Privacy Policy Center

Privacy policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Guaranteed Rate, Inc. D/B/A Citywide Home Mortgage (“Citywide”, “we”, “us,” or “our”) collects and uses the personal information of users and visitors of our website (“user”, “you”, or “your”): www.citywidehomeloans.com. 
If you apply for or obtain a loan or other financial product offered through Guaranteed Rate, Inc. D/B/A Citywide Home Mortgage, our privacy practices with regard to that information are governed by the Citywide Customer Privacy Notice. Citywide is committed to protecting your personal information at all times. To that end, we employ and maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to ensure your non-public personal information is protected. Our websites are not designed to appeal to children under the age of 17 as our business is financial in nature. We don’t knowingly attempt to solicit or receive any information from children.

We are part of the Guaranteed Rate, Inc. affiliated Companies which include Rate, Guaranteed Rate Affinity, Rate Insurance, Certainty Home Lending, On Q Home Loans, Owning, OriginPoint, LLC, KBHS Home Loans,LLC,  Premia Relocation Mortgage, Rate Outdoors LLC, Tasso Design, LLC, RateFit, LLC, Fitbux, Inc., Fitbux RIA, LLC, Rate Travel LLC, Rate Supplements, LLC, Rate Homes, LLC, Advocus National Title Insurance Company, and Advocus Title Agency, LLC.

PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THIS STATEMENT BEFORE USING THIS SITE, AS IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. CONTINUING TO NAVIGATE THIS SITE CONSTITUTES YOUR AGREEMENT TO THE TERMS OF THIS STATEMENT.

How and why we collect personal information

We primarily collect information by specifically requesting it from you. We collect personal information directly from you, such as when you register, apply for a product, request information or a service, complete forms, communicate with us, or participate in promotions.

We also collect information automatically, through cookies, pixels, software development kits (SDKs), server logs, and similar technologies when you use the website as more fully described below.

We also collect information from third parties, including consumer reporting agencies, identity-verification and fraud-prevention services, our affiliates, joint marketing partners, service providers, data analytics providers, social networks, and public records.

In addition, we may also share your information with third parties with your consent or at your request, or as disclosed at the time you provide us with information.

Performing Services

Use for “Performing services” means using information about you to: (1) allow you to participate in the products, features, and services we offer or to provide related customer service; (2) process your registration, including to verify that information you provide is valid; (3) process a transaction you initiate; (4) improve our products, and for internal business purposes, including the measurement of the website’s functionality and/or effectiveness; and (5) contact you with regard to your use of the site, in our discretion, changes to our policies.

Marketing

Use for “Marketing,” means contacting you through means other than telephone (for example, email or postal mail) to offer and market to you services or products, including special offers or advertisements, any of which may be tailored to you. You may opt out of marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in each message; we honor opt-out requests as required by the CAN-SPAM Act.

Research and Development

We may use your personal information to combine and anonymize information about your interactions with us to create aggregate, anonymized statistics for use in research, education, and for marketing, promoting, improving, and developing our website. We may also conduct data analytics to develop insights about your needs and your preferences, so we can make more informed predictions, recommendations, and products for our customers.

We and our service partners use your information to operate the website and to deliver value-added services to you. Our website also uses your information to inform you about other products or services available from us. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, non-public personal information includes, without limitation, (a) your email address, (b) your first name, (c) your last name, (d) your social security number, and (e) your loan number. Citywide gathers two types of information about you: Data, including non-public personally identifiable information, that users provide through optional, voluntary application on our website Data that Citywide gathers through aggregate tracking, including by tallying webpages that are viewed by users throughout our website.

How We Share Personal Information

We may disclose or share your data for the following purposes:

• Service Providers and Contractors — entities that perform services on our behalf (e.g., hosting, analytics, identity verification, fraud prevention, document preparation, customer support, marketing execution, and AI virtual assistant vendors), under contracts restricting their use of your information.

• Our Affiliates. We would like to share your personal information with one or more of Our Affiliates in order to make you aware of different products and services they can provide which may be of interest to you. Our Affiliates include Rate, Guaranteed Rate Affinity, Rate Insurance, Certainty Home Lending, On Q Home Loans, Owning, OriginPoint, LLC, KBHS Home Loans,LLC,  Premia Relocation Mortgage, Rate Outdoors LLC, Tasso Design, LLC, RateFit, LLC, Fitbux, Inc., Fitbux RIA, LLC, Rate Travel LLC, Rate Supplements, LLC, Rate Homes, LLC, Advocus National Title Insurance Company, and Advocus Title Agency, LLC. You can request that we not share your personal information with our Affiliates to market their products.

