Not having met the staff at Gem Mortgage in Solvang, CA, I am writing a review from a business perspective. As the seller of a recent property transaction for which this lender provided 'pre-approved' funding to the buyer, I was not impressed with how the loan process was handled. Delays because of insufficient underwriting staff, caused needless anxiety and expense to both parties. At a time when mortgage rates are at an all-time low, and demand for new and refinance funds high, this lender was not prepared to handle the load thereby passing their inadequacies on to the customers involved. This is not good business. In light of the demands on essential businesses and those who were forced to cut staff or close completely in response to COVID-19, mortgage banking business increased. Lenders should have been hiring staff to meet demand, not the opposite. It's not likely I would recommend Gem Mortgage in Solvang, CA however, the banker did offer to "speak with the Seller" to explain the delays to our realtor, thus two stars. Thank you. read more

We found Mr. Chris Haun through the Housing Authority website because GEM is familiar with the MCC and other first time home buying programs. Turns out Chris is extremely knowledgeable in his field. Getting to know him in a few weeks solidified my trust in him as a person and his company. We were only browsing homes but quickly got an offer received. Chris switched gears quickly from the pre-approval process to the getting the actual loan. From our first meeting with Chris until the end, the level of service and professionalism was truly a 5 star experience. He took the time to educate us on the home buying process from start to finish. When our offer was accepted and we went into escrow, Chris was extremely resourceful every step of the way. Chris was always available if we had questions or concerns. The overwhelming process of home buying seemed to subside as Chris was sure to carefully explain each document with responsive emails and phone calls. Seriously, I'm not recommending to do this but if you were to call him at 2am , he would probably answer! That's how responsive he is. We are first time home buyers and I can't thank Chris enough for making this long and complicated process more enjoyable and become an amazing learning experience! Chris will be a resource for life as we will have questions about the housing market in years to come whether we refinance or take out a loan equity. Chris' rates are very competitive but not the absolute cheapest. I'm as cheap as they come but Chris and his expertise is worth every penny. You do not want to be cheap in your first home buying experience. read more

GEM Mortgage is a diamond in the rough and Chris definitely makes this company shine. We found GEM through the Housing Authority website and couldn't have been happier. After working with other mortgage brokers in the past, we were pleasantly surprised by our experience working with GEM and Chris. Unlike the impersonal experience we received at big banks, Chris was extremely knowledgeable and personable. He really went the extra mile to explain the process and run the numbers to see what programs were available for us. Chris was also super flexible; he was available 24/7 and worked tirelessly to process our loan and accommodate our schedule, while ensuring we'd close escrow on time. Although GEM charges slightly higher fees, the nominal difference is a small price to pay for the knowledge and lifetime resource you receive with Chris. Thanks again, Chris and GEM Mortgage! read more

want to thank Joe for his excellent work, and the seamless process that was my refi loan.He is very knowledgeable, informative and cares a great deal about his customers. He is friendly, very thorough, and he will work to find the best possible outcome. This wouldn't be complete without mentioning Reem and the diligent work she does. I would recommend Joe and Reem to anyone in need of a real estate loan. read more

Gem is the literally best. My partner and I first worked with Chris Haun in 2016 when we purchased our first home. Our real estate agent, Christian sent us here and assured us we'd be in great hands... boy was he right! Our experience was nothing but positive. Chris is just a genuinely good guy who knows what he's doing and lends his expertise at every turn. He answers all your questions and never makes you feel silly even when asking silly questions (like I did the whole time). If you're in the market for a broker with MCC experience, look no further! Our latest experience working with Chris was equally pleasant and I suspect we'll be working together again in the future. read more

