Testimonials

I actually met Brian Delbenes about a year ago at the top of the Cholla mountain biking trail in Aliso Viejo.  Unbeknownst to me at the time and as God as my witness he was a blessing from heaven.

Fast forward six months and on Sept. 3, 2011, I contacted my current lender about refinancing as interest rates were super low.  45 days later and now in middle of October my refinance was going absolutely nowhere.  So not only did my current lender not close the loan as promised, but they also wanted to charge me a higher rate and additional fees.

One day while we were riding, I displayed my anger and frustration to Brian as I explained what had transpired with my current lender.  Fearful as to not wanting to jeopardize our friendship Brian assured me of his professionalism, expertise, and encouraged me to let him take the reins so that he could work his magic!  Needless to say it was the best decision I had made and my wife still thanks me to this day!  I may have caused Brian half a dozen gray hairs, but to keep me quiet wouldn’t make me human!  In spite of all the questions, concerns, and challenges I threw his way he kept shining like a star!  He managed to get my loan processed, signed, and delivered within 30 days.  Oh… one important thing I forgot to mention was that Brian refinanced both of my properties at the same time!  All of our bills were paid through escrow and all that was left were two amazingly low 15 year fixed rate mortgages!

How can you not recommend someone like him to others!?  As a matter of fact, I have turned my niece to him and he’s diligently working with her at the time of writing this testimonial.  It is with great gratification, honesty, and friendship that I recommend Brian Delbenes and the staff of Good Neighbor Mortgage & Realty.

My husband and I were finally ready to purchase a house because the market was so good and it was a true “buyer’s market”.  However, we initally started working with a Realtor who tried to convince us it was a “seller’s market” and that we should settle on things we did not want and that we should feel ever so lucky.  We felt he was completely wrong and decided to put our home search on hold.

That’s when my husband’s friend said we should talk to Brian.  Hesitantly we did, but it was the best phone call we made because we are now the proud owners of a home and no longer renting! Brian has been such a breath of fresh air in the real estate/mortgage broker industry.  He and his team definitely went the extra step in every aspect of this whole transaction.  They took the time to explain everything in detail until we understood it, locked in an amazing low rate, and carefully guided us down both the real estate and mortgage paths all at the same time!  I truly believe that being represented by someone who was handling the loan (broker) and the purchase (Realtor) of our home gave us an added edge.  He did not need to explain the urgency to another party regarding our rate lock and our qualifications.  Nor did we have to play telephone tag (for the lack of a better phrase) between our Realtor and our lender. Brian simply coordinated and handled everything!

One of our biggest challenges is that our “soon to be home” was a rental property/tenant occupied and the seller/agent went MIA and did not care about getting the current tenants out of the property before we took possession.  As the renters were an elderly couple they decided to trust Brian to make the arrangements for them to vacate the home.  On moving day, Brian and Kelly were at the home physically helping to pack the tenant’s belongings and load them onto the moving trucks.  Good Neighbor Mortgage & Realty also helped the tenants get a storage unit, put them up in a hotel, and even footed some of the expense as a courtesy to them.

We would definitely use Brian again and have already recommended him to some of our friends and a close family member!

I am very proud to say that Brian has earned a lifetime share of my business and loyalty.  Good Neighbor Mortgage & Realty provided us with our first home and Brian was able to deliver on everything that was promised. I was referred to Brian by a couple that has worked with him for over a decade.  They expressed sincere gratitude and satisfaction in working with Brian. When we originally sought a true mortgage and real estate professional, we had to make sure that he or she was great at 4 key things – communication, speed, match, & KNOWLEDGE.  Brian and GNMR are great at ALL 4 things!  The communication proved to be beneficial on all fronts.  Brian understood the market, neighborhood selling trends, different types of sales, every single document it seemed like and translated that to us with honesty and confidence.  He communicated effectively to Inspectors, Sellers, Sellers Agents, Lenders, Banks, Buyers, Buyer’s family members, really just about everyone involved in the process.  The speed in which he operated to take advantage of market rates and contract deadlines was truly impeccable.  GNMR’s KNOWLEDGE is well worth your time and money.  Brian’s knowledge of the ins and outs of this business pays off big.  His real estate and mortgage advice have saved us thousands of dollars and we are very grateful for that.  The very best for last, Match!  The home that we moved into was a pinpoint match with exactly what we were looking for.  We never settled. We looked and believed that we could find everything that we wanted our home to have and in the best location for us.  We found all of that and in the process have found a lifetime Mortgage & Realty Broker & Friend.  Thank you Brian and GNMR for your exceptional service!

