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GO Mortgage Review: A Highly Rated Columbus-Based Mortgage Lender

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Today we’ll check out tech-minded lender “GO Mortgage,” which is a dba of GSF Mortgage Corporation.

While GO is only a few short years old, its parent company GSF has been around since 1995. And its founders have been in the mortgage biz since the 1970s.

So clearly there’s a strong pedigree here, and the combination of the latest technology coupled with old-fashioned customer service could be a win for consumers.

Let’s learn more about GO Mortgage to determine if it could be a go-to spot for your home loan needs.

GO Mortgage Fast Facts

  • Independent direct-to-consumer mortgage lender
  • A dba of parent company GSF Mortgage Corp.
  • Founded in 2018, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio
  • Offers home purchase loans, refinances, and construction loans
  • Currently licensed in 36 states nationwide
  • Physical branch locations in about a dozen states
  • Funded roughly $525 million in home loans last year
  • Acquired Pacific Residential Mortgage (PacRes) in May 2024

GO Mortgage is an independent, direct-to-consumer mortgage lender that offers home purchase financing, refinances, and construction loans.

The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the state where they do the bulk of their business.

In fact, about 28% of total loan volume came from the Buckeye State, though they’re also quite active in Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Overall, they managed to fund about $525 illion in home loans last year, with about 90% of that coming from home purchases as high mortgage rates have stifled refinance activity lately.

They acquired Pacific Residential Mortgage (PacRes Mortgage) in May 2024, which should add another half-billion or so in annual loan volume to their tally.

That means they should be a billion-dollar mortgage company again once rates come down and lending activity picks up.

Currently, they work remotely with customers in 36 states nationwide as they don’t appear to have physical branches.

They aren’t available in Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming.

How to Apply with GO Mortgage

  • Their ‘On the GO’ digital app is powered by fintech company SimpleNexus
  • Allows customers to apply for a mortgage from any device in just minutes
  • Ability to link financial accounts, securely scan/upload docs, and eSign disclosures
  • Use the borrower portal to check your progress and receive status updates along the way

To get started, simply navigate to the GO Mortgage website and hit “Get Rates.” Or simply call them up directly to get connected with a loan officer.

If you already know who you’ll be working with, you can search by name once you click “Find an Advisor.”

Those who are ready to go can click “Apply Now” and begin filling out the digital application powered by SimpleNexus.

There’s also a smartphone app called “On the GO” if you prefer to manage your mortgage experience from your mobile device.

Once in the app, it’s possible to link financial accounts, securely scan and upload docs from your phone, and message your loan officer instantly when you have questions.

You’ll also get updates as you go and there’s an online borrower portal where you can check your loan status.

If you’re looking to get pre-approved for a mortgage, they say you can do so in about 24 hours.

They appear to employ the latest tech, but also have dedicated loan officers and processors standing by to help when needed.

Loan Programs Available at GO Mortgage

  • Home purchase loans
  • Home renovation loans
  • Refinance loans: rate and term, cash out, and streamline
  • Conventional mortgages
  • Jumbo loans
  • FHA/VA/USDA loans
  • Single-close construction loans

Go Mortgage has a fairly extensive product menu, offering anything from a home purchase loan to a mortgage refinance to a renovation or construction loan.

You can also get your hands on any major type of loan, whether it’s a conventional loan backed by Fannie Mae, a jumbo loan, or a USDA loan.

They seem to specialize in single-close construction loans, with options for all major loan types including Fannie Mae, FHA, VA, and USDA.

So if you’re in need of construction-to-perm financing, perhaps because you’re building your own dream home, they might be a good fit.

Both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages are available in a variety of loan terms, including options like the 15-year fixed, 7/1 ARM, and 5/1 ARM.

Go Buy, Sell Later Bridge Loan

The company also recently rolled out their “Go Buy, Sell Later” bridge loan that allows you to buy a replacement home before selling your existing home.

This can come in handy with inventory scarce and the market a bit slower than it used to be.

You can also avoid the stress of simultaneous loan closings and make a move when that perfect property pops up.

Then move out, stage and show your old home on your own terms without having to buy the new home contingent on the sale.

Once you sell your existing home, those funds will be used to pay off the bridge financing.

While that all sounds nice, there is a fairly steep fee to use the program, 2.4% of your home’s sale price, so something to keep in mind before moving forward.

GO Mortgage Rates and Lender Fees

While GO Mortgage says many of its customers choose them for their low rates, they don’t feature on their homepage or elsewhere on their website.

As such, you’ll either need to fill out their mortgage rate quote form online, or simply call them up to get connected with a licensed loan officer.

I was able to find at least one loan advisor that listed sample daily mortgage rates on his personal webpage, but most did not.

From what I did see, the mortgage rates were definitely competitive, but it will depend on the specific loan scenario.

In terms of lender fees, I couldn’t find any information regarding a possible loan origination fee, processing, underwriting, etc.

So be sure to take the time to speak with someone first to get all those details, then shop around accordingly.

My assumption is they’re competitively priced with other nonbank, direct lenders, which might put them ahead of big banks, but perhaps not the absolute lowest out there.

But again, you’ll need to get in touch with a human to find out.

GO Mortgage Reviews

One thing Go Mortgage isn’t short on is excellent reviews.

On Experience.com, they’ve got a 4.79-star rating out of 5 from more than 7,000 customer reviews.

Be sure to check out individual loan officer reviews as well if you want to fine-tune your search and work with someone truly exceptional.

Over at Zillow, GO Mortgage has a stellar 4.90-star rating out of 5 from about 1,400 customer reviews.

They also have an equally strong 4.8-star rating on Bankrate and 94% recommend score, and a perfect 5-star rating on Google from about 500 reviews.

Lastly, the company is an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau, and currently holds an ‘A+’ rating with the BBB based on complaint history.

To sum things up, GO Mortgage appears to be a popular choice for both home buyers and those looking to refinance.

And as noted, they specialize in one-time construction loans, so they could be a good option if you’re building a home.

They also offer bridge loans to make it easier to buy before you sell. The only question mark is loan pricing, as they don’t disclose mortgage rates or lender fees online.

So be sure to compare their pricing with other lenders to ensure you get a great deal on your mortgage!

GO Mortgage Pros and Cons

The Pros

  • A paperless, digital mortgage loan process
  • Can apply online or via smartphone in minutes
  • Also has branch locations in select states
  • Lots of loan programs to choose from
  • Specialize in one-time close construction loans
  • Excellent customer reviews across all ratings sites
  • A+ BBB rating, accredited business
  • Appear to service their own loans
  • Free biweekly mortgage payments
  • Free mortgage calculators on their website

The Cons

  • Do not list mortgage rates or lender fees online
  • No physical branch locations
  • Not available in all states
  • May transfer loan to a third-party servicer after closing
Colin Robertson

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