Guild Mortgage Review 2026

Guild Mortgage overview

Established in 1960, Guild Mortgage is an online and brick-and-mortar lender with more than 4,000 employees operating in more than 350 branches. It was the nation’s 12th-largest lender in 2024, according to federal data. The lender offers a range of mortgage products, the MyMortgage online portal and local in-house processing, underwriting and funding. In late 2025, Guild was purchased by Bayview Asset Management, a global investment management firm. 

Pros and cons of Guild Mortgage

How Bankrate scored Guild Mortgage

Affordability: 3.4 stars

Guild Mortgage doesn’t disclose mortgage rates unless you get in touch with a loan officer or request a preapproval, although the lender does offer ways to make the upfront costs more affordable, including a 1% down program. We score it 3.4 out of 5 stars for affordability since rates aren’t readily available for comparison.

• Down payment: Guild Mortgage has a 1% down payment program and Zero Down, which pairs an FHA mortgage with a second mortgage. Notably, the lender participates in 800+ down payment assistance programs.
• Closing costs: You’ll need to contact a loan officer to learn about your specific closing costs.

Availability: 5 stars

Guild Mortgage scores 5 out of 5 stars for availability for its near-nationwide presence and robust slate of loan options.

• Where to find: You can apply for a mortgage with Guild Mortgage online, by phone or in person at a branch location.

Borrower experience: 3.6 stars

Guild’s fast approvals, convenience and high J.D. Power scores were offset a bit by less stellar rate transparency, yielding a score of 3.6/5.

• Preapproval and application process: While Guild Mortgage offers online prequalification and preapproval, you’ll first need to connect with a loan officer to review your options. You can apply for a mortgage or refinance through the lender’s MyMortgage portal, where you can upload documents and manage checklists from any device. You can also submit income and asset information electronically (or this information can be retrieved directly from the source), communicate with a loan officer and receive real-time status updates. The lender also offers e-closing capabilities, with a 17-day closing guarantee — one of the fastest turnaround times in the industry.  
• Customer service: You can reach Guild’s customer service team at 800-971-3864 Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST. 

Guild Mortgage reputation

Guild Mortgage is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating, but a customer star rating of two out of five (at the time of this review). J.D. Power, however, ranked the lender second in customer satisfaction among major U.S. mortgage servicers in 2025. 

What Bankrate users say about Guild Mortgage

Guild Mortgage borrowers who shared their experiences with Bankrate were generally upbeat: “Extremely responsive, professional,” one borrower says. Another adds: “The people at Guild Mortgage were very kind and I enjoy working with them.”

Guild Home Mortgage in the news

In September 2025, Guild Mortgage announced a partnership with Homium, which offers shared appreciation mortgage (SAM) financing for first-time home buyers. SAM financing provides borrowers with up to 40 percent of a home's purchase price in down payment assistance, without adding to the monthly payments or requiring mortgage insurance. Borrowers repay the percentage of equity appreciation they received when they sell or refinance. This provides a more affordable way for buyers who need assistance in making a down payment. The program launches this year in Detroit. 

• Methodology

  To determine a mortgage lender’s Bankrate Score, Bankrate rates lenders on a scale of one (1) to five (5) stars — with five (5) the highest rating — based on a variety of factors relating to the lender’s products and services. To assign our ratings, we assessed each mortgage lender across three core areas:

  • Affordability: Annual percentage rate (APR) - 80%; assistance for first-time homebuyers - 10%; down payment - 10%
  • Availability: Loan products - 50%; licensing - 40%; credit score - 10%
  • Borrower experience: Rate transparency - 35%; customer service - 35%; convenience - 20%; rate locks - 10%; reputation (if applicable)

  Learn more about our methodology.