Buying a home in the South Valley is a different animal than buying in the rest of Santa Clara County. Prices here can be $300K–$800K lower than Cupertino or Palo Alto, FHA and VA loans still work, and local loan officers actually know which lenders will touch a home with a septic system or a property on the wrong side of Uvas. These are the five lenders we see closing homes for Morgan Hill and Gilroy buyers in 2026.
We verified every listing below via Yelp, Google Maps, and NMLS Consumer Access in April 2026.
1. Guild Mortgage – Morgan Hill
Known for: J.D. Power top-rated mortgage servicer (2025). Full-service Morgan Hill branch with multiple loan officers on site.
Conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, and first-time buyer programs. One branch, real people, same zip code.
NMLS #3174. 17485 Monterey Rd is the storefront most South Valley realtors walk their buyers into for pre-approval.
Useful for a South County home needing a rate lock while you write the offer.
17485 Monterey Rd, Suites 206–208, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
2. loanDepot – Morgan Hill
Known for: National lender with a real Morgan Hill branch. NMLS #174457.
Purchase, refinance, and cash-out options. FHA, VA, conventional, and jumbo.
Online application with a local loan officer. Faster underwriting than most national lenders because the file handoff is in-branch.
A good second quote to get next to a community lender. If two lenders offer you the same rate, the one that answers the phone at 5 PM wins.
17500 Depot St, Suite 170, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
3. Global Mortgage Home
Known for: Morgan Hill-based broker, owner-operated. Amir Ahmadzadeh, NMLS #229237.
Conventional and jumbo purchase loans, refinances, reverse mortgages. Broker shop, so quotes go out to a panel of wholesale lenders rather than one bank’s rate sheet.
15+ years working Santa Clara County files. Knows the difference between a 95037 valuation and a 95020 valuation.
Useful when a bank turns you down and you want a broker to shop the file properly.
Morgan Hill, CA 95037 (by appointment)
4. First Stop Mortgage
Known for: 4.9 stars across 50+ Yelp reviews, first-time buyer specialty, FHA and conventional.
Based in San Jose, steady flow of South Valley clients. Nhan Cao is the broker of record.
Reviews repeat the same words: responsive, on time, no surprise fees at close.
Often the right call for first-time Morgan Hill and Gilroy buyers who need hand-holding through disclosures and escrow.
2114 Senter Rd, Suite 11, San Jose, CA 95112 (serves Morgan Hill and Gilroy)
5. Dan Casagrande – Mutual of Omaha Mortgage
Known for: Reverse mortgage specialist. In business since 2005. Serves Santa Clara County and Monterey Bay.
Reverse mortgages are a small but important slice of the South Valley market, especially for longtime homeowners sitting on decades of Morgan Hill or Gilroy appreciation.
Also handles standard purchase and refi under the Mutual of Omaha banner.
Useful if you or a parent are over 62 and looking to tap home equity without moving.
1414 Soquel Ave, Suite 207, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (serves Morgan Hill and Gilroy)
How We Picked These
We pulled the Yelp and Google Maps lists for “mortgage lender Morgan Hill” and “mortgage broker Gilroy,” cross-checked every NMLS ID against the Consumer Access database, and dropped any company that did not have a verifiable local branch or a visible track record of South Valley clients. We also called a handful of Morgan Hill and Gilroy realtors for their go-to loan officers. Companies that only showed up as ad placements on aggregator sites, or that had no reviews more recent than 2023, did not make the cut.
FAQ
What is a typical mortgage rate in Morgan Hill and Gilroy in April 2026?
30-year conventional owner-occupied rates in South Valley are running roughly 6.5% to 7.0% depending on credit, down payment, and points paid. Jumbo rates are often 0.125%–0.25% higher. Rates move daily; always ask for a locked quote in writing.
What credit score do I need?
Conventional conforming loans generally want 620+ with 3% down, or 640+ for best pricing. FHA allows 580 with 3.5% down (sometimes 500 with 10% down). VA is typically 620+. Every lender sets its own overlays, so a lender that turns you down at 640 isn’t the last word.
How much house can I afford in Morgan Hill or Gilroy?
A rough shortcut: 4–5x gross household income, assuming 20% down and no unusual debt. On $200K household income, that’s roughly $800K–$1M purchase. Property taxes in both cities run about 1.25% of purchase price annually, which is often the piece that surprises buyers coming from out of state.
Should I use a mortgage broker or a direct lender?
A broker shops your file to a panel of wholesale lenders, which helps if your file is unusual (self-employed, recent move, low credit). A direct lender (Guild, loanDepot) controls the full process in house, which often means a faster close. On a straightforward W-2 purchase, both usually land within a quarter-point of each other. Get two quotes.
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Last verified: April 20, 2026.