Building Stronger Communities
At City First Mortgage, we believe strong communities begin with homeownership. We’re committed to helping individuals and families find the right path to homeownership, with personalized guidance and a dedicated loan officer by your side from application to closing.
About City First
A Trusted Partner in Your Homeownership Journey
For more than 30 years, City First Mortgage has been helping individuals and families navigate the path to homeownership. We believe a mortgage is about more than numbers and paperwork—it’s about people, possibilities, and the place you call home. Our goal is to make the process feel more personal, with knowledgeable guidance and a dedicated loan officer who stays by your side from your first conversation through closing.
City First Mortgage is a division of Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group, Inc. (NMLS ID 3446), an Equal Housing Lender licensed in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Our corporate office is located at 2350 Green Road, Suite 100B, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. We’re available by phone at 1-800-201-LOAN (5626) or by email at info@goldstarfinancial.com. Phone hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Personal Service, Backed by Experience
When you work with City First, you work directly with a loan officer who gets to know your goals, answers your questions, and guides you through each stage of the mortgage process. Your loan officer remains your point of contact from start to finish, supported by a dedicated processing team that helps coordinate the details and paperwork along the way.
Mortgage Solutions for Your Unique Needs
Every homebuyer and homeowner has a different story. That’s why we offer a variety of mortgage solutions to help meet a wide range of needs, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loans; down payment assistance; refinancing; reverse mortgages; investment and rental properties; commercial financing; physician loans; and other specialized mortgage programs.
Whether you’re buying your first home, refinancing your current mortgage, or exploring financing for a unique situation, our team can help you understand your options. Program availability and eligibility depend on factors such as the property, income documentation, individual qualifications, and state licensing.
Committed to Our Industry and Our Communities
City First Mortgage is proud to be a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association and The Mortgage Collaborative. We value the relationships we build with our clients, our industry partners, and the communities we serve.
A Few Company Figures
- Average Zillow Rating Across 2,350 Verified Reviews
- 4.97+
- Years of Lending
- 30+
- States, Plus Washington, D.C., Where the Company Is Licensed
- 46 + DC
- Total Funded
- $50B+
More Than a Mortgage Company
Our Culture
People First, the Borrower Always
City First is built around the person on your file. Loan officers work with conventional, government, jumbo, and specialty loans. The company invests in tools, training, and the community so that person can stay with you from the first conversation through closing.
Our Vision
A Lender You Can Call Again
Buying a home is one of the bigger money decisions a family makes. City First wants to be the lender you call the next time, the one a real estate agent is comfortable recommending, and a place experienced loan officers choose to work. The measure is the relationship, not a single closing.
Our Values
Integrity at Every Step
We say what we will do, and we do what we say. That means clear communication, accurate disclosures, and a person who will tell you where the file stands. City First also supports veterans through the Gold Star Foundation.
Our Leadership Team
These are the people who lead City First. A profile link appears when that person is in the loan officer directory. To ask about joining the team, start on the careers page.
Jon Prussel
Divisional 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
Divisional Executive Vice President of Sales
Dennis Raico serves as Divisional Executive Vice President of Sales at City First Mortgage, driving enterprise-wide initiatives across sales, operations, and partner channels. His career spans senior roles in mortgage banking and capital markets. NMLS #1376828
Ken Goldsmith
Divisional EVP of Operations
Ken Goldsmith is Divisional EVP of Operations at City First Mortgage. He oversees divisional operations and supports branch managers and loan originators across the division. Licensed under NMLS #452844.
Daniel Milstein
Founder & Chairman of the Board, Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group
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.
AJ Franchi
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.
Jason Richardson
Commercial Division Director
Jason Richardson is over the Commercial Division and Divisional Director of Technology and a licensed Senior Mortgage Advisor at City First Mortgage (NMLS #256859). He oversees marketing technology, lead generation, and brand strategy across the division and handles Commercial Loans. Licensed in California, Hawaii, and Texas.
Yvette Owens
Business Development
Yvette Owens leads business development for City First Mortgage, working with experienced loan originators and branch teams exploring a move to the division. She is the first conversation for anyone considering joining City First.
Valyn Tucker
Marketing Technology & Operations Manager
Valyn Tucker is Marketing Technology & Operations Manager at City First Mortgage. She oversees the division's marketing systems, campaign operations, and the platforms our loan officers rely on day to day.
Dave Thompson
Disclosure Specialist
Dave Thompson is a Disclosure Specialist at City First Mortgage, supporting loan officers and borrowers through the disclosure process. NMLS #276182.
What We Do
- Explain loan choices in clear, everyday language before you sign anything
- Match you with a loan officer who is licensed where the home is
- Walk through buying, refinancing, and specialty programs, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, and reverse
- Show estimates as estimates, with the assumptions next to them
- Point you to a secure application when it is time to apply
What We Don't
- Promise an approval, a rate, or a closing date
- Claim to be the lowest-cost lender
- Ask for a Social Security number on this marketing site
- Collect full financial documents in a contact form
- Talk about another lender's customers
A Real Conversation
Ready When You Are.
Talk with a loan officer who is licensed where the home is. Walk through buying, refinancing, or a loan that does not fit a standard file. Start with the directory, or answer a few questions first.