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MortgagePoint » Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 36 S P E C I A L S E C T I O N Mortgage Lending R E C O G N I Z I N G T H E B E S T I N M O R T G A G E L E N D I N G Excellence Awards Freedom Mortgage freedommortgage.com F reedom Mortgage is one of the largest full-service independent mortgage companies in the U.S. and a top Department of Veter- ans Affairs (VA) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lender. The company's lending practice is focused on fostering homeownership and providing the best customer experi- ence. As an expert lender, Freedom Mortgage's loan officers help diverse borrowers find the best loan option to fit their needs whether it's for a home purchase, rate and term refinance, or cash-out refinance to consolidate debt or generate cash for personal use. Since its founding in 1990, Freedom Mort- gage has been focused on providing its customers with the best experience as they obtain their mortgages to become homeowners. To further enhance its customers' experience, Freedom Mort- gage offers an online portal and mobile app, enabling customers to easily access their account and self-serve or quickly contact an agent for assistance. Last year, Freedom Mortgage was proud to have serviced the mortgages of 2.5 million homeowners, representing over $625 billion in loans. In 2024, Freedom Mortgage also provided 316,000 bor- rowers with financing for their homes and helped more than 50,000 custom- ers who were struggling to make their mortgage payments by offering loss mitigation solutions. Earlier this year, Freedom Mortgage was honored with Fannie Mae's Servicer Total Achieve- ment and Rewards™ (STAR™) Perform- er Award for the ninth straight year. Freedom Mortgage was recognized for excellence in General Servicing and Solution Delivery in 2024 for demon- strating operational effectiveness and measurable results to improve the housing industry. In addition to provid- ing home financing, through Freedom Mortgage's employee engagement and philanthropic program "Freedom- Cares," the company strives to better the communities in which it operates. Freedom Mortgage's philanthropic efforts focus on supporting veterans and addressing food insecurity. These efforts ref lect a broader commitment to community well-being beyond its core lending operations. Guild Mortgage Company guildmortgage.com G uild Mortgage Company is a nationally recognized indepen- dent mortgage lender founded in 1960, providing residential mortgage products and local in-house origination and servicing. With headquarters in San Diego, Guild has steadily grown through word-of-mouth referrals, strong partnerships, and notably since 2007, strategic acquisitions, which made the company the largest nonbank retail lender in the country. Today, Guild continues to employ a relation- ship-based loan sourcing strategy to de- liver the promise of home in neighbor- hoods and communities across 49 states and the District of Columbia. Guild's loan professionals have a deep con- nection to the communities they serve, offering a wide array of local down payment assistance programs and other specialized loan programs in addition to serving as a direct lender for Con- ventional and Government products. Aspiring homebuyers receive not just a loan, but a pathway to homeownership that results in long-term wealth-build- ing stability. Guild's support lasts long after closing; managing a $93 billion servicing portfolio, the company's ser- vicing department ensures continued rapport throughout the life of the loan. With a mobile app, secure borrow por- tal, real-time loan status updates, and the ability to connect with the company at their convenience, customers enjoy the ease and efficiency of the latest mortgage technology with the personal touch of a local branch. Guild's 96% customer satisfaction rating, as well as a "#1 Most 5-star reviews" recognition on Zillow are testaments to Guild's customer-focused approach. LoanDepot loandepot.com l oanDepot has emerged as one of the nation's leading nonbank mortgage lenders since its founding in 2010 by industry innovator and Executive Chairman Anthony Hsieh, helping millions of customers achieve their dreams of homeownership. loanDe- pot's customer-centric approach and operations span all 50 states, having funded over $275 billion in loans. In its first decade, loanDepot grew to become the nation's fifth largest retail mortgage lender and the second largest nonbank retail originator. Its nationwide team of 6,000-plus members assists more than 27,000 customers each month. Central to loanDepot's success is its proprietary mello® technology platform, which streamlines the mortgage process by se- curely collecting income, employment, and asset information, facilitating a faster and more straightforward experi- ence for borrowers. loanDepot offers a diverse range of loan products to cater to various borrower needs, including fixed-rate mortgages and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). loanDepot's origination volume for Q4 2024 was $7.2 billion, an increase of $1.8 billion, or 34% from Q4 2023.