Joe's the absolute best. He gave us all the info we needed to make a good, informed decision. He literally saved us from ourselves last year by recommending we wait a year to get a mortgage because of our situation. We listened to him and he was right. He's responsive, approachable and always there if we have a question. Joe and his team at Guaranteed Rate are outstanding. read more

Joe (and team) are as good as it gets. I have had the privilege of working with him on three occasions and there isn't a single stone unturned throughout the process. While the home buying process can be complicated and relentless, Joe helps simplify each step along the way. They aim to anticipate every nuance of the process so you don't have to worry about any unforeseen issues. There is a clear path and outline for everything required in order to meet the numerous requirements for purchase. Whether you are a first-time or repeat home buyer (or looking to refinance), Joe is your guy. Joe also is extremely timely in responding, which is a major plus at all times. Solid firm, solid dude and solid outcome. read more

I worked for Joe about 10 years ago and was so impressed with how he treated his clients (even behind the scenes) I knew that I would use him when I finally purchased my own house. Well, a decade later and I reached out to him in April when my husband and I first started looking. The summer 2021 market was so competitive and Joe was patient while we looked and looked for houses and put multiple offers in without going under contract. When we finally went under contract in September, Joe did everything to meet our tight closing deadline to accommodate the sellers, and then was happy to postpone the closing when the sellers weren't ready in time, as well as completely change our loan terms at the last second when our family gift fell through at the last minute on top of getting us an insanely amazing rate. 10/10 would 1000% use again for any future refi's or purchases and would recommend to everyone I care about. read more

As a professional in the real estate industry, I have to say that Joe Burke is one of the best out there. With all of the things that are going on in the industry, there is no margin of error anymore, and Joe makes sure of that. I have worked with Joe on a number of personal loans for my homes and have been confident to recommend him to friends, family and professionals alike. I can do so knowing that he will take care of them both professionally and personally, with the understanding that this isn't JUST another transaction... this is someone's home and life he's dealing with. Also, he writes a great blog with insight into the marketplace, things to do in Chicago, and more at www.yourchicagomortgageguy.com. Thanks for all the help Joe! read more

I found Joe through positive Yelp reviews and was happy that I did. Not only was he highly professional and supportive through the very new and confusing process of getting a mortgage, he was genuinely easy to talk to. I'd recommend Joe to anyone, particularly first-time buyers like us. read more

Even though we decided not to make a purchase at this time, Joe was very helpful in our decision making process. He crunched all of our numbers and was very honest in what we needed to have in our accounts in order to buy our dream house. He also helped us realize what we would need to bring to closing for the sale of our current property. I will definitely save Joe's contact info to pass on to family and friends. read more

Joe was awesome! It was my first time buying a home and I was already working with another mortgage broker. I wanted a second opinion and he explained the differences between the two loans. He never tried to push me into it. Guaranteed rate itself was so easy to get my information to securely and the platform is very easy to use. Joe was with me through every step and I will now refer him to any friends looking to buy a home. Thanks Joe for making my first home possible! read more

Joe Burke responded very quickly on a Sunday to our initial inquiry for a home mortgage quote, as we were looking to make an offer on a home that day. We decided to go with him for the mortgage and he and his team at Guaranteed Rate were extremely helpful and communicative throughout the process. We highly recommend working with him! read more

I had a great experience working with Joe and his team at Guaranteed Rate. From the first conversation through to the closing, Joe and his team were great about keeping the process moving and keeping me informed as to what is next in the process. Joe was great about answering questions and following up when I needed assistance and his team was highly professional. I can't recommend them enough! read more

Great experience working with Joe and his team! They were extremely quick to respond and patient with any questions I had throughout the purchase of my first home. I had originally contacted multiple companies for preapprovals, but Joe's team was able to offer me the best rates and customer service. Would absolutely work with them again! read more

Although Joe seems like a nice person, I contacted him a week ago and still have not heard back from him. Not good.

As first time buyers we were very nervous about the whole home buying process. We decided to use Joe based on our realtor's recommendation and his positive Yelp reviews. This was undoubtedly one of the best decisions we made. Joe was honest, patient and thorough. He walked us through the entire process and kept us well informed. When we encountered some difficulties he offered us great advice on how to proceed. In the end he made us very comfortable with the commitment we were making. I highly recommend Joe to other buyers, especially first time buyers. read more

We just closed on a condo in Oak Park. We didn't start the process of looking until April and were working under a tight deadline to get the housing credit. I found Joe through an online article he'd written, and read the great reviews of him here on yelp. I cold-called him and he was immediately warm, resourceful, and helpful. All though the process he was extremely responsive - answering my questions late at night, on weekends, etc. to help us get everything together. We're first-time buyers, and Joe was great. He was extremely candid explaining the entire process. He always made me feel like I was his priority, even though I was buying on a demanding schedule during an extremely busy and stressful time. When we ran into complications, he worked overtime to help us make things work, when other lenders would not have taken the time. He gave me very clear and accurate estimates of all fees, so there were no surprises at closing. We really got a deal with all his personal attention throughout the process. We would not be in our new home now without Joe's tireless work! I highly recommend working with him if you are lucky enough to be in this area and able to be his client. read more

Joe helped me buy my first condo and has since helped me refinance twice. I can't say enough good things about my experience working with him. As a first time home buyer, Joe took the time to explain to me all the different expenses that go into buying a home and helped me figure out what I could afford. He gave me detailed breakdowns of each of the properties I was interested in, and my closing was smooth as can me. I would recommend Joe to anyone looking to purchase or refinance home. read more

I highly recommend Joe Burke and his team. They made the home buying process very approachable, understandable and easy. Joe detailed several different mortgage scenarios for me to help me choose the most advantageous loan structure and explained every aspect of the process so completely. He was never pushy and always patient with my questions. Once we found the right loan for me, Joe's team worked hard to deliver results quickly. They reached final approval on my loan in something like nine days - which helped a lot to streamline the closing process. read more

