Fred Gruber

CMPS, Director First Rate Financial Group NMLS #256707, CA-DRE #01455710
Fred Gruber has over 45 years experience in the business community. Using his excellent financial and analytical skills, he develops financial models and tools to present complicated concepts in simple terms. Fred has provided thousands of mortgages for a variety of clients and scenarios; from simple to complex qualifying situations.

Fred’s focus in educating clients is forefront; with guidance as the cornerstone of a practice that assists homeowners and buyers. Fred will present multiple options to make sure the borrower has an opportunity to make the best decision in selecting an appropriate strategy for financing their home. Fred uses a deep understanding of lending guidelines to uncover obscure options for borrowers, rarely leaving a stone unturned in the most complicated of situations.

Following a referral based business model, Fred recognizes that every transaction has two clients: the borrower and the referring party. Developing lifelong clients who become friends as well underscores his commitment to helping people achieve their goals.

First Rate Financial Group is a Mortgage Broker in Westlake Village, California, located in the heart of the Conejo Valley Business District. From its inception in 1989, First Rate Financial Group has become well known for its service, integrity and experienced loan consultants.

Fred's purpose is simply stated as "I Create Value Through Integrity."
3 days ago
Realtor/Buyer
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ALWAYS USE FRED GRUBER! He communicated with us promptly and frequently about the status of our loan. The website they utilize makes it easy to upload and keep track of the documents. Other lenders I've used in the past have been nightmares. Not Fred. With all the headaches of moving and buying and selling, he makes it much easier. 5 stars
Jan 17, 2020
Fred and his team were great. Our financial situation and loans that we wanted to refinance were unusual. Fred and his team assessed all the information and cam up with a plan that took care of everything. The final finished product matched what Fred had told us was possible. Finally,Fred and his team were always available to answer our questions. FIVE STARS!
Jan 10, 2020
Business Owner
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred Gruber made the process of obtaining a loan as painless as possible. He not only led me through the steps but kept me apprised if what it all meant. I definitely recommend his services.
Jan 7, 2020
Managing Member/General Partner/VP
My extended family, my wife and I recommend Fred Gruber of First Rate Financial Group highly for his professionalism and skills. He has in-depth knowledge of financial tools and analytical skills to acquire the best mortgage for your case.
Dec 23, 2019
Contractor
Working with Fred was very easy,
I worked with the banks directly before, but here everything was much easier (and I got the same interest rate), he was answering my e-mails and working even after hours, service that you won’t get if you work with the bank directly, plus I didn’t had to travel anywhere, everything was done by phone or by emails.
Thank you again for your service,
Dec 10, 2019
Program Manager
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred went through great lengths to explain every step of the mortgage process on my first home purchase. He detailed the decisions and tradeoffs along the way, and answered every question I asked. His entire team was helpful, quick to respond, and a pleasure to work with. I can't recommend them highly enough!
Nov 12, 2019
Account Director
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred and his team were constant professionals. They made the home purchasing process much easier!
Nov 5, 2019
Middle School Teacher
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I can't speak highly enough about Fred and his team. We obviously had so many questions as first-time home buyers and he helped us answer them on top of getting us a better rate than other lenders approved for us. We were able to communicate with Fred directly and he answered our questions in an appropriate manner when he was unavailable during the workday. He even worked after hours for us when needed!
Oct 31, 2019
CPA
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred knows how to think outside the box in getting the best loan possible. Fred has handled my last 3 refi's. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Fred is the best.
Oct 4, 2019
Stylist
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred Gruber and his team really came through for me. I can't thank them enough. I was under a strict deadline and they made my refinance close on time. If you are looking for person to expedite your refinance and fight for the best interest rates for you he is your guy.
Sep 10, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred was very easy to work with. He answered my many questions and took the time to explain the concerns that I had either by an email response or by calling me to discuss. He addressed all of my concerns and answered all of my questions. I've worked with Fred on my initial mortgage and a number of refi's. He does a great job and I look forward to my next refi with him when interest rates drops and it is in my advantage to do so.
Aug 5, 2019
Executive Producer
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This is my third mortgage with Fred; second refinance. Fred always seems to have the client's best-interest at heart.
Jul 29, 2019
Finance Manager
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred and his team were great to deal with throughout our re-finance. Fred is very knowledgeable and walked us through everything patiently throughout the process. The communication with the entire team was awesome and the process seemed to go smoothly from start to finish. We would definitely use Fred and his team again and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for these services.
