We are trying to sell our house and the buyer we were under contract with was using Guaranteed Rate, Chicago office. Our selling realtor contacted the loan officer who provided a letter the buyer was pre approved and verbally assured this buyer could afford the property. The closing date came and went and the loan officer wasn't returning calls to my realtor and attorney. The buyer's attorney kept asking for extensions for a week at a time and since we were so close to closing we continued to agree, although no one could give us answers as to why it was delayed. Over a month after the initial closing date we found out the buyer would not be approved for the loan. If we would have known that sooner we could of had the property re-listed and closed by now. We also found out the loan officer was submitting fraudulent documents with our names on them. For example, one of the units in the building has a lease. We sent the lease to the buyers side to turn in, but then found out it was changed to have a different renter's name on it. We know the loan officer either created it or knew about it. Our realtor and attorney had to contact the loan officer's boss to find all of this out. Our advice to everyone out there, do not use them for your loan, and if your selling, do not accept offers with them as the lender. read more

This group was recommended to me by my realtor. My big mistake was to go with them without taking the time to do some research on them. I would not recommend this group for two reasons: I find them incompetent, with misleading practices. Working with them was very frustrating. Every document that they can ask you to provide they will ask, whether it is relevant or not. For instance, I was renting at the time. I was asked to provide my lease -- which is fine -- but then I was asked to ask my landlord to provide a statement that they have received my first+last+security deposit, and then I was also asked to ask my landlord to provide another statement explaining why the lease payment is first+last+security instead of first+security deposit as sometimes done. This is just one example. And I can cite three, four crazy others examples like that. And while all this is going on, they keep you in the dark as to what exactly the interest rate that they will give you will be. And given that all this paper work goes on and on, by the time they clear your application (after paying several hundreds in fees), you have virtually no leverage to negotiate the interest rate with them, since you are then too close to your closing date to walk away and start over. This modus operandi is clearly conceived on purpose to corner people. Although I have an excellent credit, I ended up with an average mortgage rate with them. I will not recommend this group. My general advice to other folks is to make sure they do some research, compare lenders, before committing to working with one. And stay away from Guaranteed Rate Affinity. read more

In the three months it took to get a simple, small mortgage approved, we never got guarantees that Guaranteed Rate Affinity (G-RA) would get the job done. This was a long, tedious, confusing and demanding process, made all the more difficult by their perpetual pleadings for us to furnish more and more information, with multiple G-RA staff constantly changing the rules while putting all the blame on that boogeyman they called "The Government." Glad it's over. Elated they sold our loan to a real bank. - Dr. AFM, Woodstock, MD read more

Firstly, so that no one assumes I'm a first time home owner and didn't know what to expect, this would have been my 7th mortgage (and cheapest) between personal and rental properties. Additionally, I have my realtor license and have considered real estate a hobby for just short of a decade. In that time, and between all of my purchases (and purchases I've helped with) these guys are hands down THE WORST lender I have ever seen. The process started off as usual; pre approval and all, offer made/accepted, contacted by the under writer with a list of necessary documents. This is where it went off the rails. As always, I had all of the documents they requested to them in under 72 hours. Then, she changed her mind and wanted more. Strange, but ok. Sure. Gathered what she asked. This continued every few days. Wanted new documents, decided she wanted something different, and so on. Never had I dealt with this. THEN they wanted employee verification from the Army. Ok, never in 8 years heard of this personally or from others in the Army. Ask for the form, get it to my supervisor, she fills it out, sends it back. Not good enough (despite NO instructions on specifics wanted). Ok, change it the way they want. Not good enough. Supervisor tells me to tell them too bad, I convince my supervisor to let me change it and she can sign it. Agrees. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Despite the changes they requested both times! Finally get it right the next time. I had to PROFUSELY apologize to my supervisor multiple times as a result of their borderline disrespectful and CERTAINLY unprofessional behavior. Should be good now right? WRONG.  I was 2 weeks from closing and literally driving up to my new location with all of my worldly possessions when they contact me saying "Oo yea we need this final thing from the Army", despite having told them in the beginning that the document I provided was as good as it was going to get. I reminded them of this and they told me that they couldn't proceed. As a result my intended 2 weeks of couch surfing with family and friends turned into 3 months of it as I scrambled to find housing and get settled in to my new area. While I understand mortgage processes are a nightmare that everyone dreads, this company makes a normal mortgage process look like a picnic. I wouldn't borrow or give a penny to these clowns or anyone associated with them. Don't just walk away, but RUN. Literally, if the mafia will loan you some money it would probably be better. However, if you're the type of person that likes torture and punishment then these guys are perfect! read more

After unsuccessfully working with 2 lenders previously, I came to Guaranteed Rate through a co-worker of mine who had used them and really liked them. My experience was nothing but amazing, and my lender got me both the downpayment that I was looking for and a rate that was even better than I had thought it was going to be. Yes, they asked me for a ton of documentation but it was nothing I wasn't willing to do to get the loan to buy the home of my dreams. What I loved best was my lender's honesty and willingness to explain absolutely everything to me about the process. I had a ton of questions and not once did I feel that he was impatient with me nor did I feel that he was pressuring me to make decisions I wasn't ready to make. In the end, we got a great loan that the other 2 lenders were unable to get and the process was as painless as it could have been. Let's face it, buying a house isn't just a snap of the fingers. read more

My experience with Guaranteed Rate Affinity was nothing short of ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!! Buyers beware of the recommendations from realtor affiliates that this company gives solid preapprovals. In my search for a home I was pre approved with another lender (Veteran's United) for my desired purchase price. After connecting with my realtor, Guaranteed Rate Affinity was recommended as an affiliated and reputable lender that gave solid preapprovals because most of the legwork was completed and met criteria short of underwriting when preapprovals are given. I was also advised that this lender had lower fees and a preapproval had never been denied because of their strong preapproval practices. I abandoned my previous preapproval and connected with Tanya at Guaranteed Rate Affinity in Atlanta Ga. Once a home was found, offer submitted and contract signed I was asked to pay appraisal fee and application fee as my file was being submitted to underwriting. I expressed my concern of paying for appraisal and app fee before a true approval and once again I was told that the preapproval was very strong and my worries fell on deaf ears. I paid $385 for an inspection, and $610 for the appraisal and application fee. 2 days later Tanya the loan officer calls and informs me that underwriting sent my file back regarding my dept to income ratio. She suggested that I pay off a balance of 9K to reduce the dti. I was appalled and it was extremely disheartening that after requesting appraisal and other fees I was now basically being DENIED for DTI which should have been confirmed before sending to underwriting. In my previous home searches, other mortgage companies were thorough in my meeting the dti before submitting to underwriting and informed me of whether I met before requesting fees. Now I am out of $985 that I should not have paid if the preapproval process was as thorough and solid as advertised. I requested a refund but of course that have fell on deaf ears as well as I am still out of my hard earned money that could have went to a more reputable, thorough company. BUYERS BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY. DO not pay your money for an appraisal and inspection with this company as your lender. THEY DO NOT GIVE SOLID PREAPPROVALS!! SINCERELY, A TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED BUYER AND SCAMMED BUYER read more