Guaranteed Rate Launches Second Phase of Groundbreaking Language Access Program

News provided by

Apr 21, 2022, 14:01 ET

Enhancements include ability to access Digital Mortgage Application and rate.com in Spanish.

CHICAGO, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Guaranteed Rate, a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services, is proud to announce that it now offers its rate.com website and digital mortgage application in Spanish, a major milestone in the company's commitment to better serve the Hispanic community*.

Guaranteed Rate has been singly focused on developing a robust Language Access Program to better serve consumers who prefer to communicate in a language other than English. The company began its efforts in 2021 by recruiting Arlyn J. Kalinski, a Language Access Program veteran, as Compliance Vice President of the program, creating a nationwide bilingual processing team in Spanish and adding an over-the-phone interpretation service for customers in more than 170 languages. By the end of this year, Guaranteed Rate is working to expand customer-facing communications, offer Spanish-language disclosures and agreements, and will feature the industry's first end-to-end customer mortgage origination experience in Spanish.

Customers can now choose a Spanish-language version of the company's website in order to find detailed financial education materials and other important features in language, as well as being able to digitally apply for a mortgage in Spanish. These moves will allow Spanish speakers to better understand the mortgage process and do so with the same convenience and efficiency as English-speaking customers.

Guaranteed Rate embraces its responsibility to serve all home buyers, no matter the language they speak. We also understand the incredible opportunity in providing the best service in the industry to these customers, including the more than 40 million Spanish speakers in this country. Having these tools in Spanish will also empower all Guaranteed Rate loan officers and processors to best serve this growing and influential customer base.

"For too long, millions of Hispanic customers have dreaded their mortgage application process due to the language barrier," says Camilo Escalante, Executive Director of Diverse Segments at Guaranteed Rate. "They have often had to rely on family members or close friends to act as interpreters during the mortgage transaction. Guaranteed Rate is dedicated to building trust with our Hispanic community, and by providing the full mortgage application in Spanish we are giving these hard-working families the same technology and tools available to English-speaking customers."

"Guaranteed Rate recognizes the incredible opportunity to speak directly to those with Limited English Proficiency," says Kalinski, the program's Compliance Vice President. "We are committed to connecting with and serving all communities. The main objective of this new phase is to make our products and services more accessible to consumers and to continue to address one of the barriers to home ownership, language access."

* At launch, rate.com in Spanish will feature 160 pages of the site translated. Also at launch, the Spanish Digital Mortgage will be available for properties in 45 states and all mortgage disclosures, notes and mortgages will only be available in English until later this year.

About Guaranteed Rate Inc.

Guaranteed Rate is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has more than 8,000 employees in 500 offices across the U.S., and is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Guaranteed Rate has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, funding more than $95 billion in total loan volume in 2021 alone. Powered by its belief in positivity, the company has become one of the largest retail lenders in the nation. Guaranteed Rate delivers innovative technology, including the world's first Digital Mortgage, low rates and unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: ForbesAdvisor's Top 10 Mortgage Lenders for 2021; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; 2018 Top Lender for Online Service by U.S. News & World Report; HousingWire's 2020 Tech100 award for the company's industry-leading FlashClose℠ technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide's 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine's Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

SOURCE Guaranteed Rate