I normally DO NOT like to give reviews, because I just DO NOT make the time to comment. I DO, however, love to read reviews from others, to help me with my own research. For those that are like me that only READ reviews and DO NOT give them, First Rate Financial DEFINITELY provides a service worth using and worth talking about. So much so, that I DID make the time to provide to you my experience with Chad and First Rate Financial. They more than earned it. This is my 2nd home purchase with First Rate Financial. I'm not sure how I got in contact with Chad for my 1st home purchase. I DO know that when we decided to move again, Chad was the only person in my mind for financial services. I have to say that both buying experiences have been awesome!!! Working with Chad is easy and comfortable. He definitely makes sure you are well informed with ALL aspects of the home buying experience; not just the financial aspects. He definitely makes you feel that he is a part of YOUR team and goes above and beyond to tackle and resolve any issues you might have. He can always be reached, even after hours and on the weekends, and he stays on top of you and others on your team to ensure all necessary activities are accomplished within the appropriate time restrictions for your contract. My 1st home purchase was straight forward. My second home purchase was complicated by a lot of indecision on where we wanted to live and the type of home we were looking for. I can't tell you how many times we called Chad with "this is the one", only to change our minds. He was very patient through all of that turmoil, and encouraged us by sharing his own home hunting/buying experiences. If you are looking for someone who DOES HAVE your BEST interest at heart, someone who will stay on top of you and other parties involved to complete your tasks on time, someone who can give you an honest opinion or feedback and you truly feel the feedback is meant for you and not for his company, someone who will go that EXTRA mile to find you closing cost savings or loan rate deals, then Chad and First Rate Financial is the person and company that you want on YOUR TEAM. Thanks Chad!!! read more

There is no way to give enough praise to FIRST RATE FINANCIAL!! They deserve more than 5 stars!! After a LOOOOONG year of house hunting, we finally had an offer accepted on a house that we loved! Woohoo - so exciting right??!! Well, then it came time to reach out to our mortgage broker that we had been working with all along (won't mention their name) and when we reached out to them with our great news, they were surprisingly hesitant about the closing date, but we decided to have them run the numbers anyway. Once they got us our estimate and loan docs, we were still nervous that they would be able to get us closed on time. We expressed this concern to our realtor. Right then, our realtor referred us to FIRST RATE FINANCIAL because she was confident that they would have NO problem closing on time. Yes, she was right!! FIRST RATE FINANCIAL took our call at 9pm that night and stayed on the phone with us until all of our questions were answered and they "promised" to save us MUCHO DINERO on our closing costs. They definitely kept their promise! They were able to get us a great rate and saved us so much that we were able to afford a few updates to our new home. We plan to stay put for a while, but we almost can't wait to buy another house just so we can work with FIRST RATE FINANCIAL all over again! Chad at FIRST RATE FINANCIAL was always available to answer all of our questions. Though, I'm not sure that we really had to dial his number more than once. He was always the first to touch base with us during this process. This was such a wonderful experience and nothing like all of the horror stories we've heard from other first time home buyers. We first reached out to FIRST RATE FINANCIAL on August 9th and as of 2 days ago, September 6th - We are OFFICIALLY home owners!! Thank you FIRST RATE FINANCIAL. We will be your clients for life! We will refer EVERYONE we know!! ******We may even name our second child Chad if it's a boy!******** read more

Wow...where do I begin? I normally don't write reviews, but my fiance and I had such a great experience buying our first home with Jenny Bray at First Rate Financial, I had to make sure people knew to go to her and at least get a quote from her...I promise, she will take care of you! As a first time home buyer, we wanted to make sure that we were working with the best in the business and with someone who could walk us through the process and also be available to all of our questions at any time of the day. Jenny was able to quote us almost 1.5% less than other companies we spoke to before her. She was always positive and pleasant to talk to and you can tell in her voice how passionate she is about what she does. She did an excellent job walking us through the process and she was available at a moment's notice for all the questions we had...and there were A LOT! :) She explained things in terms that we could understand and she did a great job keeping us on track with any paperwork that was needed without asking us for 1 thing here and 1 thing there. She was extremely organized and made the entire process stress-free. She is in fact so good that she saved us literally thousands of dollars AND she was able to get us closed a week earlier than scheduled!! We are so excited to share our experience about Jenny Bray at First Rate Financial and we are confident that if you choose to work with Jenny Bray, you will be so thankful you did. And so will your pocketbook!! She certainly exceeded our expectations and we cannot thank her enough as we are now able to enter the next chapter of our life because of her. read more