If you are serious about buying a house, look no further!! Chris is great! He's the housing fairy godfather! Basically just give him two nickels to rub together and he will fulfill your homeowner dreams. He can find the gold at the end of the rainbow! He very knowledgeable, patient and easily accessible at all times of the day. He knows the best resources and how to save you lots of money! He makes the entire process run smoothly and I couldn't recommend him enough. When I started the home buying process with all my student loan debt I thought was going to have to buy a yurt :) , but after working with Chris I got a house in my desired neighborhood. Gem mortgage won't disappoint! read more

Chris was absolutely amazing throughout the entire home buying process! He is extremely knowledgeable in first time home buyer programs and down payment assistance programs, which was initially why we considered his service. After researching many other loan services, we chose to go with Chris because he was very fair, honest, patient with all of our many questions, and just a kind, welcoming person overall. I have nothing but good things to say about Chris and would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking to buy or refinance. He is very good at what he does and our realtor raved about him to us as well. We are very blessed to have had him on our home buying team! read more

Second time around and I knew who I could count on. I'm now buying my first house and I knew I wanted to go with Chris Haun. Chris is always so helpful, attentive, and quick to return my calls, emails and txt messages! He gave me a great rate and always gave me options. My realtor met him and was so impressed that she now refers her clients to him. read more

Chris helped my wife and I get into a home that we thought was out of our reach. Chris was able to get us funding at a very good rate. In fact, he was able to do something that he has never done since he started in the loan business in 1990. My wife and I locked into a rate and a day later interest rates dropped. Chris was able to "unlock" our rate and get us the lower, more favorable rate. Through Chris's hard work and overall knowledge in the loan industry he was able get us financing for our new home. Chris is an extremely pleasant individual to work with who has the patience to explain everything about financing a home loan to his clients. I highly recommend Chris and you will not be disappointed if you use him. He is extremely professional and it's easy to see that he enjoys what he does. Thank you , Chris. read more

It is so easy and a breeze to work with Chris Haun. I was refer by my church brother to contact him for getting some loan information. This is a first time for me to refinance my condo. I had to admit it was really intimidating at first, but Chris is right there to walk me through the whole process. He is very knowledgeable, very professional and patience with me. The whole process was easy and effortless for me. I will highly recommend Chris to anyone that is thinking about refinance their home or just get a loan for their new home. read more

My husband and I are first time home buyers. Chris was referred to us by our realtor, who's been with working with Chris for years.From the very beginning Chris was very informative and quick to reply to my emails and phone calls. He asked for most of our documentation upfront with our loan application. So when we were ready to close we had most of our paperwork in order, closing couldn't have gone smoother. We closed an FHA loan in less than 30 days! Now that's impressive. Overall I could not have been happier with the service Chris provided he was knowledgable, quick and was always willing to answers our questions. I would definitely use Chris again and recommend him to anyone who's looking for a knowledgeable mortgage lender. Thanks Chris! read more

Chris Haun is very professional and will bend over backwards to get the job done, giving 100%+ and always with a positive attitude and smile. My husband and I highly recommend him. read more

Chris Haun is awesome! He is incredibly professional and knowledgeable. Chris was very generous with his time to answer any questions we had and was very thorough. He was with us every step of the way of our contingent transaction. Chris is a kind and caring person and will help you in any way he can. I cannot recommend him enough to anyone that is looking to purchase a home. read more

If you want a smooth and pleasant transaction, Chris at Gem Mortgage is the right person to see. He's very knowledgeable in his line of work and can answer any questions you may have. He's very precise and attention to detail. He will explain in detail step-by-step of the loan process. My husband and i couldn't be more happier with him. Any documents, statements or paperwork that is needed to get the loan process going is asked upfront at the beginning of the loan that way at the end of the process all you have to do is sign your loan; and your on your way to funding your new property. It's just that simple, he makes it easy and painless! If you want to experience how a loan should be processed then give him a call. Your funding to a new home is a phone call away! Thank you Chris and the employees at Gem Mortgage! read more