I rarely actually review but felt strongly that Joe and his team at Guaranteed Rate deserved recognition. As a first time homebuyer, I never thought that the mortgage process would be the easiest, least stressful part of the entire process. Joe and team made the process 100% electronic and seamless. If I ever did have a question there was an answer via email within 24 hours or via phone without question. An easy and simple mortgage process is all I could ever ask for and Joe delivered. read more

ATTENTION FIRST TIME BUYERS Joe Burke saves the day! And the condo closing! I was a first time condo buyer and a week away from closing with another mortgage company when stuff hit the fan. I will not go into details of what happened with the other company (see my yelp reviews for that) . I found Joe from Guaranteed Rate on yelp.com and called him in a panic. From the moment we talked, he was cool, calm and collected and assured me that he could help me close within 3 weeks!!!! I did my homework and reached out to other companies, making sure I get the best value, and Joe was able to out do every offer I had. What I liked the most was how straightforward he was with me. Buying your first condo is a big deal, and securing a mortgage can be stressful, even if you have good credit. Joe outlined everything in a spreadsheet (i love spreadsheets!) and answered every little question I had. And I had a lot. I should point out he did all this the week before Christmas and was able to have me close on January 3rd! read more

Joe responded immediately when we reached out during the home buying process. He has a great team with him that walked us through exactly what was needed each step of the way. They understand how to make the process simple and get things done! I would highly recommend reaching out to Joe and team! read more

Joe was an amazing guide through the first-time homebuyer process for me and my partner. He worked with us closely to make sure we understood the financial decision we were making and were aware of all of our financing options (and their ramifications), and always made himself available when we had questions. He also recommended an excellent realtor to us. He's a genuinely nice guy, and we couldn't be happier to have met him and worked with him on our very first home purchase! read more

Joe Burke provided excellent service, everything was executed in a short amount of time, properly and on-time. He also obtained the best rate and loan terms, better than my current bank and another I used for comparison. read more

We financed and refinanced with Joe. He is an example of the consummate professional. We were denied by three lenders due to a misunderstanding of % commercial space in our building and Joe was able to navigate those murky Chicago waters like a pro. We were closing 1 month later. I highly, highly recommend him to ANYONE buying in Chicago. read more

Joe saved my mortgage! I would (and have been) recommend(ing) him to anyone. Very helpful, easy to deal with, knowledgeable. He also has a great team of people he works with who are readily available to speak with and help out. read more

Joe was very responsive, knowledgeable and persistent. He provided tools that expedited the process and empowered me to make quick decisions. read more

Joe is a smooth talker. He will tell you what you want to hear, but it is not always the truth. Joe told us our refinance would be 'cost free' to us. The numbers changed so many times throughout the process that we lost track of what was happening. In the end we paid $1000 out of pocket. When questioned, Joe said, "I'm sorry, I screwed up." I'm sorry, too, Joe. Clearly we screwed up too by trusting you. read more

Joe was referred to us and he didn't disappoint. Not only did Guaranteed Rate have the best rates, but Joe was extremely helpful and very thorough. In the current market environment where banks are overly sensitive in their underwriting process, Joe was on top of everything and informed us immediately if anything came up, or just to let us know where we stood in the whole process. With so many things to juggle in a move/purchase, his updates reassured us and gave us one less thing to worry about. read more

I worked with Joe Burke and his team, and I was nothing but completely satisfied. From the first conversation with him, and the whole process, Joe made me feel like I was his top priority (even if I wasn't!), answered all of my questions, and calmed my nerves about the whole buying process. He really went above and beyond, and made it seem like it was nothing. He was highly impressive and an absolutely pleasure to work with. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone I know that's going to consider buying, or refinance. He's truly great at what he does. He even called me the day of my closing to congratulate me, and ask if I was going to celebrate! It just made me feel like it wasn't just a job to him, but that he actually cares. I know why my agent highly recommended him. It's almost a shame this isn't something you do very often, because working with people like Joe was fantastic. A+, 5 stars all across the board. Thanks Joe!! read more

I would without a doubt recommend Joe Burke for mortgage loan needs. He was recommended to us by our realtor. We looked into several lender options/people and he clearly stood out. He's very clear and helpful, especially if you're like me and don't know much about mortgage lingo. He's personable as well. He provides detailed spreadsheets that break down and layout cost analysis so you have strong understanding of what to expect. He responds to emails so fast (which is nice with all the nerves that go into buying and selling), will jump on the phone, and even help you on weekends. The best. read more

Joe has previously helped me with a mortgage as well as a re-fi and is one of the most honest and professional people I know. He is a master of his trade and is very meticulous when it comes to explaining all parts of his business. I will use him with every future real estate transaction!! read more

I found Joe on Yelp as I was looking into refinancing. I am glad I found him. With the current climate of a challenging underwriting process/requirements and reduced market values, Joe was able to get the loan closed. Joe and his team kept me up to date on the progress and was responsive to my questions. I would recommend him. read more

Joe was great to work with on my first home purchase. He laid out all of the potential scenarios in terms of cost breakdowns and closing costs. I knew going into my first home purchase exactly what I should expect in terms of down payment as well as monthly mortgage payments. He made everything easy to understand and provided me the information quickly so that I could become comfortable with all parts of a home purchase prior to actually pulling the trigger. read more

From our initial meeting to closing, Joe Burke made the home buying process smooth and pain free. More importantly, he always made himself available to answer any questions. I always felt fully informed and educated in the process. Plus he was available beyond normal banking hours. my wife and I were extremely happy with what normally is a long and tedious mortgage process. thanks, Joe read more