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Gustan Cho Biography
Gustan Cho Biography | Mortgage and Real Estate Career
Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293, is the president of Gustan Cho Associates, powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205. The firm uses a wide multistate lending platform to offer government, conventional, jumbo, Non-QM, investment-property, and alternative mortgage programs.
Gustan Cho Biography: Real Estate Investor and Mortgage Lending Leader
- Gustan Cho did not have any partners. Starting day one, Gustan tackled the seven large apartment complexes.
- From construction and multifamily investing to leading Gustan Cho Associates in mortgage lending,
Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293 Last Updated: July 18, 2026Gustan Cho Biography: Real Estate Investor and Mortgage Lending Leader
Gustan Cho is a mortgage lending professional and multifamily real estate investor with a long history in general contracting and investing. Additionally, he is the founder and managing director of Gustan Cho Associates. His extensive professional resume includes construction, securities, mortgage lending, multifamily real estate, and a variety of property rehabilitation and mortgage-related services, as well as national mortgage education.
Before beginning his mortgage lending career in 2012, Cho gained decades of experience purchasing, rehabilitating, managing, and financing residential and multifamily properties.
Reportedly, during the peak of his real estate investment career, he owned over 3,000 residential units across seven apartment complexes and many other smaller multifamily properties.
Gustan Cho Associates was founded on this combination of experience to impact clients who have suffered mortgage denials, are credit-challenged, have prior credit issues, possess Non-traditional income, have high debt-to-income ratios, and understand that they have limited mortgage options.
Gustan Cho Profile
Gustan L. Cho is a real estate investor and entrepreneur. He is an experienced educator in the mortgage field and originates loans. Rare is the case when a mortgage field professional has ownership-side real estate experience, and he is one of those individuals.
Mr. Cho is well known today for assisting home buyers and property owners with complex mortgage issues that have led lenders to decline their applications.
He has encountered many of the same issues that potential borrowers, homeowners, and real estate investors face, including challenges in obtaining commercial financing, constructing or rehabilitating a property, managing tenants, addressing personal financial challenges and business recovery, and navigating the mortgage underwriting process.
Early Life and Immigration to the United States
Gustan Cho was born in Incheon (spelled Inchon), South Korea, and was relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a child. They then migrated to the United States in 1974 and settled in Chicago, Illinois.
Being an immigrant and settling in the US helped shape Cho’s strong work ethic and determination, which they carried throughout their life.
Cho was able to pay for college after working and building their career in construction and sales.
Education After immigrating to the US, Cho was enrolled in Chicago schools, and then later moved to Mount Prospect, Illinois, with their family.
Some of the schools in Cho’s education history:
Indian Grove Elementary, River Trails Junior High, and John Hersey High School, all in Illinois, and North Park University in Chicago.
Not only did Cho get their undergraduate degree from North Park University, but they also completed a semester of graduate school.
Gustan Cho’s Early Professional Career
Starting in Construction and Sales Management
While in College, Cho started working for a construction company. In their early twenties, Cho had gone from a telemarketer to a sales manager.
In their early 20s, Cho managed a construction company and had extensive experience and skills in sales and customer service, employee management, budgeting, and daily business tasks.
Becoming a Stockbroker and Branch Manager
Cho started working in the financial services sector in 1988 after switching careers from construction. He worked as a licensed stockbroker after passing the Series 7 exam.
Cho was in the securities and brokerage industry until about 1996. He gained experience in many areas, including financial analysis and risk management, investment strategies, client service, and regulatory compliance.
Gustan then took the Series 24 exam and became a branch manager. He had many duties related to standards of operations and the management of regulatory and compliance issues, as well as supervisory and client-facing duties.
Learning From Financial Setbacks
In the early parts of his career, Cho experienced major detrimental financial setbacks. From those setbacks, he learned that a borrower’s financial conditions can change rapidly due to business and economic conditions, as well as over-leveraging and misplaced confidence.
