Guild Mortgage Refinance Review

With over 4,000 employees and 300 branches serving 49 states, Guild Mortgage originated around $19 billion worth of mortgage loans in 2022. While this doesn't make it one of the largest players in the market, Guild Mortgage offers over 60 years of experience and a decent lineup of mortgage refinance products.

In this detailed review of Guild Mortgage’s refinance program, we'll take a look at the company's various refinancing products, customer satisfaction ratings, fees and costs, accessibility, loan process and more.

Continue reading to learn more about Guild Mortgage and whether it might be the right lender to fit your mortgage refinancing needs.

Best mortgage refinancing with eClosing

Guild Mortgage has committed to using digital technology to make its mortgage process smoother and more accessible for customers. In particular, the company now offers eClosing on many of its loan refinance options. While many other lenders require face-to-face meetings when signing loan documents, Guild Mortgage allows customers to sign nearly all documents online. This hybrid eClosing process only requires a small number of documents to be signed in person, which helps reduce the time needed for the closing appointment.

Not only is this closing process much easier and more convenient for customers, but it also gives them additional time to review their loan paperwork. Digital loan documents are available to view as soon as they are released by Guild Mortgage and are secured by a strategic partnership with DocuSign. DocuSign helps ensure that sensitive customer data is always encrypted and only authorized parties can access the files after using two-factor authentication for identity verification.

With a nearly paperfree option, increased accessibility (DocuSign can be accessed from anywhere) and a streamlined loan closing process, Guild Mortgage's hybrid eClosing option makes the lender all the more attractive to refinance customers who are looking for a hassle-free experience.

Guild Mortgage refinance pros and cons

Pros explained

Offers convenient eClosing process

Guild Mortgage's eClosing option provides a convenient and efficient way to close on your refinance loan. Customers can view their documents online as soon as they’re released and sign almost all of them remotely. This helps reduce the final in-person closing meeting to mere minutes, as only a few documents will be left to sign. It also affords customers additional time to review their loan documents, ensuring they understand all the terms before signing.

Branches in 45 states

Guild Mortgage maintains a branch network in 45 of the 49 states where it offers in the United States, allowing customers to access its services regardless of where they live. Its extensive presence means agents can provide personalized assistance to customers throughout the loan process.

High customer satisfaction ratings

In the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study, Guild Mortgage ranked fifth out of 23 leading U.S. lenders. Its score of 731 out of 1000 (only 19 points below the leader) indicates that Guild Mortgage customers are largely satisfied with their mortgage experience.

Cons explained

Doesn't provide loans in New York

Guild Mortgage doesn't offer home loans or refinancing in the state of New York. As a result, customers there will need to seek another lender for their mortgage needs.

No rates listed on its website

Unlike many of its competitors, Guild Mortgage doesn't display any current mortgage rate information on its website. This can make it difficult for prospective borrowers to compare their refinance options before applying.

Limited information about loan fees

Guild Mortgage doesn’t provide much information about its loan fees on its website. Customers have to contact a customer service representative or work through the application process for detailed information about the fees associated with their loan. This presents a potential hurdle for customers who prefer having all the pricing details upfront.

Guild Mortgage refinance offerings

Guild Mortgage provides home loans and refinancing in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The company offers refinancing for numerous mortgage options, including conventional fixed rate loans, conventional adjustable rate loans, VA loans and first-time homebuyers who have a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan. In fact, the company offers so many different loan options, it doesn't organize its refinancing offerings by loan type but rather categorizes them into two main refinancing options: rate-and-term refinancing and cash-out refinancing.

Whichever option you choose, Guild Mortgage will examine your credit history, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, asset reserves and other financial factors to determine if you qualify for refinancing. The financial institution will also likely conduct an appraisal of your home to determine its current market value and how much equity you have in your home. Read our mortgage refinance steps checklist for more information on the refinancing process and requirements.

It's important to note that while refinancing can offer several potential benefits, it also comes with some costs and risks. These include appraisal costs; loan closing costs, which can add up to thousands of dollars; various other fees; and the risk of resetting your loan amortization schedule so you end up paying more interest in the long run. Typically, borrowers will pursue a refinance if the savings from the lower interest rate or reduced monthly payment outweigh these costs and risks.

The following section examines Guild Mortgage's two main refinancing options.

Rate-and-term refinance

A rate-and-term refinance involves taking out a new loan with either an improved interest rate, adjusted term or both. The adjusted term includes the loan's length, usually from 10 to 30 years, and any other changes, such as switching from a fixed rate to an adjustable rate loan or an altered monthly payment. The new loan replaces your existing loan by paying it off in full. You then begin making payments on the new loan.

There are numerous reasons why homeowners might choose to pursue rate-and-term refinancing:

• To secure a lower interest rate on their mortgage.

• To reduce the monthly payments by extending the term of their mortgage.

