We worked with Ruby at Salmon Bay for about a year and a half as we searched for and bought our first home. At the end of the process, my husband said to me, "Now that we've experienced Salmon Bay, no other services are good enough anymore. I want everything I interact with to be as good as Salmon Bay - banking, insurance, everything." A few things we loved: responsive and crystal-clear communication from Ruby and her entire team, sound education for us on how home loans work (I feel like I ACTUALLY understood what was happening and what all the numbers meant the whole way through, as a complete novice), proactive check-ins for 1.5 years just to make sure they stayed updated on our thinking and finances, professionalism in all forms of correspondence, a team that inspired so much confidence with their expertise (special shout out to Paige), kindness and cheerfulness without exception, proactive outreach to the seller's agent within minutes of us making an offer to assure them we were in a strong position to buy (even though it was a major holiday), local credibility and relationships that certainly played a role in getting us our house even though there was a competing offer for $50K more, a clear roadmap for closing and frequent video updates for the whole buying/selling team along the way, willingness to answer all 5,000 minor questions I had during closing as if each one was important and worthy of attention and time, and absolutely no surprises the entire way - not a single surprise. I can't recommend Salmon Bay highly enough! read more

Ruby and her team were so friendly. They ran scenarios for me and made the refi process quick and easy. The weekly video updates were a whimsical touch. Thank you! read more

Ruby, Adam, and the team were great helping us purchase our first home. They really went the extra mile making sure we had all our i's dotted and our t's crossed, went over all the contracts, and were very communicative with us. We love the weekly video updates, and theyreally moved fast for us in a short amount of time. read more

I compared two different lenders for my first home purchase, and am so glad I chose to work with Salmon Bay! Ruby's warmth, knowledge, and efficiency made--what could have been a very stressful process--surprisingly easy for me. During my two months of searching, her team guided me through an unexpected low appraisal on the first condo I offered on, and then a high appraisal on the dream condo I ended up closing on! As someone who knew almost nothing about pre-approval & home loans beforehand, I found the Video Lending Library on Salmon Bay's website very helpful, as well as meeting in-person with Ruby to talk through any questions I had. Her team went above and beyond to keep everyone well-informed throughout the process, including emailing a personalized video update every Friday. I would recommend Salmon Bay Community Lending in a heartbeat! read more

I've done two refinances on my house with Ruby and team, and highly recommend them for anyone considering doing so. Not only does she help you find the best value for what you need, she is really great about laying out your options and explaining the advantages of each. I adore her weekly updates, even when you are just waiting for things to go through you know she is keeping an eye on things. Plus, just talking with her brightens my day! read more

The staff are fabulous and make the process of lending a joy. They were with every step of the way and made the journey fun and they answered every question (I had many) quickly and efficiently. I highly recommend Salmon Bay for their expertise, friendliness, and flat out ability to get the job done. read more

Salmon bay is highly recommended. Ruby an her team truly care about their clients (which is rare in the lending industry). Their community roots really show as well. Big thanks as well for the weekly video updates and for being patient with us as we navigated the world of real estate financing. read more

Ruby, Paige, and the entire team at Salmon Bay really knows their stuff. They took us through a tricky refinance step by step and at the end we have a much better loan than I could have even imagined. Thankfully, they are the ones who came up with all the options for us and did the creative thinking and then all we had to do was choose what we needed. They even sent a notary directly to us so we never even had to leave home (2020!) to finish the refi. They are also very nice people and they do their best to make the process as "fun" as possible. read more

Salmon Bay Community Lending is a true community treasure. No matter who you are or what your circumstances may be, I sincerely recommend that you give them a call. Ruby and staff are not only incredibly warm and welcoming but also highly skilled, well organized, persistent and honest. We've worked with them over the past six years on a mortage and a re-fi and could not be happier! read more