• Consumer Reporting Agencies — in connection with obtaining consumer reports and furnishing account information as permitted by the FCRA.

•.Legal Purposes: Sharing for “Legal Purposes,” means we may disclose your information (i) if we are required or permitted to do so by law or legal process, (ii) to law enforcement authorities, or (iii) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity. 

• Corporate Transactions : We also reserve the right to disclose and transfer your information if our Company goes through a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition by another company, sale of all or a portion of its assets, or other corporate change, including during the course of any due diligence process. 

• With Your Consent or at Your Direction — including joint marketing partners and promotional program partners.

We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration, and we do not knowingly collect, use, disclose, sell, or share the personal information of any person under 18 years of age. You may opt out by contacting us at [email protected], or use  the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information / Your Privacy Choices” link on the Site.

Retention and Deletion Practices 

We retain your information only as long as necessary to provide the products and services for which the information was collected, to process and maintain a record of transactions, and as long as necessary for legal process or to satisfy government retention requirements. To determine whether the data is needed, we consider the reason your data was collected and used and any legal requirements to hold onto your data. We review your data periodically to ensure it is still needed to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected or any other legal requirements. When the retention period expires, we destroy data that was maintained in any form in a manner that renders it completely unusable and incapable of restoration. 

Global Privacy Control

We recognize and honor opt-out preference signals, such as the Global Privacy Control (GPC), as a valid request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising for the browser or device transmitting the signal, as required by California, Colorado, and other applicable state laws. Except for such recognized opt-out preference signals, our Platform does not currently respond to “Do Not Track” browser signals, for which no uniform standard has been adopted.

Agreement to Arbitrate

This agreement to arbitrate is referred to in this Policy and in the Terms of Use as the “Arbitration Agreement.” You agree that any and all disputes, claims or controversies arising out of or relating to this Arbitration Agreement or the relationship between me, on the one hand, and Citywide or affiliates (collectively “COMPANY”), on the other hand, whether based in contract, tort, statute (including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and similar federal and state laws and regulations), fraud, misrepresentation or any other legal theory – including, but not limited to, claims relating to my account, Citywide products and services and communications from or on behalf of Citywide (“Disputes”) – shall be submitted to American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), or its successor, for confidential, final and binding arbitration to be resolved by a single arbitrator in accordance with the terms of this Arbitration Agreement. You further agree that the arbitration will take place on an individual basis, and that by entering this Arbitration Agreement, you and the Company agree to waive any right to a trial by jury and to participate in any class action. For avoidance of doubt, you agree to give up the ability to bring a lawsuit in court (except small claims discussed below); and you are giving up the ability bring or participate in a class action in any form or forum, even if your Dispute is determined not to be subject to arbitration. Your rights will be determined by a neutral arbitrator, not a judge or jury. The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this Arbitration Agreement. 

Prohibition of Class and Representative Actions and Non-Individualized Relief: YOU AND COMPANY AGREE THAT EACH OF US MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION OR PROCEEDING. UNLESS BOTH YOU AND COMPANY AGREE OTHERWISE, THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE OR JOIN MORE THAN ONE PERSON’S OR PARTY’S CLAIMS AND MAY NOT OTHERWISE PRESIDE OVER ANY FORM OF A CONSOLIDATED, REPRESENTATIVE, OR CLASS PROCEEDING. ALSO, THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD RELIEF (INCLUDING MONETARY, INJUNCTIVE, AND DECLARATORY RELIEF) ONLY IN FAVOR OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTY SEEKING RELIEF AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE RELIEF NECESSITATED BY THAT PARTY’S INDIVIDUAL CLAIM(S), EXCEPT THAT YOU MAY PURSUE A CLAIM FOR AND THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD PUBLIC INJUNCTIVE RELIEF UNDER APPLICABLE LAW TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED FOR THE ENFORCEABILITY OF THIS PROVISION. THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT DOES NOT PRECLUDE YOU FROM BRINGING ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION OF FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL AGENCIES, AND SUCH AGENCIES CAN, IF THE LAW ALLOWS, SEEK RELIEF AGAINST COMPANY ON YOUR BEHALF. 

Arbitration Procedures: Arbitration will be conducted under AAA Streamlined Rules and comply with the AAA Consumer Minimum Standards. The arbitrator shall have exclusive authority to resolve disputes relating to the terms of this Agreement.

Governing Law: The formation, existence, construction, performance, and validity of this agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois and the United States, without reference to choose or conflict of law principles.

Information we collect when you browse our website

We do not access information about your identity while you browse our website. Although we collect information about the date, time and area of our website that you visited, you remain anonymous to us. Only if you decide to apply for a loan with us directly or through a broker, do we collect any personally identifying information about you.