Chad Lemons and his team at First Rate Financial truly have earned their namesake. They are absolutely first rate when it comes to efficiency, integrity, skill, ease of process, personality, and overall experience. I am someone that has limited time and needs to get a lot done in that small amount of time. To say that Chad made this experience an absolute dream for me is the understatement of the century. he was so wonderful and easy to deal with, and he truly acts as your #1 advocate in all of the dealings you have with this whole process, which is an unfamiliar feeling in dealing with many other business transactions. To trust someone and know they have your best interest in mind is the hardest thing to find in the world, and when you find it, you just have to tell everyone and their brother, and their cousin, co-worker, and even your co-worker's dog. (Border Collie's are smart, but Daisy just still focuses her attention on the tennis ball she desperately wants me to throw, so I'm getting nowhere with the canine community currently, but I digress...) So, long story short: He is great, the company is great, and you just need to stop reading this and call them and you'll find out very quickly how much you'll love them too. Due to my previously mentioned lack of time, I never write reviews. So, I gotta go, but please believe me- they're great. And I'm not an easy person to please either! read more

My wife and I purchased our first home in August 2015. Josh Nelson from First Rate Financial assisted us in getting our loan financed. Not only was Josh always available by email, phone, and text, but he was also honest and saved us several thousands of dollars on our cash to close. We couldn't be any happy with the outstanding service we received, and would recommend anyone looking for a home to let Josh assist them throughout the process. We had several concerns with timing on closing on our newly built home, and Josh was able to promise that all would be fine, and it was every step of the way. We closed on time, got our keys to our new house on the same day as we closed, and not one time felt any discomfort from Josh and First Rate Financial. If you are about to finance with any other company, please give Josh a call and let him provide you with an estimate of what they can do for you. You will not be disappointed. Being a first time homebuyer, and extremely careful individual, I had questions and concerns left and right, that all got answered thoroughly. Thank you First Rate Financial, and thank you Josh Nelson for being a man of your word, and helping us through the process of getting our first home and mortgage. Can't wait to work with you again in the future! Thanks, Colin and Lucy Flynn read more

We used First Rate Financial for our mortgage last year. I just cannot emphasize enough how helpful Josh Nelson was. We actually had the opportunity to refinance, and we specifically chose First Rate Financial again because our experience with them (and specifically Josh) was comforting and smooth. Josh is intuitive about a buyer's fears and concerns. He answered every e-mail within minutes and returned every phone call just as quickly. We never once got the feeling that we were a bother or had too many questions. There were a couple of times when the daunting task of gathering all the necessary documents made us feel overwhelmed, but Josh walked us through every step of the way, making us feel confident and comfortable. Although he certainly didn't have to, he even made it his business to stop by our closing just to shake our hands and continue to offer his services. It's not every day that a person offering you professional services makes you feel like a close friend you've known forever. Thanks to Josh and First Rate Financial, we have a mortgage with a very low interest rate with payments and terms we can easily live with. Now, we get to relax and enjoy our new home! read more

There are a couple of key characteristics that make First Rate stand out and that influenced my family to give them repeat business: 1. Communication and Responsiveness - we consistently received timely updates form Chad on the process. The updates always preceded any concerns or questions that we had, and whenever we reached out to Chad, we could count on a thoughtful, well-researched answer within a very short time frame. This is HUGE as home purchase/refinance can be a very nerve wracking process. 2. Due Diligence - unlike with other vendors, I have never had to guide Chad to do his job by asking him "well did you look into this? or have you considered that?" - he was knowledgeable and always had a detailed answer ready 3. Ease of process - Chad strikes a great balance between a very seamless process that hides all the details and a very detail-oriented approach. He utilizes every means possible to make the process simple - from online/digital signatures, to finding ways to get the info he needs without placing undue administrative burden on his client, to a notary that comes to your house at a time that is convenient for you. read more