I honestly don't know where to begin with how amazing my experiences have been with Salmon Bay Lending - specifically Scott Martin and Ellaina Lewis. I truly cannot recommend them enough. In May of 2021 I was happily renting and informed (on my birthday no less) that my landlord was selling my beloved rental out from under my remaining six-month lease. In a matter of days, I went from thinking I could never possibly own a home to navigating a complex mortgage application. Scott is one of the most responsive and thoughtful people I have ever worked with and made the complicated process as straightforward as humanly possible. He was always available to help whenever I had a question, making sure I understood all of my options inside and out. The real estate agent on the sale represented both myself and the seller and that experience was less than fun or ideal, to say the least. Scott went above and beyond the role of a lender to help advise me and make sure I knew how to protect my interests in the process. As a first-time homebuyer, I truly would have been lost without him along on the journey. We closed on my home on July 1, 2021 and I couldn't be happier to call my sweet little cottage, MY home. In November of 2021, it was time to help my father explore the purchase of a brand-new condo out in Seabrook, WA, for which he had already put down a sizable amount of earnest money. Not closing on this condo was financially not an option. I knew I'd be returning to seek out Scott's, Ellaina, Ruby and the rest of the team at SBCL's help, and I am so thankful I did. Due to several extenuating circumstances including A LOT of complexities completely out of our control, and the fact that my father is a small business owner during pandemic times, the mortgage was exponentially more complicated than any of us could have imagined. Scott and I had joked throughout my home purchasing process that my mortgage was complex - it was a cake walk compared to my dad's. Likely the most complicated borrowing situation his team has dealt with all year and possibly ever. Needless to say, Scott and Ellaina worked tirelessly for six months straight to secure the mortgage and I am so happy to say my dad will be enjoying his first sunsets on the beach this weekend. I genuinely do not know how Scott has found the time to balance the workload related to my dad's purchase, among all of the other clients he has. Again, he was timely, informative, helpful, understanding and patient with all of our questions and concerns. In short -- Scott and Ellaina (and everyone at SBCL) are truly incredible. I have full faith in their ability to work with anyone and bring dreams to life. The magic they worked over the last year for my family is undeniable and I have nothing but an A+++ review to give them. When it comes time to navigate anyone in my family's next purchase or refinance, I wouldn't even consider going anywhere else. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about Salmon Bay Community Lending! We just got the keys to our new house in Magnolia thanks to the work of the entire team there (special shout out to Jeanne!). If it wasn't for her tenacity, persistence, and superior problem solving skills we would be stuck renting an apartment forever. Jeanne and the Salmon Bay team were communicative, responsive to my many, many questions and emails, and patient yet determined throughout the whole process. If you're looking for a mortgage broker and have come across Salmon Bay Community Lending, stop looking you've found the right place - they'll treat you well and keep you informed throughout the entire process! HUGE thanks to the Salmon Bay team - owning a home in Seattle has been a goal for us for over a year, and without you it likely wouldn't have happened! THANK YOU!!! read more

I cannot say enough for Salmon Bay! We have a house thanks to the hard work of Ruby and Adam. We came to them with no preparation and the seemingly impossible task of needing pre approval to make an offer with little time. But there was never any hesitation and they were extremely helpful and willing. We got our pre approval quickly, and were able to put in an offer. Throughout the entire closing process, everyone was very communicative and worked hard to get us closed within 30 days. They even put a rush on the appraisal and we were able to get it appraised very quickly. If you want a mortgage company that treats you like a person, a friend, and will work tirelessly to fulfill your homeowner dreams, go no further. read more

The team at Salmon Bay Community Lending are amazing. I came in very discouraged after being turned down by one of the larger mortgage companies and Ruby (my loan officer), after looking through my file, not once doubted my ability to get a loan. She walked me through the process, always available to talk me down from my fears - I work on commission for my full-time job as well as own my own newer business so needless to say I had a complicated application. Ruby (and her awesome side kick, Adam) are efficient, knowledgable, communicative and kind, and at the end of the day, I always felt how much they were in my camp and wanting a home to come together for me (and it's not like I bought a big-budget place so the dollar signs were definitely not the motivating factor). An otherwise stressful time was more pleasant and manageable because of them. Salmon Bay is the reason I'm a homeowner and they are awesome. Go give them your business. :) read more

Heather and the Salmon Bay team are amazing to work with and we are so thankful to have chose them! We shopped around different lenders and brokers decided to go with Heather as she was responsive and clear in her communications and Salmon Bay was able to offer us a great rate, plus they are a local woman-owned business. We were first time homebuyers and she was super helpful throughout the whole process by breaking down each process and what we needed to do. If we wanted to see a worksheet of the purchase price broken into monthly payments, with different closing costs and rate, she was prompt in sending those over. As the Seattle is already a competitive market and the record low interest rate has driven it into overdrive, Heather was right there to help us figure out a strategy to keep us competitive. When we were finally in contract and the seller wanting to close less than 30 days during December, Heather went above and beyond getting all the necessary requirements needed close our loan early and before the holidays! We were able to close about a week early! She was always proactive in reaching out to the listing agent whenever we submitted an offer and was always in sync with our buying agent as well. We cannot sing her praises (and our whole team actually) high enough! One very useful thing that Salmon Bay does is that they provide weekly Friday video updates during your loan process when you are under contract and it helps us calm our nerves down a lot as we are always eager to know where we are in the process and to ask updates. read more

