Guild Acquires Friendly Competitor Academy Mortgage

Guild Mortgage is acquiring its friendly competitor Academy Mortgage Corporation, gaining 200 branches and more than 600 licensed mortgage originators in the process. Utah-based Academy Mortgage will extend Guild’s market share across the nation, Guild said in a press release, thanks to the number of employees and size of the business to transition over. Both companies are licensed in 49 states and Washington, D.C. Academy’s branches will transition to Guild branding and operate as a division within Guild. Academy’s loan volume will bring in about a 25% increase in annual origination volume for Guild. Academy Mortgage Chief Executive Adam Kessler will join Guild’s senior leadership team. Guild CEO Terry Schmidt called the acquisition “two like-minded organizations joining forces to continue…

One-On-One: Guild Mortgage CMO Talks About Modern Marketing

The senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Guild Mortgage has a message for loan officers: You are your brand. Adam O’Daniel joined Guild Mortgage at the end of last year and has 15 years of experience in the mortgage and financial services industries. He has served in leadership roles at Open Mortgage and Movement Mortgage, where his high-performing marketing teams focused on brand storytelling, borrower education, social media, and innovation, according to a press release. Terry Schmidt, CEO of Guild Mortgage, said in a statement that they are growing and are ready to connect with clients in new and innovative ways. Headquartered in San Diego, the company has more than 4,000 employees and over 250 retail branches in…

Adam O’Daniel Joins Guild Mortgage As CMO

Adam O’Daniel joined Guild Mortgage as SVP and chief marketing officer, the lender announced in a press release. In this newly created position, O’Daniel will lead Guild’s marketing and communications with the goal of increasing its brand presence in the U.S. and encouraging growth. “Leading this team of marketers and creative professionals is an incredible honor. We’re going to expand Guild’s brand presence nationally, deliver best-in-class marketing tools, technology and support for our sales teams, and infuse a culture of creativity and collaboration across the brand,” he said. O’Daniel brings fifteen years of mortgage and financial services industry experience to the role. He previously served as SVP of Marketing at Open Mortgage and spent six years in leadership positions at…

Alternative For Credit Invisible Borrowers Finds Success

By KIMBERLEY HAAS A case study by FormFree highlights how one of the nation’s largest independent mortgage lenders is serving the credit invisible. Leaders at FormFree estimate that millions of adults in the United States are credit invisible or credit unscorable. That makes it difficult for these potential homeowners to qualify for a mortgage. Manual processes exist to underwrite mortgages for these borrowers but they are seldom used because people without a credit score often assume they cannot qualify for a home loan and industry professionals may be unaware of their options, according to the case study. To provide loans for qualified credit invisible customers, San Diego-based Guild Mortgage Company introduced a Complete Rate program in July of 2022 that…

Guild Acquires Illinois-based First Centennial Mortgage

Guild Mortgage has acquired Illinois-based First Centennial Mortgage, the company announced in a press release. Founded in 1995 by brothers Steven and David McCormick, First Centennial operates predominantly in the Midwest. It recently ranked 64 of 75 in Scotsman Guide’s Top Mortgage Lenders of 2023 list and has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine from 2017 to 2022. San Diego-based Guild Mortgage is a nationally recognized independent mortgage lender providing residential mortgage products and local in-house origination and servicing. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. “We continue to effectively execute our strategy to grow and gain market share through acquisitions where there exists a strong cultural match and the potential…

Guild Introduces 1% Down, 1% Lender Rate Program

Guild Mortgage has introduced a new 1% down, 1% one-year lender interest rate buy-down program. The program, 1% Down Payment Advantage, allows homebuyers to make the smallest possible down payment, with Guild covering the remaining 2% to bring the payment up to its 3% minimum requirement. Guild is offering a lender-paid temporary rate buydown as part of the program. Consumers can then refinance with Guild later with no lender fees. Leaders at Guild say they are committed to helping Americans tackle the three main components of owning a home: the cost to get in it, the cost to stay in it, and the ability to handle unexpected emergencies in the first five years. “No matter what is happening in the…

Guild Opens Eight New Branches In CA

Guild Mortgage continues its expansion efforts, announcing a new district in California made up of eight branches. The branches have 40 new Guild employees, led by district manager John Lowe, who will report to regional vice president Mike Ferreira. “Guild’s reputation and history of stability were a major draw for our group, giving us the confidence to make the move, become part of one of the best organizations in the industry, and continue to build on the success we’ve achieved together,” said Lowe. “Guild’s business model and ability to service the majority of its home loans means each member of our team can make a long-term commitment to help every customer beyond the closing of a loan, which is a…

Guild CEO Mary Ann McGarry Retiring

Guild Mortgage CEO Mary Ann McGarry is retiring this June after forty years in the industry, leaders at the lender announced in a press release. McGarry joined Guild in 1984 as a supervisor in internal audit. She was promoted to SVP of loan administration and information technology soon after and joined the board of directors in 1988. She then served as CFO, chief production operations officer, and COO, before becoming president in 2005. In 2007, she became CEO and led a management buyout of the company from its founder. “On behalf of the board of directors and the entire company, we are forever grateful for Mary Ann’s extraordinary contributions to Guild,” said Patrick Duffy, chairman of the board.  “We look…

Guild Acquires Cherry Creek Mortgage

Cherry Creek Mortgage has been acquired by Guild Mortgage, the company announced in a press release. Cherry Creek will become its own division of Guild. Jeff May, who co-founded Cherry Creek in 1987, will lead the new division. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. “We continue to look for potential new partners with strong local teams, a history of growth, and community commitments,” said Mary Ann McGarry, Guild CEO. “Guild has a longstanding admiration for Cherry Creek’s approach to business and its accomplishments, and we feel confident our two companies will be able to take advantage of our synergies in each market and do even more for our customers, together.” Cherry Creek is a Colorado-based privately held lender…

Guild Offers New Rate Buydown Program

Guild Mortgage is rolling out a new rate buydown program, the company announced in a press release. The program, Payment Advantage, applies to any borrower locking in a conventional mortgage. Guild will then pay 1% of the borrower’s interest rate for one year. The borrower’s monthly payment will increase after that period, but they may then be eligible to refinance. The program is available until March 31, 2023. “Freddie Mac reported that the average commitment interest rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage was 6.90% in October, more than double the rate of 2.96% across all of 2021,” said Guild CEO Mary Ann McGarry. “With the rising costs of loans in today’s increasingly competitive housing market, we want to continue…