I was referred to First Rate Financial by a co-worker who recently purchased a home. This is my eighth move however the first time I was picking up the tab for the closing costs. I reached out to Chad Lemons and immediately made a connection. It was as if I had done my previous 7 loans with him. He was patient with all my questions and did a fantastic job walking me through all my options. Also he was always available and kept me on track with the documents I needed to produce without being overbearing. Other lenders in the past steered my towards what they wanted and at First Rate they really catered to what I wanted. Most importantly they spoke a language anyone could understand and presented my options in such a way that it was easy to make a decision. Lastly, I like that they a little bit smaller as they were way more flexible. When I first called I needed to close in a little less than 3 weeks and First Rate was confident they could do it- and they delivered. Larger firms were too busy to rush my closing. While I hope that I never need to buy another home again if I do I will certainly call First Rate Financial. read more

Jason Turner is an extremely strong lender who maintains constant communication throughout & makes sure that you understand what to expect, everything that is required, & works very quickly to work through any speed-bumps that come along the way. He helped my Wife & I buy our home & our loan was completely finished a couple of weeks before our closing date. As a Realtor, I am very selective with who I do business & I have come across many lenders who claim they provide a wonderful service, but from my personal experience & my clients, I have learned that most lenders just talk the talk & don't actually come through or communicate in a timely manner when you need them. Jason truly goes above & beyond to make sure that everything goes very smoothly from start to finish. I have already recommended numerous clients to him, who are very happy with his service. He is definitely your go to guy if you're looking to have a strong lender by your side when buying a home & he really takes the stress out of the process!! Thank you so much Jason, we're very grateful for all you have done!!! read more

First rate financial lives up to their well deserved name! I use to work at a mortgage company handling servicing after a loan closes so I am highly skeptical of loan officers. Chad came recommended to me by my friend. He seemed too good to be true. I was nervous/anxious of my first time home purchase and Chad was extremely patient with me and never pressured me. He let me work at my own speed and was always available whenever I needed to estimate home costs. I had a couple of friends that recommended other financing options but Chad always made me feel comfortable and eased my fears. Once I made a decision--Chad was so detailed told me exactly what I needed and I provided everything. I could go on and on. He was even on vacation and made sure to stay in top of my loan and we closed in less than a month!! I have not had my first payment yet soooo I will keep y'all updated. The only sad part was Chad was not at my closing and I did not get to thank him in person. read more

I am a 21, and a first time homebuyer, I had the pleasure and honor of working with Josh Nelson (jnelson@firstratefin.com). He was nothing but courteous, responsive, helpful, and direct not only through constant communication but being clear and transparent about what I could expect and what needed to be done. Being a first time homebuyer I was always taught if you don't know a certain industry...GET QUOTES! So I checked more than once 3-4 different companies and josh and his team always came in the lowest, and were the most helpful and eager for my business. Even though my financials were all over the place and less than ideal he walked me through everything and helped me get it done and closed in a timely manner. I believe in just what I've seen through josh that he and his team have a strong attention to detail, and a customer driven culture to give their customers the best service as possible, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

We moved from Atlanta GA to Paris, TX in late 2016 for my job. We had a very short window to find a new house, get qualified, and make an offer. Our Realtor connected us with Jason Turner at First Rate Financial. To say he was fantastic is an understatement! We spoke with him late on a Friday Evening, and he had us pre-approved and started all the paperwork for our loan that night! He walked us, patiently, through every step of the process, and explained every detail about our loan, while answering all of our questions. He worked diligently over the next month to make sure that there were no hiccups in the process of selling our home in GA and purchasing our home in TX. Everything fell into place perfectly, due largely to Jason's work on our behalf. If you are looking for someone to help you secure a home loan, look no further than First Rate Financial, especially Jason Turner. You will NOT be disappointed!! read more

We really can not say enough good things about First Rate Financial. To start, they beat out other lenders on our interest rate by a long shot AND total for closing costs was less than other lenders which was a huge win! Our loan officer, Chad, was incredible to work with. First Rate was quick to respond always and so helpful. The best part was we were in a big time crunch with an out of state move and First Rate had our loan funded and closed within 10 days. It was unbelievable, the timing was obviously super fast but the top notch service we received was even more incredible. There were ZERO hiccups during the entire process. Approval was quick, all of their request for documentation were easy to work with, underwriting was a breeze too! We highly recommend using First Rate Financial and we will 100% use them again when we have the need. You will not regret using them for your Mortgage needs! read more