Jessica was by far the best & most knowledgeable lender I have worked with. I am in my 3rd house with refinacing done more than once on all of them, so haven't just fallen off the turnip truck. She found an error on my credit report that was giving me grief. She got it fixed, I just gave her the info & she took care of clearing it off my report. I can't tell you how pleasant she was to work with, & how positive & helpful. BECU told me I didn't qualify for a refinance with them. I had a credit score in the high 700s at the time, now it is higher. Thank you Jessica. You are the best. Also, the ballard office is so convenient. Free parking, with a coffee & pastry shop next door. Awesome location. read more

Ruby and Sara at Salmon Bay are easy to talk to and very knowledgeable. They seem to know the local market and what it takes to close on time better than most. I'd say this office and these loan officers are a great choice if you're ready to jump in to the local housing market! read more

I have been referring my clients to Salmon Bay Community Lending for years. They have been and shall remain my first choice. Why? Professionalism, dependability, consistency, integrity, follow-through (all with a sense of warmth and humor) are only some of the qualities I and my clients may count on when working with the team. Ruby Grynberg and her amazing fellow mortgage consultants have closed dozens upon dozens of deals for my clients. Incredibly, we have a PERFECT on time closing record. When my clients ask if it's okay to order the moving truck, while getting the beer and pizza for their friends in reward for some heavy lifting on moving day, I want to be 100% certain they are not going to be disappointed by a late closing, last minute surprises or any number of hurdles needing to be jumped over during the home buying process. Literally, I will throw myself in front of a bus for these people. They are beyond the best! Tyler McKenzie, Managing Broker, Windermere Real Estate Co./Seattle-Green Lake read more

I recently purchased my first home and Heather from Salmon Bay was my loan officer. From the start it felt like the whole office was working hard to get my deal done. Katherine, Ruby and everyone else I interacted with were courteous, friendly and diligent. I could tell that it was a priority to them that I understood the process and that all of my questions were answered. Truly a painless process. Thanks everyone!!! read more

Jeanne Neal and the team at SBCL are total pros. I have benefited from their professionalism and expertise personally. Better yet, they make me look good to the clients and friends I refer as they are consistently delivering the best customer service that can be found in the new home/refinance mortgage community. I especially appreciate Jeanne's compassionate, non-judgmental approach to the process. This means that she is extremely resourceful to "exceptional" cases, validating the positive and educating the less informed in a helpful, fun way. An astute listener and problem-solver, Jeanne is a wonderful teacher of finance, always making sure that information is clear and that her clients feel comfortable proceeding with next steps. Peace of mind is what clients can expect from SBCL because Jeanne cheerfully manages expectations for her clients by communicating the necessary details and on a very timely basis. Jeanne Neal is my "go-to" lender! read more

I was disappointed by the greed of this company... As evident by the bogus fees they charge. I asked for a strait forward 30 year fixed loan. Even though the interest rate was good (I have excellent credit) ...the fees I was quoted were a bit shady. They were already charging me almost $3000 for the loan fee by adding .85points, but on top of that they tacked on a processing fee $595 and an underwriting fee of $700+. Really? Front and back end commission. I respect that the girl I spoke to did not defend the fees or could not. Just be smart shop around, get loan estimates from different companies and compare. read more

Ruby and team are fantastic. We first used Salmon Bay last year to refinance an existing property, and then used them again this spring when looking into buying something new. They're super responsive over both phone and email, they have infrastructure in place to allow you to securely upload sensitive documents, they make the process as clear and navigable as reasonably possible, and they're always happy to answer questions, no matter how dumb they may seem. I cannot imagine using anyone else for our mortgage financing options in the future. read more