Use of Tracking; Use of IP Addresses

An IP address is a unique number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Internet so that your computer can be identified by the main computers, known as “Web servers,” that “serve up” or display webpages. This allows us to identify and gather general information and data about you, such as the webpages you view. Citywide collects IP addresses for the purposes of system administration and security, to report on aggregated information, and to audit the use of our site. Aggregated information is intended for Citywide internal use only, and is part of our performance tracking and diagnostic processes. When customers request pages from Citywide, our servers log the customers’ IP addresses. We do not normally link IP addresses to anything personally identifiable, which means that a customer’s session will be logged, but the customer will remain anonymous to us unless they decide to apply for a loan with us. We can, and will, use IP addresses to identify you when we feel it is necessary to enforce compliance with our website Terms of Use or to protect our service, website, users, or others.

Cookies

Citywide uses a variety of third-party services to help provide the most streamlined and user-friendly website possible. We also use third parties such as Google Analytics to help us understand how our visitors use our website. These third-parties may collect certain information from your browser (i.e. using cookies and/or your IP address), and may tailor your ads so that you see Citywide advertisements on other websites. To learn more, or to opt-out of receiving online display advertisements tailored to your interests by our third party partners, visit the Network Advertising Initiative at www.networkadvertising.org/choices . If you prefer, you can adjust your privacy settings in your browser so that your information is not tracked. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on a user’s computer for record-keeping purposes. We use cookies on this site. We do not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while on our site. We use both session ID cookies and persistent cookies. We use session ID cookies to make it easier for you to navigate our site. A session ID cookie expires when you close your browser. A persistent cookie remains on your hard drive for an extended period of time. You can remove persistent cookies by following directions provided in your Internet browser’s “help” file. We use session cookies to tailor your experience on our site. Persistent cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site. The use of cookies by third parties, including but not limited to our partners, affiliates, tracking utility company and service providers is not covered by our privacy statement. We do not have access or control over these cookies. Our partners, affiliates, tracking utility company and service providers may use session ID cookies. If you reject cookies, you may still use our site, but your ability to use some areas of our site, such as contests or surveys, will be limited.

Web Beacons

Our third party service provider employs a software technology called clear gifs (a.k.a. Web beacons/Web bugs), that help us better manage content on our site by informing us what content is effective. Clear gifs are tiny graphics with a unique identifier, similar in function to cookies, and are used to track the online movements of Web users. In contrast to cookies, which are stored on a user’s computer hard drive, clear gifs are embedded invisibly on Web pages and are about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. We tie the information gathered by clear gifs to our customers’ personally identifiable information. We use clear gifs in our HTML-based emails to let us know which emails have been opened by recipients. This allows us to gauge the effectiveness of certain communications and the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.

Your California Privacy Rights

California Civil Code § 1798.83 permits visitors to our website who are California residents to request certain information regarding their disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please write us:

Guaranteed Rate, Inc.
Re: Citywide Home Mortgage, Attn: Compliance

3940 N. Ravenswood
Chicago, IL 60613

DISCLOSURE FOR CALIFORNIA USERS: CITYWIDE MORTGAGE AND  OTHER PARTIES NOT AFFILIATED WITH US MAY COLLECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ONLINE ACTIVITIES OVER TIME AND ACROSS DIFFERENT WEBSITES WHEN YOU USE OUR WEBSITE OR THE SERVICES OFFERED ON OUR WEBSITE. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROTOCOL THAT OFFERS YOU THE CHOICE TO OPT-OUT OF INTERNET TRACKING. AT PRESENT TIME, THE CITYWIDE MORTGAGE WEBSITE IS UNABLE TO RESPOND TO “DO NOT TRACK” SIGNALS FROM YOUR INTERNET BROWSER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR INTERNET TRACKING METHODS PLEASE EMAIL US AT [email protected] .

How we protect your personal information and your privacy

We primarily collect information by specifically requesting it from you. Generally, this occurs when you register at our website or request information or a service. Usually, we and our service partners use your information to operate the website and to deliver value-added services to you. Our website also uses your information to inform you about other products or services available from us. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, non-public personal information includes, without limitation, (a) your email address, (b) your first name, (c) your last name, (d) your social security number, and (e) your loan number. Citywide gathers two types of information about you: Data, including non-public personally identifiable information, that users provide through optional, voluntary application on our website Data that Citywide gathers through aggregate tracking, including by tallying webpages that are viewed by users throughout our website.

