Guild originates and services. We prepare the file that gets originated.
"Guild handles a lot of down payment assistance — does that change my readiness?"
It changes the path, not the underwriting. Assistance programs layer on top of an FHA, conventional, USDA, or VA first mortgage, and the first mortgage still has to qualify.
Guild's strength is knowing which state and local programs pair with which loan.
ReadinessIQ's job is making sure the underlying file clears the guideline that assistance sits on top of.
| Capability | ReadinessIQ | Guild Mortgage |
|---|---|---|
| Time to a real answer | ~60 seconds | 20–40 minutes + credit pull |
| Credit pull required | No | yes (hard pull to apply) |
| Scores FHA / VA / USDA / Conventional separately | Yes | Partial |
| Explains the guideline behind every answer | Yes | Partial |
| Tells you the exact fixes to qualify | Yes | Partial |
| Personalized next-step roadmap | Yes | Partial |
| May result in sales follow-up | No | often |
| Shareable Passport for lenders & agents | Yes | No |
| Works if you're self-employed / 1099 | Yes | Partial |
| Free | Yes | Yes |
Comparison based on publicly available product information and typical U.S. mortgage workflows as of July 2026. Features and processes may change over time.
The tool you should trust depends on the question you're actually asking.
"Which program can we place this borrower in?"
"How do I become the strongest buyer possible?"
Both tools do something valuable. They just answer different questions at different stages of the journey.
Strong first-time-buyer program knowledge and in-house servicing, so your payment often stays with the same company.
Built for the stage before an application — where most buyers have the most questions and the fewest tools.
Readiness is its own stage — and it belongs at the start.
It solves the cash problem, not the credit or ratio problem. Most assistance programs also add their own minimum score, homebuyer education, and income-limit requirements on top of the first mortgage guideline.
Servicing is who collects your payment and manages escrow after closing. A lender that services in-house keeps that relationship instead of transferring it, which some borrowers prefer for continuity.
No. ReadinessIQ does not pull credit — no soft inquiry, no hard inquiry. Your score is calculated against published underwriting rules using the information you provide.
No. A readiness score measures how strong your file is against guidelines. A formal approval comes only from a licensed lender after documents are verified and credit is pulled.
Know where you stand before filling out another application.
Understand your options before your phone starts ringing.
Improve your readiness before a lender ever reviews your file.