These women have got to be the calmest, friendliest folks around. They were there when we had 9 billion questions about numbers and never once seemed put off if we asked the same thing 3,4,5 times in a row - just to make sure. They are competent, experienced and professional. Jessica and Ruby and all the other gals treated us like we were their only clients - to the point of calling with claps and hoorahs when we finally closed. By the end of the process, we felt like we could be their friends. They are all amazing women, who know their stuff and we couldn't have purchased our first townhome without them. If you need a team to help you figure out the nitty gritty stuff in today's home buying market - then you need Salmon Bay Lending. read more

I've done a number of loans through Salmon Bay over the years, including purchases and refis, and I give them the highest marks. Everyone I have worked with there has been professional, friendly and had a sense of humor. More than that, they listen to and respect your individual situation and find tailored solutions. For several years we worked with Steph Fairweather, who was an incredible sounding board as we weighed different financing options, and had unlimited patience with us. Steph, Ruby and the whole crew at Salmon Bay made us feel like they were really our advocates as we worked on two loans while I was dealing with breast cancer treatment - I cannot say enough about the warmth and sincerity with which they handled these major transactions during such a stressful time. Most recently, I worked with Jeanne Neal. We were very impressed with her knowledge, counsel, responsiveness and follow-through. She helped us make decisions about which interest rate to pursue, and made the whole loan process seamless. I highly recommend Jeanne and the team at Salmon Bay! read more

As a real estate professional, I am always interviewing different lenders to find the true professionals who I can trust to take good care of my clients. These women are just who I want to send my friends and family to. Their industry knowledge is superior. Their attention to customer experience is excellent. Call them today for a refi, or to find out your options for your next mortgage investment! read more

We love Cate at Salmon Bay! We came to her with an unconventional setup-- two families buying a single family home in which we would all live. She found us a great loan, and really went the extra mile to explain and support our situation to the underwriters. She is a fantastic communicator-- easy to understand and very prompt. I felt like she was on our team. I wholeheartedly recommend her. read more

Ruby and Adam did a fabulous job!! When the seller moved up the closing date, they doubled down and got everything filed in record time. Ruby explained all our options and even created comparison spreadsheets so we could see everything side-by-side. And Adam was a pleasure to work with in getting all the information submitted and processed. Bonus points for the cutest office ever and the wonderful Friday Video Updates!! So personal and friendly!! We highly recommend these lovely folks at Salmon Bay. =) read more

There is nothing I can say about Jessica that is not outstanding. Jessica was attentive, knowledgeable, creative and patient. She was able to answer my questions quickly and with laser precision, even when I asked them multiple times :) I would not hesitate to work with Jessica on financing at any time in the future. I will certainly be telling my friends about the great service I received from Jessica at Salmon Bay Community Lending. read more

Ruby and her team at Salmon Bay Community Lending were wonderful in our recent home purchase. We had called in because we were thinking we would be buying a house a few months down the road. We just wanted to get a sense of what we might qualify for, whether it would be better to pay off some things first or hang on to the cash, and so on. They really listened to the various scenarios we were considering, and pointed out a few options we hadn't though of. A few days later we called up to say "hope you meant it when you said we could do xyz, because we just made an offer on a house!" They took the sudden switch from hypothetical questions to "we need loan approval yesterday" without blinking, and carried us through the home loan process with apparent ease. Both our real estate agent and the person from escrow commented upon how smoothly and efficiently Ruby's team got everything done. Throughout the process we were kept in the loop of what was going on and what to expect. They explained everything with clarity and humor (a miracle considering that most home loan paperwork is neither clear nor humorous....) and called to celebrate the moment the loan actually funded. In short, they are fabulous, fun, and intelligent people who are great at what they do! read more

I didn't know mortgage brokers came in such a great package. My experience with Salmon Bay felt totally personalized. Ruby is very clear about the math, the pre-approval process, and establishing expectations. She asks important questions and cares about your individual goals. The whole Salmon Bay team was very supportive and responsive. I trusted the process the entire way. Seattle has a lot of great local businesses this is one of them! read more

We refinanced with Salmon Bay several months ago. The experience was incredible! This was not our first home loan nor refi so we did have comparisons. We were kept informed every step of the way with a friendly phone call and update. Also, our person (Jeanne) floated our rate down with no charge. We spread the word about Salmon Bay to other friends and their experience has been as incredible as ours. This group is not a one hit wonder but a team of professional experts with your best interest in mind. Recommend without any reservation for your lending/refinancing needs! read more

