Russ and his team were absolutely amazing. We had to change lenders about 3 weeks in, to our loan process and I am so glad that we were referred to Russ. He was thorough, honest, and efficient. He went above and beyond to provide the information that we needed to be able to close on our house. Being that we were first time buyers and used Calhfa, it was more complicated and there were a lot of rules and regulations that had to be followed and Russ was completely well versed in those areas. Between him and Jeannette, they provided excellent customer service and made for a seamless process! I would definitely recommend Russ at Kal Financial! read more

I wish I could give more than 5 stars to Russell Rivera at Kia Financial, he truly went above and beyond to make our home buying experience memorable and easy. From the very first call, Russ took the time to listen to our story, understand our unique financial situation, and explain every option with patience and extreme transparency. When we hit roadblocks that would have destroyed the loan (example working on allocating funds to help fix "bad debt", giving us every option possible when it came to choosing a type of loan, and Russell worked evenings, weekends, and even coordinated with the seller's agent directly to keep everything on track. Russell bent over backwards--constantly updating us, chasing down documents others dropped the ball on, and finding creative solutions when standard guidelines weren't in our favor. Because of his efforts, hustle, expertise, and genuine care, we closed on our first home faster than we ever thought possible. If you want a loan officer who treats you like a human and fights for you every step of the way, look no further. Russell is simply the best and we are HIGHLY recommending him to anyone we know who needs help buying a home! read more

I was looking into HELOC for my mom's house. Someone referred me to Russ. From the first call I knew I had made the right choice. He called me every week to keep me updated. I appreciate all he did for my mom & I. I will recommend him to my friends/family. read more

We started working with Russell and his team after we were in contract and a big bank already failed to secure our loan. Our agent introduced Russell and said he's a "magician" and can fix difficult situations. After a first phone call with him, we already felt a lot more at ease, and he assured us he can get us a loan if we're flexible with rates and fees. The process was incredibly difficult with many bumps on the road, but Russell pushed very hard and we finally landed a final approval of a loan just two days before closing. Russell was very communicative throughout the process, and advocated for us when negotiating with underwriting. We are grateful to the team's hard work, and we will definitely recommend others to work with Russell, especially if you have a difficult loan situation. read more

Russ and his team are amazing! They were referred to me by my agent and from the very first phone call I felt I was in good hands. Russ is very communicative and took the time and patience to get me through the transaction. No problems at all except my lack of computer skills that he helped me get through. He and his team are very responsive to emails and phone calls. They kept me apprised of the things to expect along the way. I felt taken care of by him and his whole team. Thanks Russ! read more

We just bought another home and Russell helped us with our loan. I consider myself to be a picky and tough customer especially when we have been through the loan process a few times. However, I personally was impressed with Russell and his team! He is very knowledgeable and lived up to his promises through out the loan process. We were kept informed of everything and he was very responsive. Most of all, he is very honest and doesn't sugar coat anything. Hopefully, there is another opportunity in the near future where we will benefit from his services!! read more

I worked with Russell and his team to purchase my first home at the end of 2023. He did a great job of walking me through everything at each step of the process and regularly checked in on my progress. He was also incredibly responsive to me and my realtor whenever we needed something from him. He was also a great resource when it came time to look for insurance or any other referrals. Will definitely work with Russell again on any future finance needs. read more

I am a realtor myself and recently used Russell for a home purchase. I was surprised by his thoroughness in preparing the pre-approval letter and his weekly updates. His team was constantly in communication w/ me, and they all remained on the same page throughout the escrow period. Having access to multiple lenders all through Russell is a good plus as well. I have worked with a number of lenders, and Russell sits amongst the top of my list! read more

We closed sooner than expected, and I will refer Russ to others. He sets expectations from day 1 but doesn't use that a reason to explain any bumps along the way. All through the process, Russ and his Sr. Processor Jeanette responded in a timely fashion, were professional and provided weekly progress. He is knowledgeable and often provided examples of what he had seen in the recent past to make issues realistic. Overall, it was a good experience and I"ll be coming back to him when it's time to re-finance. read more

We just moved to California after I found a job locally. With this, came the obvious - new jobs, new income and adjusting to a new area. You may think this would make it difficult to buy a home, but thanks to Russell, it wasn't. He is an expert at finding a feasible loan given your situation and I am sure I will go back to him when it's time to refinance. read more

