the deal. They have competitive interest rates and even matched the fees I quoted. His team, Summer and Bernie, were organized, communicative, and so quick that we were able to close in 21 days. Can't thank them enough.

Julie Aragon and her team are simply exceptional. I've had the opportunity to work with Julie on…read moremultiple transactions, and every single time I walk away impressed, not just by the results, but by how she gets there. Her professionalism is top-tier, but what really sets her apart is the way she builds relationships. Julie brings a rare mix of creativity, energy, and genuine care to her clients. People don't just feel "handled"...they feel understood, supported, and confidently guided through what can be a very complex process. She's honest, communicative, and relentlessly hardworking. You always know where things stand, and you always feel like you have a true advocate in your corner. If you're a first-time buyer, especially, Julie is a no-brainer. She has the ability to simplify the process, remove the stress, and actually make it an enjoyable experience.

Julie and team have been so wonderful to work with!! Not only are they incredibly knowledgeable,…read morebut they made us feel so comfortable through the whole process. Never once did I wonder if our team knew what they were doing because I was CONFIDENT that they knew exactly what to do. Plus, as someone who likes frequent communication and updates, the team was really great about that. I would highly recommend the team to anyone looking for a home loan.

I recently worked with Rapid One Lending to secure a loan, and the entire process was smooth,…read moreprofessional, and surprisingly quick. From the first call to closing, their team made me feel confident and informed every step of the way. Communication was clear, they answered every question promptly, and there were no hidden surprises, just honest guidance and great service. What really stood out was how efficient and transparent they were. The approval came through faster than I expected, and they helped tailor the loan to fit exactly what I needed. You can tell they truly care about their clients and take pride in making things easy and stress-free. If you're looking for a lending company that combines speed, integrity, and genuine customer care, I highly recommend Rapid One Lending. I wouldn't hesitate to work with them again!

From the owner: Rapid One Lending, our mission is to accelerate the mortgage process with speed, technology, and…read moretransparency. Like a trusted pit crew, we work tirelessly to ensure a seamless, efficient, and stress-free experience for our clients. From start to finish, we provide the right mortgage solutions tailored to individual needs while offering 24/7 loan status updates for complete transparency. Our commitment is to simplify the process, save time, and help our customers cross the finish line with confidence.

Honestly, my refinance started off pretty stressful, but Angel Chavez completely turned things…read morearound. He stepped in and took over my loan and from that point on, things felt much more manageable. He was always clear, easy to talk to, and kept me in the loop. He also made sure the original terms I was quoted were honored, which I really appreciated given how much rates were changing at the time. We closed on time and everything went smoothly in the end. I'd definitely recommend working with him. I'm really grateful for his help and would absolutely recommend him.

​Caution: Non-Standard "Teaser" Rates & Bait-and-Switch Tactics…read more​I had a very concerning experience with Optimum First Mortgage. I was initially quoted a highly specific interest rate of 5.123% (a non-standard figure in this industry). Based on this quote, I submitted my sensitive financial documents and authorized a hard credit pull. ​Once they had my data, the rate was significantly increased. When I questioned this, the Sales Manager (James) admitted in writing that the original quote was based on "incorrect input assumptions" and was a "human error." This feels like a classic bait-and-switch: lure the borrower in with an unrealistic rate to harvest their data and credit authorization, then claim "clerical error" to move the price. ​I have officially withdrawn my application and filed formal complaints with the CFPB and the California DFPI regarding these deceptive practices. If you are shopping here, be extremely wary of any quote that seems too good to be true--it likely is. UPDATE TO RESPONSE: Nice try shifting the blame. The data I provided didn't change, but your numbers did. You provided a correct quote, then dangled a fake 5.123% rate to get me to apply, then 'switched' back to the higher rate after harvesting my data. Your Sales Manager already admitted the error was on YOUR end, yet here you are publicly blaming me. This is exactly why I've filed formal complaints with federal and state regulators (CFPB and DFPI). Prospective borrowers: if they quote you a weird number like 5.123%, run. They are just 'capturing the lead' with a rate that doesn't exist.