Chad is a master at what he does! I had never heard of Chad or his company and I have been in real estate over 8 years. My buyers selected him based on a referral. He is worth his time in gold! My young couple loved the home they made an offer on and could picture their wedding in the backyard! When the appraisal came in $30k under, their dream was about to shatter. The seller would take nothing less than listed price or would lease the home until he could get his price! Chad got busy on reviewing the appraisal, as had I, and made contact with the appraiser and appraisal board. No budge on the appraised value. He then spoke at length to the listing agent about the appraisal being a fair assessment. Eventually, with a little negotiating on our end, we got the seller to agree to a price lower than list and my young couple can now officially begin wedding plans! Chad made dreams come true! read more

My wife and I are purchasing our first home and worked with First Rate Financial to help us get a mortgage loan. First off, thank y'all [@ First Rate Financial] very much for the great work you did for us! We worked with Chad specifically and he was extremely helpful! He got us the best rate and presented us with all of the options so we could take full advantage of our financing, while also minimizing closing costs and keeping our monthly payment on budget. The folks at First Rate Financial are extremely professional, and Chad was always available for us when we had questions and concerns. I never felt as if I was out of the loop, and personally feel like Chad's involvement helped secure use the home at the best interest rate. I would highly recommend this company, and specifically Chad, to help you secure a mortgage loan...especially if you're first time home buyers like us! read more

I purchased my new home with Jason Turner's assistance as my mortgage broker and cannot begin to express what an amazing job he did. Throughout the entire process he was professional, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. He took my recommendations and comments in stride and answered honestly and candidly. I quickly came to trust his instincts. He was patient, very flexible, and always quick to respond to any questions or concerns. Additionally, he went above and beyond what was required from a communication standpoint and at times served as the liaison with the real estate agents and broker of the purchaser of my home. It's not just about the delivery on time; it's the accuracy of his response and the knowledge he has that really makes the whole home buying process smooth. He's a personable, competent, and a confident guy. I felt comfortable with him immediately. read more

I've had the pleasure to work with Chad Lemons on two separate home purchases. He is a mortgage ROCK STAR and I will never use anyone else for a home purchase. His professionalism, knowledge, and work ethic is impressive and makes what is a stressful process painless. On my first home purchase he took the time to explain in detail the paperwork and financial options, ensuring that I fully understood the impact to my bottom line. I was pre-approved in the same day. I received the best mortgage rate on the market. He kept my closing cost to a minimum. Funding was fast. After my first home purchase I was sold on First Rate Financial. I went through Chad again to purchase my second home (Aug 2015) and again it was an all round A+ experience. I do and will continue to refer Chad at First Rate to anyone looking for Mortgage Broker. Thank you Chad! read more

Jason Turner is the only name you need to know. He handled our mortgage on our Prosper home during our very stressful move from the Tampa area. Always professional, always available; Jason handled everything immediately making our experience as hassle free as possible. I couldn't have asked for better communication, even when there was nothing going on. Most brokers take days or weeks to respond, not Jason, he would have things submitted or handled if not within the hour, definitely by the end of the day; a true rarity in today's world. Lastly, attention to detail, this can make or break your deal people. Jason has impeccable attention to detail and knows his business, give him a call and talk with him and I guarantee you'll see what I mean. I plan on using Jason at First Rate for our next home purchase and vigorously recommend him to all friends a family. read more

Our experience with First Rate Financial and Andrea Freeman as our loan officer was nothing short of amazing! Andrea's friendly and professional approach made the entire home-buying process an absolute breeze. From the moment we started working with her, Andrea consulted us every step of the way, providing valuable insights and guidance. Her expertise and attention to detail were truly remarkable, and it was evident that she genuinely cared about helping us secure the best possible loan for our second home. Thanks to Andrea's efforts, what could have been a stressful endeavor turned into a seamless and stress-free experience. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and support. If you're in need of a loan officer who goes above and beyond, look no further than Andrea Freeman and First Rate Financial. They have our highest recommendation! read more