Jul 28, 2019
Electrical Estimator
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred went above and beyond to make sure I took advantage of a much lower rate than my original loan. First by sending me an email and then by calling me to confirm I received the email and explain everything to me.
Jul 23, 2019
Owner of private Hypnotherapy practice
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred Gruber of First Rate Financial Group is a consummate professional that we trust wholeheartedly! My husband and I will refer Fred to anyone who is looking to refinance their current mortgage and/or enter into a mortgage for new properties. Fred works diligently to give his clients the best service with the best mortgage rates possible. He also saw us through the entire process, and he and/or his staff were always available for us to ask questions and obtain clarity about the loan. Fred is a professional you can trust with your greatest assets!
Jun 24, 2019
EVP Sales
Fred Gruber did an outstanding job for my family on our home owners loan. He is professional, organized, detailed and honest. Recommend anybody looking for a home to reach out to Fred.
Jun 8, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I have worked with Fred Gruber and Heather Vowinkle on other loans and I have been very very pleased with their work and their due diligence. I highly recommend them and will to anyone I know who is looking for a good loan broker.
May 31, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred Gruber & his staff are extremely knowledgeable, organized & efficient. It was easy to work with them and I will consider using them again in the future if need arises.
May 27, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
From start to finish, Fred, Heather and the entire team at First Rate Financial Group went the extra mile in service, communication and execution. Everyone was excellent at communicating, making the process almost seamless. Not only did we close on time, everyone was so nice and professional. I highly recommend Fred and his team for any of your Real Estate financial needs. I look forward to using Fred again, in the near future for an investment property.
May 23, 2019
President
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred was great. We were originally referred to him via Wells Fargo since our financial profile did not meet Wells' requirements. This may be the best thing that Wells Fargo ever did for me. We spoke to Fred, and he provided us with a pre-approval letter in about one hour. I didn't think that was humanly possible. All of our transactions were done digitally over the internet. Ultimately, we were able to purchase the home that we thought was going to get away. Without Fred's help, this would not have happened. The process was as smooth as possible. Fred delivered on all of his promises. Truly a rare find and a good man. Highly recommended!!!
May 22, 2019
Partner
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred and his team were incredible to work with from start to Finish. Fred made the pre-approval process seamless and the insight he provided in figuring out my purchase budget was invaluable. Being a first time home buyer, I couldn’t imagine going through the loan process without Fred. Heather, on his team, was there through the difficult loan approval process and was a savior for us. I can’t think Fred and Heather enough for everything they did for us. Thank you!
Apr 29, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred and his team have been fantastic partners. Fred has a firm understanding of real estate finance which has allowed him to add unique value for our team. He has been instrumental in developing a refinance strategy for a portfolio of properties, allowing us to simultaneously improve cash flows and create liquidity to accomplish our stated goals.
Apr 19, 2019
sales clerk at Joann fabrics
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred is very thorough, accessible, and is always looking out for our interests.He has made the whole mortgage process simple and rewarding.In addition he is friendly and just a pleasure to work with!!
Apr 5, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fred and his team are fantastic. We’ve used him multiple times for purchasing and refinancing. We’re pretty busy people and they were great keeping us on track and making sure everything was submitted promptly. He’s the first guy we’ve used that had everything approved and ready to go way before of closing dates!
Apr 4, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
My wife and I just bought our first home, and Fred was the nexus through which the entire process worked. He was available any time, night or day, to answer our crazy questions, calm our confusion, and help us through the process. More importantly, Fred worked insanely hard to make sure we got the best interest rate and mortgage that we could. When presented with several choices, he helped us understand each one and make informed, intelligent decisions.

Having Fred for your home purchasing experience is a definite must, I do not think we would have figured anything out without him. From being complete real-estate greenhorns at the outset, my wife and I now feel incredibly comfortable that we know and understand our mortgage. That's all thanks to Fred.

Anybody can get you a random mortgage quote. Fred tailors the entire experience to your specific needs, income level, goals, and lifestyle. He saved us on more than one occasion from wasting a lot of money making poor choices that a novice would never know how to avoid. My wife and I felt safe in the hands of Fred and his team, and you should too. Please do yourself a favor and get him on YOUR team.
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I Create Value Through Integrity!