Russell absolutely saved our real estate deal. He and his team were professional, organized, and communicative throughout. Would absolutely recommend him! We had a tricky multi-unit property to finance, with property line and easement issues. Our regular mortgage broker could not make the deal work and we were in a stressful and desperate situation. Enter Russell and his team. He worked closely with the title company to find a solution, and fought for the deal all the way until the end. And the rates were excellent on top of it! Super happy with the outcome, and his creative problem-solving. Can't wait to refinance our primary with him. read more

Russ and team went above and beyond. Customer service and transparency are on the top of his list always answering emails and phone calls. During this mad rush for refi's, homeschooling, pandemic, wild fires and heat wave, comes high anxiety. Russ and team maintained the utmost of professional stature throughout the entire process while keeping the toughest hurdles to no more than a minor inconvenience, thus removing much of the anxiety from the equation. My refi was a breath of fresh air. Their tools are modern and provide additional convenience to the customer with no extra red tape to deal with. Thank you Russ and team! read more

Our loan process was very challenging considering my Student Visa Status, but Russell was positive since day 1 kept us confident and we finally closed the deal on time. Thank You. He also had a great team who responds really fast to all my queries. read more

Russell is going to get you your house. He is prompt and maintains transparency in communication. He goes the extra mile when needed to close on the home details. His teammates are equally cooperative and responsive. read more

We are very happy to make our dream of buying a home come true. Russell did an excellent job of walking us through this process and making it easier for us. read more

My experience with Russell was the utmost worst! It would have been nice to have straight forward answers and critical details prior to removing the contingency. This critical information was given to me two days after the contingency removal and could've cost me to lose my down payment deposit. Russell limited my agent to speak to him once a week and would not provide any flexibility on this. During my calls with Russell, he wouldn't give me an opportunity to speak and continuously talked over me in an aggressive hostile tone. His calls and emails were very combative and at times condescending. His loan officers wrote poorly written e-mails and the information provided was either vague or not very clear. If I would've known this experience would go to this way, I would have found another lender. read more

Russell and his team are fantastic! Being self-employed makes it difficult to get a traditional loan. Russell worked his magic to get a loan that worked for me. The team was excellent at communicating and keeping me informed throughout the process. I highly recommend Russell and Kal Financial. read more

Russell was excellent to work with! He helped my Girlfriend and I through a home loan. It was a quick and easy process while working with Russ. He gave us clear expectation as to what to expect through the loan process and we were not blindsided. He also called weekly to give us updates on our loan process. I highly recommend working with Russ! read more

It was great pleasure working with Russell and his team. Russell worked with us to have all the pre approvals in place so we could quickly turn in an offer when we find our perfect home. Russell's personal approach to calling the seller's agents helped make our offer stand out. Russell and his team kept us updated on each step of the process and always very quick to respond for any questions. Close on our house just took 21 days. We really appreciate the timely communication and the professional approach. Russel provided us with many options in choosing the loan and helped us to choose the best one. We are very happy with our purchase and will definitely recommend Russell to my friends and family. read more

My husband and I just worked with Russell and his team on a refinance. From start to finish, it was a very positive experience. Not only did we get a phenomenal interest rate, we also received exceptional service. No one enjoys going through the refinance process, but I have to say, this one was painless. read more

Russ and his team were wonderful! They went above and beyond in communication, service and being proactive. We are beyond satisfied and will refer them any chance that we can get! A+++++ read more

I had a great experience working with Russ and his team. I loved that Russ checked in every Tuesday so I always felt up to date on what was going on. Russ and his team were very responsive every time I had questions -- not only were they prompt, they were knowledgeable and thorough. They were always friendly, and there were no unwanted surprises. It was smooth sailing. read more

Russell has a great knack of helping customers. He helped me to secure a jumbo mortgage when almost all of the big public banks dragged their feet in moving forward. Russell was clear in setting the expectations from day one, very responsive and despite all the lengthy paperwork, he was able to close the deal right on time. He is very professional in the entire deal. read more

As an agent when your clients are looking at a deal that is falling apart, your heart sinks. I made a call to Russ to see if he and his team could save the day. Not only did he jump on board no questions asked he and his team went to work to correct the situation. Without fail Russ came through on his promise to deliver. Not only will I send clients to Russ when they are in a tight spot but I am comfortable sending everyone as I know that he will fight to the end to make sure our clients dreams are reached. read more

Until Russell's assistance, every prior home financing or refinancing involved some major or minor nightmare, snafu, or stress. Not so with Russell's team. Transparent, smooth, no muss no fuss. AND, they were able to seamlessly switch lenders to get me a better rate. I was so happy to forego the stress. Great job. read more

