Victor Ciardelli and Rate Roll Out Mortgage Industry’s First Mobile App in Spanish
End-to-end Spanish experience marks a major step forward in Rate’s mission to remove language as a barrier to homeownership
CHICAGO, Sept. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CEO Victor Ciardelli and Rate, a leading fintech company, today announced the launch of the Rate App in Spanish, becoming the first mortgage lender in the U.S. to offer a fully integrated mobile experience entirely in Spanish. The release is the latest evolution of Rate’s award-winning Language Access Program. It builds on a key milestone: more than 20,000 digital mortgage applications from Spanish-speaking customers since the program launched in 2022.
The mobile app enables Spanish-speaking users to search for homes, apply for a mortgage, track loan status, communicate with bilingual professionals, and access educational content, all 100% in Spanish, right from their phones. The release reinforces Rate’s broader commitment to removing language as a barrier to homeownership and delivering a top-tier customer experience to the Spanish-speaking community.
“We’ve already seen what’s possible when we invest in Spanish-language technology: our Latino salesforce has tripled, our funded loan volume in Latino communities has doubled as a percentage of the company’s total book of business, and we’ve far exceeded expectations with 20,000+ digital applications in Spanish,” said Ciardelli. “Now with the Rate App in Spanish, we’re giving Spanish-speaking buyers the same high-performance mobile experience that’s helped millions of homeowners, because language should never be what holds someone back.”
The Rate App in Spanish extends the company’s broader Contigo 100% philosophy, an all-in commitment to serve Spanish-speaking homebuyers with every product, person, and process. Unlike other lenders that take partial or translated approaches, Rate’s solution is completely in-language: application, interface, communications, servicing, loan disclosures, and now mobile.
“This launch demonstrates what equity in action looks like. It’s not a translation—it’s a fully in-language journey designed to honor and empower the Spanish-speaking community at every step of homeownership,” said Arlyn Kalinski, SVP, Fair & Equitable Lending Strategies at Rate. “Spanish-speaking buyers are mobile-first, ambitious, and driving the future of U.S. homeownership. With the Rate App in Spanish, we’re not just meeting them where they are—we’re giving them the same seamless, high-performance tools as any other customer.”
The app launch is supported by a national Spanish-language go-to-market campaign that began in July, spanning 25 top U.S. metro areas with digital ads aimed at both consumers and professionals. Rate expects to generate over 30 million impressions as part of this broader effort to engage the 60 million Latinos in the US, who represent one of the most powerful economic engines in housing today.
Additional highlights of Rate’s Language Access Program now include:
- Digital Mortgage Application in Spanish
- Customer Service and Loan Officers fluent in Spanish
- Loan Disclosures and Servicing in Spanish
- Same Day Mortgage™ in Spanish
- Marketing, advertising, and negotiation are available in Spanish across all 50 states
- Now: the Rate App in Spanish
The Language Access Program was recognized with HousingWire’s Tech100 award in 2023, and has become a national model for how fintech can expand equitable access to credit through smart, inclusive innovation.
Spanish-speaking users can download the Rate App now from the App Store and Google Play, and immediately access the Spanish version by updating phone settings to Spanish. For more information, visit rate.com/rate-app.
About Rate
Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans, refinances, and home equity loans. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Recent honors and awards include: a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 by Fortune; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for First-Time Homebuyers by Forbes; a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for FHA Loans, Home Equity Loans, and Lower Credit Scores by NerdWallet; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for Digital Experience and Down Payment Assistance by Motley Fool; Chicago Agent Magazine's Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.
Media Contact
press@rate.com
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