“Both sides have gotten to know each other very well, so the intangibles and cultural fit are expected to be very strong,” said investment banker Mark Stafford of MS Capital Advisors.
Guild Mortgage, which ranks 21st among all home lenders, has agreed to purchase Cornerstone Mortgage, St. Louis, marking the first acquisition of 2018, a year in which the rollup of smaller lending shops could be significant.
Wintrust Financial Corp. has announced an agreement to purchase certain assets and assume certain liabilities of iFreedom Direct Corp., which originates VA-backed loans as Veterans First Mortgage.