Guild Mortgage Opens New Downtown Office to Better Serve Seattle Community
Lake Union Branch Expands Team, Adds Second Location to Accommodate Market Growth SEATTLE – Guild Mortgage, one of the largest independent mortgage lenders in the U.S., continues to grow in the state of Washington, opening its second downtown Seattle office to better serve homebuyers in the increasingly competitive King County real estate market. Led by branch manager and senior loan officer Julie Johnson (NMLS #302214) of Guild’s Lake Union branch, the new office is located at 1100 Dexter Ave N, Suite 200. Guild made a major commitment to the area in 2016 when Johnson’s team moved into a 5,000-square-foot office at 1000 Dexter Ave N, Suite 310 in the heart of Seattle’s technology center. Since then, the Lake Union branch has tripled in volume and more than doubled its staff, leading to the opening of the Lake Union branch’s second location. The new office will house additional loan officers and the loan processing team. Guild Mortgage has 35 branches and satellite offices in Washington. The company continues to expand its presence in the Northwest region, and currently ranks No. 3 in purchase financing in the state. The Northwest region has been one of Guild’s fastest-growing the past five years. Guild’s growth has come despite inventory challenges in King County. A recent National Housing Report from RE/MAX found that Seattle had the second-fewest homes for sale, relative to demand, of any metro area in the U.S. Only San Francisco had fewer. “Our growth is testament to the hard work and dedication of our team to meet the varying needs of homebuyers in King County,” Johnson said. “With home values continuing to increase and median prices reaching record levels throughout the county, buyers need more financing options and access to experienced loan officers who can offer the right mortgage solution for their individual needs. The new office will allow us to add resources to help more people in the community achieve their dream of homeownership.” Johnson recently welcomed loan officers Chris Dutton (NMLS #1184568) and Ryan Lopez (NMLS #1525807) to the branch. They join loan officers Ryan Bundy (NMLS #269937), David Gibson (NMLS #1660291), Paul Johnson (NMLS #1012068) and Stephanie Maulding (NMLS #183546). Julie Johnson, who has more than 20 years of diverse lending experience, is one of the top mortgage originators in the country. She was recently named one of Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators for 2017, as well as one of Mortgage Executive Magazine’s Top 200 Mortgage Originators in America 2017. Guild Mortgage is headquartered in San Diego, Calif. and has more than 4,000 employees with 344 branch and satellite offices in 29 states. Guild is consistently recognized for its impact in the communities it serves, commitment to customer service and workplace culture. Guild recently earned the J.D. Power award for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Primary Mortgage Sales in the U.S.”, based on results from its 2017 Primary Mortgage Origination Satisfaction StudySM. The study measures customer satisfaction with the mortgage origination experience in six factors, including application/approval process, interaction, loan closing, loan offerings, onboarding and problem resolution. A top-10 national lender by purchase loan volume, Guild offers first-time homebuyers a wide range of loan options and personalized service. Its loan professionals can serve the needs of any homebuyer, from helping first-time homebuyers achieve homeownership, often through government loan programs, to homebuyers looking to upgrade with a jumbo loan. Guild also specializes in helping active duty and retired military personnel to secure VA loans, with 100 percent financing and flexible qualifying standards.