Compliance with state and federal laws

As privacy rights vary by state, you may wish to contact the appropriate agency in your state that is charged with overseeing privacy rights of consumers. In addition, state and federal regulations may require us to maintain and report demographic information on the collective activities of consumers and users. We may also be required to maintain your personal information for at least seven years in order to be in compliance with applicable federal and state laws regarding record retention.

Session time-outs

If you are logged into your account on our website and are inactive for a certain period of time, you will be automatically logged out. This is a security measure that reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your account or non-public personal information.

Passwords

Citywide requires the use of passwords that meet minimum length and complexity requirements. Users are also required to change their passwords periodically. To protect against unauthorized access, accounts are locked after a number of unsuccessful login attempts.

What you can do to protect yourself

While we take the security of your non-public personal information seriously and have taken steps to protect it, there are also a number of precautions that you can take to protect yourself: If using your personal computer, ensure that your operating system and antivirus software are up to date with the latest versions. Create strong, unique passwords for each online service that you use and change these passwords often. When you finish using our website from a public computer, log out and clear the browser’s cache file. Stay vigilant for scams like “phishing”. Never provide your login information in response to any email, physical mail or phone call that claims to be from Citywide . Does Citywide share my personal information with third parties? As a visitor and user of our website, we will not share any of your non-public personal information with anyone outside our company except: On a “need to know” basis, as necessary under the agreements with our vendors to perform the services as contracted by you At your direction and with your consent. To communicate with you about products and services, update you on new services and benefits, or to provide you with personalized promotional offers. As required or permitted by law. Citywide may also disclose account information in special cases when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be violating our Terms of Use, or may be causing injury to or interference (either intentionally or unintentionally) with any of Citywide’s rights or property, other users, or anyone else. Citywide may disclose or access account information when we believe in good faith that the law requires it and for administrative and other purposes that we deem necessary to maintain, service, and improve our products and services.

Links to other sites

Our site includes links to other websites whose privacy practices may differ from those of Citywide. If you submit personal information to any of those sites, your information is governed by their privacy statements. We encourage you to carefully read the privacy statement of any website you visit.

Public forums

Our website may offer publicly accessible blogs or community forums. You should be aware that any information you provide in these areas may be read, collected, and used by others who access them.

Contests and sweepstakes

We may offer you the option to participate in contests, sweepstakes, or surveys. If you agree to participate, we may ask you for contact information, preferences or other information. This information may be used to conduct research, improve our offerings, or contact you regarding home financing or award prizes. For information on how your information that you supply will be used, please refer to the rules for each contest or sweepstakes.

Notifications from us

If you use our website to apply for a loan or create an account, you will receive email notifications from Citywide from time to time. These are required notices, and you cannot opt out of receiving them. They are designed primarily to protect your non-public personal information from unauthorized access and to provide you information on the status of your transaction with us. Some notifications may also be necessary when we make changes to various legal agreements or policies, including this privacy policy. If necessary, we may also respond to emails that you send us.

Change of control

Your non-public personal information may be transferred in connection with a sale, merger, transfer, exchange or other disposition (whether of assets, stock or otherwise) of all or a portion of a business of Citywide.

Agreement and contact

By clicking on any button indicating an acceptance or agreement to terms, a continuance of processing or submission you understand that you are agreeing to the stated terms and conditions of that submission and that you are agreeing that you have read, accepted, and agreed to this Privacy Policy and agree to do business electronically with Citywide.

Notification of privacy statement changes

We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy to reflect changes to our information practices at any time with notice on this site prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices. Your continued use of Citywide’s website following the posting of changes to these terms will mean you accept those changes.

Who can I contact for privacy related issues?

You can contact us by mail at:

Guaranteed Rate, Inc. D/B/A Citywide Home Mortgage


Attn: Legal
3940 N. Ravenswood Ave


Chicago, IL 60613

Updates

Nevada Residents:  This section applies only to Nevada residents. Nevada residents may elect to opt-out of the sale of their Personal Information. To make a request, please contact us as described in the How to Contact Us section, below. Indicate in your email or letter that you are a Nevada resident.

Colorado Privacy Act (CPA): This section applies only to Colorado residents. Colorado residents have the following rights to:

• opt-out of the processing of personal data
• have inaccuracies in their Personal Information be corrected
• request deletion of their Personal Information held by us
• obtain a portable copy of the data

Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA): This section applies only to Texas residents.

Texas residents have the following rights to:

• opt-out of the processing of personal data
• have inaccuracies in their Personal Information be corrected
• request deletion of their Personal Information held by us
• obtain a portable copy of the data
• right to appeal a decision made by the company
• request no more than twice in a twelve month period.

This Privacy Policy was last updated 7/27/2026. Please check periodically for changes.