Equal Housing Opportunity

Our fair-lending commitment — and exactly what to do if you believe it was broken.

Last updated October 2026

Our commitment

Mortgage Genius is an Equal Housing Lender. Every person who contacts us gets the same respectful service, the same honest information, and the same access to the loan programs we arrange — regardless of who they are or where they come from.

We follow every fair-lending law that applies to us: the federal Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), the Arizona Fair Housing Act, and the regulations that implement them.

One honest note about our role: we are a mortgage broker, not a lender. We arrange loans that wholesale lenders fund and underwrite. The commitments on this page bind us in everything we control — how we treat you, what we tell you, which lenders we recommend — and we choose lending partners who carry the same legal obligations.

The laws we follow

Three laws do most of the work. Each link goes to the government source itself, so you can read the original text.

Fair Housing Act

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended in 1988 — 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.

Makes it illegal to discriminate in the sale, rental, or financing of a home.

Read it at the DOJ

Equal Credit Opportunity Act

15 U.S.C. § 1691 et seq., carried out by Regulation B (12 C.F.R. Part 1002).

Makes it illegal to discriminate in any aspect of a credit transaction — including a mortgage.

Read it at the DOJ

Arizona Fair Housing Act

A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq., enforced by the Arizona Attorney General's Civil Rights Division.

Arizona's state fair-housing law — substantially the same protections under state law.

Read it at the AZ Attorney General

Protected classes

The lists differ slightly by law, which is exactly why we keep them separate here.

In housing

Under the Fair Housing Act, in any sale, rental, or financing of a home:

  • Race
  • Color
  • Religion
  • Sex
  • National origin
  • Disability (handicap)
  • Familial status — families with children under 18

In credit

Under ECOA, in any aspect of a credit transaction:

  • Race or color
  • Religion
  • National origin
  • Sex
  • Marital status
  • Age — provided the applicant has the capacity to enter a contract
  • Income from any public assistance program
  • Good-faith exercise of any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act

In practice we simply treat all of the above as off-limits in everything we do — you never have to guess which list applies.

What this means when you work with us

  • Same information for everyone. The rates, programs, and options we show you depend on your finances and your goals — never on the protected classes above.
  • No steering. We recommend loan programs and lenders based on fit, not on assumptions about your neighborhood, family, or background.
  • Properties judged on their merits. Appraisal and underwriting questions are about the property and your financial capacity — nothing else.
  • Accessible service. Tell us if you need an accommodation to work with us, and we will do what the law requires and then some.
  • Marketing that follows the rules. We advertise to the whole community we serve, never to a preferred slice of it.

Your rights as a mortgage applicant

These rights come from ECOA and Regulation B — the specific rule is linked on each.

  • A decision within 30 days. Once your completed application is in, the creditor must notify you of the action taken — approval, counteroffer, or denial — within 30 days. Regulation B § 1002.9
  • A real explanation if you're denied. An adverse action notice must tell you the specific reasons — you are entitled to know why, in words you can act on.
  • A free copy of your appraisal. The creditor must deliver copies of appraisals and written valuations promptly, and no later than three business days before closing, at no charge. Regulation B § 1002.14
  • The right to complain — and to be left alone after. Filing a discrimination complaint is protected; nobody may retaliate against you for it.

How to file a complaint

If you believe you were discriminated against — by us or by any other mortgage company — these agencies will take it seriously. Filing is free.

HUD

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Handles housing discrimination complaints.

Phone: 1-800-669-9777 (HUD's hotline)

TTY: 1-800-927-9275

hud.gov/fairhousing

CFPB

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Handles complaints about mortgages and other credit — companies are required to respond.

Phone: 1-855-411-2372 (the CFPB's hotline)

TTY/TDD: 1-855-729-2372

consumerfinance.gov/complaint

Arizona Attorney General

The state Civil Rights Division enforces the Arizona Fair Housing Act. Complaints generally must be filed within 12 months of the discrimination.

File online through the AG's complaint portal.

azag.gov/complaints
Michael George, founder and lead loan officer of Mortgage Genius

Questions about fair lending? Talk to me directly.

If something on this page doesn't match your experience with us, I want to hear it personally. You'll reach me or my direct line — not a call center.

Michael George

Founder & Lead Loan Officer · Mortgage Genius · NMLS #2280851

Contact us

Licensing

Mortgage Genius · NMLS #2280851 · Licensed Arizona Mortgage Broker. Verify our license at NMLS Consumer Access.

Signed,

Michael George's handwritten signature

Michael George

Founder & Lead Loan Officer, Mortgage Genius · NMLS #2280851