My fiance and I are first-time home buyers and Chris Haun made the entire complicated home buying process so easy. We were in a time crunch because our landlord decided to sell our condo and we had 45 days to find a place to live. Chris and his processor Robert had our loan close in 35 days. He went above and beyond the call of duty for us. He even took calls from the seller's realtor. He dealt with our numerous questions with a smile and patience beyond description. Our realtor commented that she had never worked with a mortgage broker so amazing. There were some hiccups with the escrow company (they were sloppy and made things difficult) and Chris didn't break a sweat. Chris and Robert were so diligent that our loan closed timely despite the sale being contingent upon the seller's other home transaction going through. When things would come up and we would panic Chris immediately put us at ease. During the signing process, Chris made sure that we understood everything that we were signing (and it was a lot of documents - at least a ream of paper) and he made sure everything was handled properly - from start to finish. He is a kind and trustworthy person and we were blessed to have worked with him. He is the best in the business and we recommend him highly (first-time home buyer or otherwise). :) --Kira Hodge & Jason Rochon read more

Chris is amazing. He went above and beyond during our mortgage process and was always available to help answer my questions. Would definitely use Chris again! read more

I'm a Realtor and I was referred to Chris by another lender who recommended him to get a deal done that they couldn't do. Going into it, I was unsure if it would be the right fit, but after a few conversation (And quick replies), Chris was on it from the beginning. Being in the industry for some time now, and having the opportunity to work with many great lenders (and a few not so good), Chris is definitely up there with a few of the best. Thank you Chris for not only getting the job done, but for treating our mutual client like family. All the best and look forward to the next family we help together. read more

Chris Haun is an awesome guy. He made this a great experience. He is very knowledgeable and takes the time to answer any and all of your questions never did he make me feel rushed or uncomfortable . Chris is someone who I will always recommend to people and I will definitely continue to go to him for my future real estate investments. Chris and his team are the best around and the best I've ever dealt with. read more

Chris Haun is, hands down, the most knowledgable lender I've ever had the pleasure of working with. There is no loan too small or too difficult for him to out his heart into. I used to refer all my business to the big banks but now chris is my go to guy because he puts the clients first and trys to get them the best rate possible. read more

I am a long time Realtor in the San Gabriel Valley. After all of our hard work working with buyers, the last thing I want to do is give my buyers to a less than top notch loan broker, that's why I go to CHRIS HAUN! He is very patient with the clients that we send him. He is an expert with first time buyer programs. There are lots of lenders out there and a lot of them don't take the pride that Chris does to get the job done! He recently helped us put a beautiful young family into a home with down payment assistance AND closing cost assistance!!! read more

This was our first time buying a home, and Chris made the process a bit less intimidating. At every turn he was there to answer any question that we had. He explained the process in a way that could be readily understood and was very proactive throughout. Chris worked very hard to make the transaction go as smoothly as possible. He takes the utmost care that the process is handled accurately and expediantly. Our next purchase will definitely be with Chris Haun at Golden Empire. read more

Chris Haun helped me buy my first home! I never thought I would qualify, I didn't know what I was doing or where to start. My realtor gave me his contact info and when I read his Yelp reviews I was confident I chose the right person. He was very patient with my constant communications and questions. He is very responsive which is most important I think. He walked me through every step, navigating me through the FHA process and with the underwriters's requests. And now I am a homeowner, I still can't believe it. I would highly recommend Chris! read more

I would highly recommend Chris to anyone out there who is looking to purchase or refinance. Chris is very knowlegeable at what he does. If you want a lender who is patient, trustworthy, that will answer your calls, emails, and who is hands down commited on being on your side CHRIS HAUN is who you need to work with. Throughout our purchasing process Chris made sure we understood everything when it came to our loan and type of loan we were geting into to. I usually do not write reviews however I have to give credit to where credit is due. Not only was Chris our lender but Chris has become our friend. Thank you Chris for allowing us to purchase our home that we have worked so hard for!!! read more

