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Guild Mortgage Review 2026
Last updated on June 9, 2026
Written by
Lead Writer & Content StrategistCo-written by
Contributing EditorWritten by
Lead Writer & Content StrategistCo-written by
Contributing EditorMany or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Why trust NerdWallet
Why trust NerdWallet
- 50+ mortgage lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 40+ years of combined experience covering mortgages and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 120+ categories and 5,000+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Our Take
4.0
Home loans overall
NerdWallet rating
The Nerdy headline:
Guild Mortgage offers a wide range of products that may attract nontraditional borrowers, including loans with 0% or 1% down. However, interest rates aren’t published online, making it harder to shop around. Most likely to appeal to first-time home buyers and FHA borrowers, since FHA loans accounted for almost a quarter of Guild’s originations last year.
Jump to:Full Review
Guild Mortgage: NMLS#3274
Min. credit score
600
Min. down payment
3%
Loan types and products
Purchase, Refinance, Reverse, Jumbo, Fixed, Adjustable, FHA, VA, USDA, Home Equity
Pros
- Offers a wide range of loans, including harder-to-find products that appeal to nontraditional borrowers.
- Borrowers can get a mortgage with 0% or 1% down.
- Borrowers can apply via mobile app.
Cons
- Mortgage rates aren’t posted online.
- Average rates and fees are higher than some lenders’.
- Licensed in most states, but not all.
Lender | Min. credit score | Min. down payment | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Visit Lenderat NBKC at NBKC | 620 | 3% | Visit Lenderat NBKC at NBKC |
 Visit Lenderat New American Funding at New American Funding | N/A | N/A | Visit Lenderat New American Funding at New American Funding |
 Visit Lenderat Rocket Mortgage, LLC at Rocket Mortgage, LLC | 580 | 3.5% | Visit Lenderat Rocket Mortgage, LLC at Rocket Mortgage, LLC |
 4.0 Visit Lenderat GO Mortgage at GO Mortgage | 620 | 3% | Visit Lenderat GO Mortgage at GO Mortgage |
 Visit Lenderat Veterans United at Veterans United | 620 | 0% | Visit Lenderat Veterans United at Veterans United |
Full Review
At a glance: Guild Mortgage loan options
Guild Mortgage is a nonbank lender based in San Diego, CA. Loans are available nationwide, with the exception of New York.
Guild Mortgage offers a number of harder-to-find products, including proprietary loans aimed at making home buying more accessible. While a Guild Mortgage loan officer can help you apply for a HELOC or home equity loan, these are brokered products — meaning that they’re created, funded and managed by another lender.
🏠 Common mortgages
- Conventional loans (fixed-rate and adjustable)
- Refinancing (cash-out and rate-and-term, energy efficient mortgages)
- FHA loans (purchase and refinancing)
- VA loans (purchase and refinancing)
- Jumbo loans
- Renovation loans
🔑 Specialty loans
- USDA loans
- Interest-only loans
- Nonwarrantable condo loans
- Loans for second homes
- Loans for self-employed borrowers
- Reverse mortgages
- Doctor loans
- ITIN loans
- Construction-to-permanent loans
- Mortgages for manufactured homes
- Bridge loans
- Energy-efficient mortgages
- Same-as-cash mortgages
- Zero down payment mortgage
- Loans for Native American borrowers
Guild Mortgage special offers and discounts
Guild also offers a few perks that could be attractive to borrowers. These things stood out in our research.
- 1% Down: Borrowers put down 1% while Guild buys down the remaining 2% required for minimum conventional loan down payments (up to $5,000).
- MyPath2Own: This program helps first-time home buyers become mortgage-ready by offering financial and homebuying education and assistance up to $4,000, which can be used toward the down payment or closing costs.
- BuyNow Advantage: Same-as-cash backing that can be added to any conventional loan program, helping make the buyer’s offer more competitive.
- Complete Rate: Alternative creditworthiness reporting, including rental payment history, which gives borrowers with no traditional credit score a chance at receiving a better interest rate.
- Temporary buydowns, which reduce the borrower’s interest rate for one to three years.
- An interest rate lock feature for up to 120 days.
What does Guild Mortgage specialize in?
A lender’s experience with your loan type can make a big difference. We looked at recent federal data to find the types of mortgages Guild Mortgage handles most often.
Nearly 60% of Guild’s originations in 2024 were conventional loans, followed by FHA loans and VA loans.