My husband and I recently worked with Brian Delbenes at Good Neighbor Mortgage & Realty on our home refinance. He walked us through the process and made sure we were aware of all of our options. He was absolutley honest and did everything as promised. Brian worked above and beyond to make sure we got the best interest rate and as a result, we ended up saving alot of money. If you are considering a home mortgage, or refinance, don’t hesitate to call Brian. You will be so happy you did. We promise!

There is a big advantage to refinancing if you have the help of an experienced independent broker.  I started my refinancing effort with my current bank.  I was offered a choice of various refinancing options and I chose one.  I had an excellent credit score, a stable income, and plenty of equity in my home so I thought everything would proceed expeditiously.  Wrong . . . what was supposed to take a month stretched to two and a half months of incessant, redundant and illogical requests from an underwriter.  By then, fortunately for me, interest rates had declined, but my bank refused to reset the interest rate.  So, I hit the reset button myself, did my homework and found Brian Delbenes.  What a difference!  Brian did more than just collect and submit my information.  He was a master guide from beginning to end.  His experience with market interest rate movements helped me pause on the interest rate lock-in until the opportunity was right to lock-in an excellent rate.  He then skillfully steered my application through the process so that the loan was closed within a month.  When the refinancing was done, as a free service to his customer, he submitted my information to establish a new home equity line of credit.

I was first introduced to Brian and Good Neighbor Mortgage & Realty in 2005. At that time I worked for a large wholesale lender and serviced his account. I loved working on Brian’s loans because he was so thorough and straight forward.  He always gave his clients the best pricing available and never over charged which was quite a contrast from most other mortgage brokers.

When my mother was trying to purchase a home I immediately thought of Brian.  With his help she closed escrow on time with rock bottom fees and a great loan product.  She has since used Brian for all of her refinances and we have recommended him to countless friends and family.

The time finally came when my husband and I were ready to purchase our 1^st home. Of course, I called Brian to be our Realtor and loan agent. He literally worked with us for over 2 years as we searched for a home in a very volatile housing market.  Brian made it so easy walking us through our finances and down payment options.  He also offered us several different types of loans and tirelessly showed us property after property until we found the one that was right for us.  He was able to get us into a gorgeous home that we could afford with a loan product that we felt comfortable with. He also connected us to professional painting, carpet, and landscape companies.

As if it could get any better than that, we just refinanced with Good Neighbor Mortgage & Realty and saved over $200.00 a month only one year after purchasing our home!  Brian is a valuable colleague in the industry and I will continue to refer people to him every day!

I purchased my home in March 2011 with Kelly Hawthorne as my agent. It was a difficult transaction as the listing agent was very confrontational, but Kelly maintained her professionalism throughout the process and made certain that my interests were best represented. Kelly always made herself available to answer any questions and it was comforting to know that she was in my corner fighting on my behalf. Her personal touch, market knowledge, and use of cutting edge technology combined to create a confident and positive buying experience.

Then just 4 months later, the broker, Brian Delbenes contacted me about an amazing refinancing opportunity and locked in my interest rate at a historically low 3.875! I can honestly say that Kelly & Brian really care! They always returned phone calls promptly and are truly a one stop shop for all of my real estate and mortgage needs. It’s because of them that I found my dream home and now have an incredibly low mortgage payment! I couldn’t be happier! Excellent job! (or Thank you Kelly and Brian)

Brian handled the sale and purchase when we moved. He was untiring for the months we spent waffling between improving the old house or buying a new one. We are both perfectionists, and finding an acceptable home to buy took forever. Brian was very patient, finding information on or showing us dozens of homes. He handled a difficult purchase from a reluctant seller perfectly. The negotiations and paperwork went quickly, due to his use of electronic forms. The move went smoothly, with both homes turning over at the same time, on the same day. I wouldn’t consider using anyone else if we ever move again.

Brian’s professionalism and knowledge made me feel at ease with refinancing my home. I have gone through several brokers and real estate agents, but no one has compared to Brian. He worked around my schedule, was e-mail friendly, and closing escrow was a breeze. I was extremely happy with my refinance and will be using Brian for future investments.