• To switch from an adjustable rate loan to a fixed rate loan.

• To switch to a shorter-term loan to pay off the mortgage faster.

• To eliminate the need for private mortgage insurance after the value of the home has increased.

Cash-out refinance

A cash-out refinance involves taking out a new loan that is larger than your existing mortgage. This new loan replaces your old loan and allows you to generally pocket up to 80% of the difference between what you owe on your original mortgage and the home's current appraised value.

The new loan will come with new terms and may have a new interest rate. Cash-out refinances are typically used to access equity in your home for home improvements, debt consolidation, college tuition, medical expenses or other large expenses.

Guild Mortgage refinance pricing

Unfortunately, Guild Mortgage doesn't share any sample interest rates on its website, making it difficult to compare rates with other lenders. Additionally, there’s little information about fees and closing costs besides the company stating that they typically cost between 2% and 5% of the loan amount. While this range is within the industry standard, the general lack of pricing information makes it difficult to truly compare Guild Mortgage to other lenders.

Guild Mortgage's financial stability

None of the three major business credit rating agencies (Moody's, S&P or Fitch) give Guild Mortgage a rating. This makes it difficult to assess the financial stability of the company accurately. However, Guild Mortgage has been in business since 1960 and provided $19.1 billion of mortgage loans in 2022.

Additionally, the company posted improved profits in 2022, with a net income that increased by 16% from the previous year. Guild Mortgage is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Its market cap is $731.77 million and according to its 2022 annual report, the lender generated $1.2 billion in net revenue. While this isn't definitive proof of the company's financial stability, it is a positive sign.

Guild Mortgage refinance accessibility

Availability

Guild Mortgage offers mortgage loans and refinancing in 49 states and the District of Columbia. It doesn't offer services in the state of New York. The company also operates branches in 45 states across the United States.

Contact information

Customers can reach Guild Mortgage by visiting one of its branches or by email, phone or mail. The following is the company's phone and email information for its different departments.

• Existing Home Loans: Via email at loancounseling@guildmortgage.net or via phone at 1-800-365-4441, Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

• New Home Loans and Refinancing: Via email at explmail@guildmortgage.com or via phone at 1-800-283-8823, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST.

The company's mailing address is:

Guild Mortgage Company
c/o Quality Assurance Department – Borrower Escalations
5887 Copley Dr.
San Diego, CA 92111

User experience

Guild Mortgage’s website offers a variety of tools and resources to help customers get the most out of their refinancing experience. Customers can use the website's 10 mortgage calculators — including a refinance calculator, closing cost calculator and mortgage affordability calculator — to estimate their monthly payments and savings from refinancing.

Through its website, users can also access the company's various guides to help them better understand the refinancing process and reference several FAQ pages to get a stronger grasp on eligibility requirements and underwriter approval methods. Guild Mortgage also provides a secure online portal for its customers to manage their accounts, track their loan information, access customer loan officers and make monthly mortgage payments.

Guild Mortgage refinance customer satisfaction

Guild Mortgage is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and receives an A+ rating from the organization. The company currently has a 1.34 out of 5-star customer rating on its BBB page. While this may seem like a relatively low rating, there are only 35 customer reviews in total, which alone isn’t enough to make a comprehensive assessment.

A better measure of Guild Mortgage's customer satisfaction is its ranking in J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study. The company ranked fifth out of 23 leading U.S. lenders, scoring 731 out of 1000 (only 19 points below the leader). This demonstrates that many customers are pleased with the company's ability to provide competitive mortgage products and efficient customer service.

How we evaluated Guild Mortgage refinance

Whether you're trying to determine if now is a good time to refinance or are already looking for the best mortgage refinance companies, a thorough examination of any potential lender is essential. To evaluate Guild Mortgage's refinance services, we looked at several factors ranging from customer reviews and fees to loan terms and product offerings. The following are the most important criteria we evaluated:

• Customer satisfaction: We examined customer reviews of the company to assess how satisfied people were with their experiences.

• Fees: We looked for any information about fees or other charges associated with a refinance through Guild Mortgage.

• Product offerings: We checked Guild Mortgage’s product offerings regarding loan types and term lengths in comparison to the offerings of similar companies.

• Accessibility: We scrutinized how many states the company services and how easy it was to apply for loan refinancing.

• User experience: We analyzed the company's website and user experience to determine how helpful and easy it was to navigate.

Summary of Money's Guild Mortgage’s refinance review

While it's hard to accurately compare Guild Mortgage to other lenders because its website doesn’t list interest rates or fees, the lender does seem to offer a strong selection of refinancing loan products and terms. When considering its high customer satisfaction ratings and convenient eClosing option, we believe Guild Mortgage is worth your consideration if you're willing to work through the loan refinance application process to learn what terms and rates you qualify for.