Fidel Dorado

Out of 40,000 mortgage loan officers across the country, a Madera man is being recognized for ranking No. 2 out of them all for providing exceptional customer service.

Fidel Dorado of Zabe Mortgage was rated second among loan officers at 350 companies based on customer surveys by experience.com, a provider of experience management software.

Experience.com recently released its annual list of America’s Top Loan Officers for Customer Satisfaction. The cloud-based platform is connected directly to each company’s loan origination system, with customer satisfaction surveys sent automatically to the borrower and co-borrower on all closed loan transactions.

A proprietary algorithm and weighting were used to arrive at the final results, which are based on data from 2021. The award is presented to the top 1% of participating loan officers.

“It is extremely difficult to earn a position on the Top Loan Officers list,” explains Experience.com CEO Scott Harris. “The loan officer (LO) has to close a high volume of mortgage loans, and give each customer a great experience every time. One poor review out of 100 closed loans can eliminate a LO from landing on this prestigious list.”

Dorado received an overall 4.99 stars (out of 5) from 299 reviews.

Since 2000, Dorado has been with Zabe Mortgage since 2000. His brother, Audel Avila, started the business in 1997. He and Dorado are now partners.

Dorado credits the time he spends with his customers for the positive reviews. Commercials for mortgage companies brag about how fast they can process loans. Dorado questions that strategy.

“You’re talking about one of the biggest commitments in your life and you want to press a button?” Dorado said.

He said they take time to explain the pros and cons of each option so they understand the different benefits.

“Those are the kinds of things we do to invest in our clients that can help them make the most informed and education decisions,” Dorado said.

Dorado closed 465 loans in 2021 for $86.5 million, doing both purchase and refinancing loans. He was also named Loan Officer of the Year for Golden Empire Mortgage of the roughly 50 branches the company operates in California. He was also named among the top 1% of loan officers for the Scotsman Guide — an industry magazine for lenders.

No. 1 on the list from Experience.com was Giuseppe Battaglioli with Zenith Home Loans in Greenwood, Colorado, who received a 4.97 rating from 394 reviews.

Zabe Mortgage operates under the Golden Empire Mortgage network.