For most people buying a new home, there’s a mortgage involved in the equation. Real estate agents like Anne Gain, Erica Mantei, Rachael Ogle, Dayna Kozminski and Danielle Yeager may have a key new ally in the future on the mortgage front thanks to a new strategic partnership between their firm, @properties Real Estate, and Chicago-based Guaranteed Rate, Inc.
Guaranteed Rate, one of the largest independent retail mortgage companies in the United States, and @properties, one of the nation’s largest residential brokerage firms with local offices in St. Joseph and New Buffalo, have announced that they have formed a new joint venture, Proper Rate, LLC.
The new company, which plans to launch early in 2020, aims to deliver a high-end, customer-focused retail mortgage lending experience. The combined strength of leadership and technology from two of the industry’s top companies will drive growth in select markets around the country.
Victor Ciardelli is founder and CEO at Guaranteed Rate. He says, “This is a unique opportunity for us to accelerate growth by working together with one of our most trusted and best-in-class business partners,” and adds, “Thad [Wong] and Mike [Golden] have built an incredible business over the last two decades and we are thrilled to form this joint venture with them. @properties has a proven track record of creative innovation, seamless operations and strong brand loyalty. We are very much looking forward to introducing Proper Rate to homebuyers in select markets across the U.S.”
While the firm will launch with operations in the Chicago market, they will apply for licensing in a number of states including Michigan and Indiana, which would pave the way for the St. Joseph and New Buffalo offices to have that direct link assistance to home buyers once licensed to do so.
Thad Wong, co-founder and C0-CEO for @properties, says, “We have a vision for an independent mortgage company built around relationships between borrowers, real estate agents, loan originators and other key stakeholders in the real estate transaction. In Victor and Guaranteed Rate, we found a partner that is eager to help us realize this vision while leveraging industry-leading technology, systems and support.”
Wong’s colleague, @properties Co-founder and Co-CEO Mike Golden says Proper Rate will provide an opportunity to create more efficient transactions for borrowers, noting, “Proper Rate will allow us to more seamlessly integrate the entire real estate transaction, from brokerage to mortgage financing to title and closing services, resulting in a better experience for the consumer and increased value for the real estate agent and loan originator managing the transaction.”
Proper Rate’s loan origination platform will feature a complete digital mortgage, an easy-to-understand, transparent loan process with competitive pricing and unmatched expertise from top-producing loan officers. For more information, you can visit online at properrate.com.
Guaranteed Rate Companies, which includes Guaranteed Rate Inc., and Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, has over 5,000 employees in a total of 700 offices across the U.S.—funding nearly $24 billion in 2018 alone. Headquartered in Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Inc. is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the United States.
Established in 2000, @properties is the largest residential brokerage firm in the Chicago metro area and one of the largest residential brokerage firms in the United States. @properties has developed a proprietary suite of integrated technology applications called pl@tform, which includes marketing, transaction-management and client-relationship management systems. @properties has 2,800 agents and 30 offices in Chicago, surrounding suburbs, Southwest Michigan, Northwest Indiana, and Southeast Wisconsin. For more information, you can visit online at www.atproperties.com.