Can't get better; this was my first home loan. Jeanne and Salmon Bay Community Lending was, by far, the best part of the entire experience. Not only was she the most competent, but was also the most caring contributor to my home-buying experience. I would strongly urge anyone in the market to at least give her a ring...you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you didn't! read more

If I could give a no star I would. I was referred here because of their experience with down payment assistance. I worked with Rebecca Ripley Kent. At first her responses where very quick and informative until I paid the fee to have my credit ran. After my credit was checked she said we needed to find a house first in order to find out how much we needed for a down payment, because location and price played a factor, BUT she never gave us a pre approval letter. So we would send her houses we liked but the restrictions were so strict or we didn't have enough for the down payment. Her responses took longer to get back to us after 2weeks and then sometimes she wouldn't reply at all or 3 days later. 120days later after they ran my credit, I got my tax return so we had enough for a down payment. Tried to call multiple times to start the pre approval and no call/email back. I tried to call the manager/owner to let her know what was going on and She was out to lunch. The receptionist said she would have her call me back. Never got a call, so we switched to BAY EQUITY LENDING and they got me pre approved in 24hrs and have MULTIPLE down payment assistant programs that they use and guess what- I never needed a down payment!!!! Don't waste your time or money here!!!! read more

We had a fantastic experience with Ruby, Jessica, Ellaina, and Adam at Salmon Bay. They provided friendly, personal, professional service, and they also provide a great online file-sharing service that makes it easy to exchange paperwork online, minimizing the number of trips to their office and time spent waiting for mailed documents (not to say that their office isn't very nice, warm and comfortably decorated - it was all of those). For a working dad such as myself, it was invaluable to be able to coordinate most of the details of our refinance online. It was as painless a experience as negotiating a refinance while caring for a 2-year old can be! And we lowered our interest rate by 2 percent! I would highly, highly recommend Salmon Bay to anyone looking to refinance their mortgage. And, they are now set up to do business with credit unions, expanding the range of possible lenders. Check them out! read more

Working with Ruby and the Salmon Bay team was wonderful! They were very helpful and knowledgeable, both when I bought and when I refinanced. I also owe them a incredible shout out from when I bought my house three years ago. The market was still crazy for buyers, even back then, and they put together an offer on Black Friday after Thanksgiving. It was the first offer received and I think that helped immensely with getting my house. Thank you, thank you! read more

Salmon Bay fields a competent team. I worked with Cate Weisweaver and was extremely pleased. I have financed and refinanced more properties than I have fingers and toes. Cate stands head and shoulders above other mortgage brokers and loan officers I have dealt with - even in the current climate of needlessly difficult loan processes. Smart, thorough, imaginative, willing to listen and a tireless advocate with the lenders. Competent, competent, competent. read more

There is a reason all the reviews for this company are the best possible. I contacted Jeanne Neal at Salmon Bay Community Lending after reading most of them. It's a local company that is probably as good as any in the country and much, much better than most. Until I worked with Jeanne I thought mortgage brokers were about the same and because of previous experience I was very critical and suspicious. Not only were we treated fairly, our closing costs were just $46 with a 4% interest rate. Jeanne was able to change a lock order at the last minute that saved us thousands. She was also extremely patient and understanding. As if that wasn't enough, she referred us to a very good real estate agent (Kris Murphy) who was of comparable quality. Even though good value Seattle houses are scarce and loans hard to get, we were more than successful and now realize that you don't have to die to be in a better place. read more

My partner and I are first time home buyers and were very nervous going into it. The first loan officer we reached out to wasn't very helpful, so that discouraged us from pursuing any further. However, after a few months, we've decided to give it another try and I am SO glad we found Ruby through good recommendations and reviews on yelp! Right off the bat, she was kind and knowledgeable. We had no idea we were qualified for a conventional loan if it wasn't for Ruby due to misguidance from our former agent. She was so helpful and sincere when explaining the different types of loans with us. Ruby even took extra time to create multiple spread sheets so that we can visually see and compare our options. She was always there when we needed her, ESPECIALLY for last minute pre-approval letters! All I can say is, home-buying is only as easy as the people you choose to work with. Ruby and her team have made it extremely easy. I love how reliable Ruby is, as well as her honest feedbacks with everything. Because of Ruby and her awesome team, my partner and I are officially homeowners after just a month, and even closed early! I STRONGLY recommend Ruby to everyone!!! Thanks again, Ruby!! read more