How we score Guild Mortgage
Like to read the fine print? We do, too. Each year, NerdWallet writers and editors review the latest data and research on mortgage lenders, including federal data, and use a consistent method to score them based on what matters most to borrowers.
Guild Mortgage earned a 4-star home loans overall rating from NerdWallet. Here’s how that score breaks down across our five weighted subcategories.
Fair
Rates and fees (30%)
Rates and fees determine how much a loan will cost you overall. NerdWallet reviews the latest federal data to score each lender’s average APR spread — a measure that combines interest rates and fees. A higher score means lower typical costs compared to other lenders.
Average
Product accessibility (20%)
We evaluate how widely available a lender’s products are across the U.S. and how accessible they are to different financial profiles. A higher score means broader availability and more flexible requirements. A lower score means fewer options or stricter requirements.
Excellent
Customer experience (20%)
We evaluate customer experience by testing and reviewing features like the online application, mobile app, and availability of phone or chat support. A higher score means a smoother, more convenient experience and easier access to help. A lower score means more friction or fewer support options.
Average
Loan variety (15%)
We evaluate loan variety based on the range of home loan types a lender offers. A higher score means more options, while a lower score means a more limited selection.
Poor
Rate transparency (15%)
We review how clearly lenders share rate information on their websites, including sample rates and tools to estimate personalized rates. A higher score means it’s easy to find clear, comprehensive details and compare rates. A lower score means less information is available, often requiring you to contact the lender.
🤓
NerdWallet’s ratings are objective and well-researched (we have the spreadsheets to prove it). But choosing a mortgage lender isn’t just about a star rating or a score breakdown. It’s also about finding the right lender for your unique situation. So yes: you can learn a lot from how the mortgage Nerds scored Guild Mortgage. But you’re the expert when it comes to the features of your own best-match mortgage lender.Nerdy Tip
Guild Mortgage reputation and customer experience
NerdWallet’s star ratings look at objective factors like rates, fees and loan options. To give you a sense of what the borrower experience is really like, we pulled the latest customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and Zillow and we contacted the lender’s customer support.
2025 J.D. Power U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study
775
out of 1,000
Above-average satisfaction score: average = 760.
Mortgage origination covers the application through closing.
2025 J.D. Power U.S. Mortgage Servicing Satisfaction Study
677
out of 1,000
Above-average satisfaction score: average = 596.
A mortgage servicer handles loan payments.
Zillow Mortgage Lender Customer Rating
4.97
out of 5
Excellent rating as of date of publication.
Rating reflects more than 42,500 reviews.
Guild Mortgage customer service options
Here’s how you can get in touch with Guild Mortgage.
Ways to reach Guild
Physical branches . . . . . . ✅
Phone support . . . . . . . . . ✅
Mobile app . . . . . . . . . . . . ✅
Online chat (bot) . . . . . . . 🚫
Online chat (human) . . . . 🚫
» MORE: How to apply for a mortgage
🤓 Our Nerds say... Guild has a not-so-stellar app
Taylor Getler, lead writer, mortgages
Guild Mortgage’s mobile app seems to have its share of problems based on recent reviews in Google Play and the App Store. Customers report that while borrowers can apply for a new loan in the app, they can’t make payments or manage their loan. Other users noted having issues logging into the app or the app not working altogether on their device. Borrowers who prefer an in-person customer service experience can find their closest Guild Mortgage branch on the lender’s website.
Alternatives to Guild Mortgage
Our biggest tip: Get offers from at least three different mortgage lenders. Comparison shopping can save you thousands of dollars. You can get rate quotes yourself, or work with a mortgage broker to shop around on your behalf.
First-time home buyers may want to check out Rocket Mortgage, which won NerdWallet’s 2026 best-of award in that category. Borrowers looking for a lender with experience in FHA loans could be a good match for Carrington.
Non-traditional borrowers who like Guild’s range of alternative mortgages may want to check out CrossCountry Mortgage, which offers many of the same harder-to-find products.
More from NerdWallet
Methodology
NerdWallet rates mortgage lenders based on what matters most to borrowers: rates and fees, product accessibility, customer experience, rate transparency and the range of loan options.
We review more than 40 lenders and score them using a weighted system that prioritizes affordability and a smooth borrowing experience. Lenders earn higher scores for offering lower borrowing costs, making loans widely available, clearly displaying rate information and supporting borrowers from application through closing.
We use a mix of lender-provided information, publicly available data and our own research and analysis to evaluate each lender. Recent regulatory actions may affect a lender’s score.