Chris Haun is the best. I cannot ask for a better loan officer. He answered all of my questions and took his time to review the ton of paperwork that goes into a home loan. Very knowledgeable, excellent customer service and a genuinely nice man. Made me feel he was on my team. read more

Chris Haun is a true godsend! Although the process of buying a home can be tedious (...and often intimidating) for first-time buyers like ourselves, Chris made sure my family and I were always comfortable and well-informed. Any concerns that arose were always listened to attentively and responded to in an educated and professional manner. And, Chris seemingly works around the clock because he is ALWAYS available - his great communication skills are commendable! Gracias Chris read more

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Haun! We were going in as first time home buyers. And he filled us in on a few different programs and was very thorough on his explanations. You could tell he has much experience and is very knowledgable and trust worthy. He's super friendly and makes you feel very comfortable. I was always calling him for different questions, sometimes at one time after another. And he never sounded irritated or was ever in a hurry to hang up. My husband and I were very happy with him! I would, and have recommended him to others! read more

Chris has been a great resource and very helpful throughout the process. Highly recommended, not just great broker but great person as well.

Chris Haun is amazing! He has always been honest and filled with integrity and is always up front if there a problem or something he can't help with or someone has a better deal. I've worked with him for many years and always found him to be a top notch professional. I have referred my colleagues,friends and even my in-laws to him. Never a complaint! Professional, prompt and goes the extra mile! If you need to buy, refi or do anything pertaining to real estate, Chris Haun is who you should call! read more

Bugging Chris for soooooo many times, but he is always patient with me and very professional. He is very knowledgeable and would consider every possible option to help me find the best/ most suitable home loan assistance. My first home buying journey won't be success without him. Thank you, Chris. read more

It has been such a great pleasure to know Chris and worked with him!!! We had tried to get into our first home for a very long time and even though it was a long and hard journey Chris never gave up on us... he always tried to find a way to help us out. He kept on searching and researching for new programs and any possible way available so we could have a home and thanks to his hard work and perseverance he made it happened... our dream came true finally HOMEOWNERS!!!. He's great and very knowledgeable at what he does; you wont be disappointed. He's the person that will make every possible effort to make it happen... as for us Chris Haun is not just our professional lender he has become family!!! read more

I am so happy I found Chris and GEM Mortgage. The process was smooth, painless, and above all, Chris was an absolute pleasure to work with. He is so knowledgeable about the lending process, and walks you through everything with great attention to detail. It was great that he was proactive and asked for a variety of documents and explanation of things early in the process so as to streamline underwriting. He also helped me shop around for reasonable and reputable insurance carriers, following up with recommendations and contacts. I've been through the mortgage loan process a few different times, and I have to say, hands down, this was the best experience by far. Thanks Chris, you were a tremendous help! Much appreciated! read more

Chris is the best! From day one he made us feel very comfortable, always has a great attitude, very friendly. One of the times I came in his office and had to bring my 3 kids, he was very friendly to them gave them coloring books and always made sure that we had everything we need. I feel that he went above and beyond to help my family make our dream come true. He was always on top of everything, willing to work around our schedules. Its been a month since we closed, and he is still very friendly, always has time to answer my questions. It was overall a great experience, would definitely recommend Chris to anyone looking to buy a house. read more

I've been on yelp for a few years as someone who simply took advantage of others reviews for businesses but after working with Chris, I had to take a moment to write my first review because Chris was that great to work with. My fiancé and I had the privilege of working with Chris on obtaining our first home. Chris was was awesome as he walked us through every part of the process. He was very patient, thorough, and helpful from beginning to end. It was a bit overwhelming as a first time home buyer but Chris put us at ease and was very accessible and friendly. We felt that we were in good, capable, and safe hands with Chris. It always felt as though he was trying to go above and beyond to help us get everything done in a way that would be the least amount of headache and trouble. I would and am recommending him to anyone and everyone who needs help with a loan. Chris will do all that he can to help you and give you all the information you need for obtaining a loan. read more