Building Stronger communities, one home at a time.

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4.97+

Average Zillow rating
across 2,350 verified reviews

30+

Years of trusted lending

43+

States plus DC where we are licensed

$50B+

Total Funded

More Than a Mortgage Company

Our Culture

People First, Borrower Always

City First Mortgage is built on people. Our team brings deep expertise in conventional, government, jumbo, and specialty lending, with a culture that puts the borrower first at every step. We invest in technology, training, and community so every loan officer can deliver a level of service that earns referrals and repeat business. From first-time buyers to seasoned investors, our clients work with professionals who treat their goals as a personal commitment.

  • Trusted Guidance

  • Smart Financial Choices

  • Personalized Solutions

  • Homeownership Focus

Our Vision

The Lender Clients Trust for Life

We believe homeownership is one of the most important financial decisions a family will ever make. Our vision is to be the lender clients trust for life, the partner real estate professionals recommend without hesitation, and the workplace where the best mortgage talent in the country chooses to build their career. We measure our success by the long-term relationships we build, not the transactions we close.

  • Trusted Guidance

  • Smart Financial Choices

  • Personalized Solutions

  • Homeownership Focus

Our Values

Integrity at Every Step

Integrity comes first. We say what we will do and we do what we say. We respect the borrower's time, their trust, and their financial future. We back our work with clear communication, accurate disclosures, and accountability at every level. We give back to the communities we serve, including ongoing support of veterans through the Gold Star Foundation. And we treat each loan as a long-term relationship, not a one-time transaction.

  • Trusted Guidance

  • Smart Financial Choices

  • Personalized Solutions

  • Homeownership Focus

Our Leadership Team

Jon Prussel

President

Jon Prussel leads City First Mortgage as President, overseeing strategy, operations, and growth across the company's national footprint. He brings decades of mortgage industry leadership focused on building durable lender-borrower relationships and scalable operations.

Dennis Raico serves as Executive Vice President of City First Mortgage, driving enterprise-wide initiatives across sales, operations, and partner channels. His career spans senior roles in mortgage banking and capital markets.

Dennis Raico

Executive Vice President

Ken Goldsmith is Divisional Sales Manager at City First Mortgage. He coaches branch managers and loan originators across the division and is licensed under NMLS #452844.

Ken Goldsmith

Branch Support Manager

Jennifer Fowler leads divisional operations at City First Mortgage. She manages processing, underwriting coordination, and closing workflows that keep loan files moving from application to funding.

Jennifer Fowler

Divisional Operations Manager

Jason Richardson is Divisional Marketing Manager and a licensed Senior Mortgage Advisor at City First Mortgage (NMLS #256859). He oversees marketing technology, lead generation, and brand strategy across the division. Licensed in California, Hawaii, and Texas.

Jason Richardson

Divisional Director of Technology

Daniel Milstein founded Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group in 2000 and has grown the company into one of the nation's leading independent mortgage banks, with 50+ branches across the country. He is a New York Times bestselling author and a recognized industry leader.

Daniel Milstein

Founder & CEO, Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group

AJ Franchi serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group, the parent company of City First Mortgage. He oversees enterprise operations, technology, and capital markets.

AJ Franchi

President & COO, Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group

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Clients love us

Battle Creek, MI

Kayla D.

Doug was amazing to work with on the purchase of my first home. No matter the day or the time I could always contact Doug. Open communication and the knowledge he possesses made my experience very smooth. I recommend Doug for all of your lending needs.

Portage, MI

jamez

Greatest experience I could ask for. One lender denied me 2 weeks before closing. Doug and his team came to my rescue and made it so simple to complete. Very flexible with work schedules and always a fast response. I look forward to working with him again and definitely recommend.

Nashville, MI

Matthew P.

Doug was kind and professional to work with. He was very helpful during the entire process. If he didn't have the answer, Doug was sure to get the answer quickly. It was a pleasure working with Doug on getting my new house. I would gladly work with Doug again.

Muskegon, MI

leelee96667

I have to give the highest compliment and recommendation to my lender Doug. I recently purchased my new home. Doug had great knowledge, patience and professionalism through this process with me, and I wasn't the easiest person to deal with. Purchasing a home is very stressful and he was there every step of the way.

Ovid, MI

Stewart L.

Doug was great to work with. He was very prompt with communications and was very open to answering questions. He turned requests around very quickly. Even my realtor was impressed and said this was the best remote lender that she had ever worked with. I highly recommend.

Stevensville, MI

David

VA loans can be tedious. Doug did an outstanding job communicating everything and keeping me updated as the process continued. The online portal was also an excellent addition, very helpful.

Grand Rapids, MI

Ngrace

Doug was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. He was able to get us a pre approval letter same day, within minutes so we could offer on a house. He made the underwriting process understandable and smooth. Stress free experience. 10/10.

Smithfield, NC

Eric

When I began my journey to buy a home in Smithfield, I was filled with anxiety regarding my chances for a loan required for this area. From our first conversation, Kevin set a high standard. He was more than a lender. He was a trusted advisor, providing clear and timely communication. Kevin and his team were patient, supportive, and made me feel like family, easing the stress of such an important purchase.

Raleigh, NC

Susan C.

This will be my mortgage group from now on. I will not go anywhere else and highly recommend using them for your purchase. Timely communication throughout the process whenever we had questions, concerns, or just needed a little hand holding. They did whatever was needed.

Alexei K.

Durham, NC

Absolutely top notch. I just closed on a house yesterday with them and they were extremely helpful through the entire process. As a first time buyer I had questions and they were so patient with me through the process. They were really fast compared to other offerings and gave us a great rate.

Apex, NC

Kristina S.

Kevin and his team are great at what they do and fun to work with too. They got us a great rate, took care of everything and made the process of getting a loan for our home purchase so easy.

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