I do want to say that I have not worked with Russ yet, and this review is based solely on a first impression, his professionalism, and the quality of information he shared with me today about loans and lending in general. It's obvious he works hard for his clients and gave me examples of escrows that were down to the wire that he was able to save from falling apart. He is also great at finding products for buyers who think they don't have a chance to get into this market. This is someone who is smart, good at what he does, and clearly loves what he does too. If you're a first time buyer you will feel comfortable working with him, and if you're an investor he will help you with your strategy with speed, wisdom, and respect. read more

It was great working with Russell and his team. My refinance process took longer than expected but they were there to guide and stick through to get the job done read more

Russell Rivera and team were meticulous in finding the right mortgage that fit my circumstances as a High School teacher. They gladly explained (often repeatedly by my asking) all the details that go into financing a house, the processes involved and the mounds of paperwork signed. From the beginning till the end, and even afterwards; Russell and team were very professional and gave me the confidence that I needed throughout this arduous time. It was greatly appreciated. I can only stress the high recommendation that I am giving him, to you the reader; Russell will find a solution to the toughest problems you may encounter. His knowledge, experience and dedication will be gladly used to purchase my next home. read more

Russell is so fast at responding emails, texts and phone call. It was a great experience working with Russell and his team with buying my first home. He put a lot of effort in our case to wrap everything up in a right way and in the fastest time. read more

Great Service all around, As a 1st time person unfamiliar to the home refinance process Russell and his staff where nice, patient and very professional. They made the whole process easy and simple. I will definitely recommend their services to friends and family. read more

Russell was wonderful to work with. We were first time home buyers and for the most part completely clueless with the whole process. He took his time and made sure we knew all of our options. He was very knowledgeable and was always available to us for any questions that arose. I wouldn't hesitate to work with him again and would definitely refer him to friends or family. read more

Over the last 10 years I have purchased 5 different properties and refinanced 4 of them. I have to say, Russ and his team are the best I have worked with. His knowledge is above every other mortgage advisor/broker I have worked with. His range of products and his expertise in understanding what works for each client is second to none. A truly fantastic experience from start to finish. read more

Russell helped my husband and I with our loan and a Re-fi. He was professional and thorough. He did a great job of presenting us with all our options to come up with the best loan for our situation. He was easy to get in touch with and patient with all our questions. I would recommend him to family, friends, and clients. read more

Russell and his team are outstanding! They were able to successfully refinance our investment property at a great rate despite several obstacles. The communication was crisp and clear, and the loan closed ahead of schedule. Russell provided a great deal of transparency into each step of the process and provided continuous updates. read more

Working with Russell and team was an absolute pleasure. Excellent customer service, communication and ease of completing our needs in a timely manner. We highly recommended him read more

Russell was extremely patient with us as first time homebuyers. He answered every question and was patent with repeat questions that we had. He was more than willing to work directly with our financial advisors to spare us being the go between. They put together a multitude of options and walked us through each one helping us find the one that was best for us. He was available for last minute phone calls and he was able to help me coordinate a POA for my husband who wasn't able to be there at signing and a POA for me for when I went overseas for two weeks. He made everything easier and better and I really appreciate his help! I would absolutely work with him and his team again! read more

Russell did a great job and really worked to help us when our mortgage financing with another company feel through. He was reviewing documents and working out plans at 1:00 AM on a Sunday in order to help us meet our crazy timescale. Both he and Karla worked to get everything completed, and kept us informed as things developed. I dropped a star because we had a heart-stopping glitch 3 a few days prior to closing that was probably not down to Russell directly, but the disagreement between the underwriter and the brokerage could have perhaps been reported to us better. I would very confidently recommend Russell and Kal financial to anyone who wants to purchase a home because these folks are highly competent, really care about the outcome - this isn't just a job to them, and are just nice people to deal with. read more

Russell maintained the highest level of professional detail and consistent thoughtful communication through the purchase of my home and beyond. Professionals in any industry can take note from him. read more

Russ was incredible! He was able to get us approved on a loan for a home which I didn't think was possible. He made it happen and I highly recommend him. He was always available to calm me down when I was panicking. Thanks again Russ! read more

Working with Russell was wonderful. He was able to get my refi done when no one else could. He always answered my questions quickly and professionally. He kept me updated on what was happening and got the loan closed right on schedule. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs a loan or needs to do a refi. Thank you Russell for all your help! read more