Instead of letting setbacks cause the end of his professional career, he improved his financial condition and returned to construction. His setbacks later allowed him to aid mortgage borrowers in bankruptcy as well as those with severely damaged credit and other financial issues.
General Contracting and Real Estate Development
General Contracting
After leaving the securities industry, Cho became a general contractor and participated in the construction of both residential and commercial projects.
These projects included commercial construction, shopping centers, converted loft condominiums, renovated apartments, and both gut rehabs and new construction, among others.
These projects provided valuable lessons in the construction costs and management of contractors, the planning of renovations, as well as the construction of new projects. He also learned about budgeting and real estate improvement strategies.
Investing Journey of Gustan Cho
Gustan Cho started his real estate journey in October 1998. Fast forward a year, and Cho was focused on profitable investments from rehabbing and flipping single-family homes and duplexes.
From there, Cho started focusing on multifamily real estate. He would often look for vacant, distressed, and mismanaged multifamily buildings that needed a lot of work.
Cho’s investment strategy consisted of:
Purchasing the distressed or mismanaged building, doing a gut rehab, getting quality tenants, stabilizing the building, and refinancing and holding the building to get cash flow.
Gustan Cho’s First Multifamily Building
- In December 1999, Cho bought his first multifamily building. It was an 8-unit building located at 3624 West Augusta Blvd. in Chicago.
- He started a new strategy for his large multifamily investments.
- This new strategy was focused on holding the rehabbed buildings and starting the rentals and Cho’s self-financed multifamily construction.
Cho started building a multifamily portfolio in Chicago.
In the years that followed, Cho continued to build his real estate portfolio and purchased many homes around Chicago.
His portfolio consisted of homes, duplexes, and many multifamily buildings that consisted of 60 units or more. Many of the buildings acquired by Cho were distressed and in need of rehab.
The original portfolio listed buildings ranging from small two-unit properties to buildings such as:
- 110 North Leamington, containing 22 units
- 5001 West Monroe with 26 units
- 5501 West Monroe with 26 units
- 38 North Central with 39 units
- 123 North Central with 41 units
- 8044 South Ingleside with 44 units
- and
- 60 North Central with 60 units
Acquiring More Than 3,000 Residential Units
As his investment business expanded, Cho moved from individual Chicago apartment buildings into larger apartment communities.
At its peak, his broader portfolio reportedly included more than 3,000 residential units across seven apartment complexes, as well as the smaller properties he had accumulated in Chicago.
The portfolio was built through a value-add investment model. Properties were acquired, renovated, stabilized, managed, and refinanced as their occupancy and financial performance improved.
Southgate Apartments and Major Real Estate AcquisitionsAcquisition of Southgate Apartments
One of Cho’s largest documented acquisitions was Southgate Apartments, a 424-unit apartment community.
The property went under contract in early 2004 and closed in October 2004. It required substantial renovation and operational improvements.
The business plan included rehabilitating a significant number of apartments and improving the community’s overall condition and performance.
The original financing included an $18 million mortgage. The property was later refinanced for construction and capital improvements, first at approximately $23.5 million and later at approximately $26.8 million.
According to the original résumé, proceeds from refinancing were reinvested into additional apartment acquisitions.
Additional Apartment Communities
Other major apartment communities identified in Cho’s real estate history include:
Eagle Terrace Apartments
- Eagle Terrace was part of the portfolio’s expansion and rehabilitation strategy.
- Capital improvements were intended to increase occupancy, improve the property’s classification, and support permanent refinancing.
Forest Hills Apartments
- Forest Hills was acquired as part of the portfolio’s growth phase.
- The investment plan called for construction improvements, tenant stabilization, and long-term refinancing.
Cedars Apartments
- Cedars Apartments was another value-add community in the portfolio.
- The business strategy focused on improving the physical condition of the property and strengthening its long-term cash flow.
Heatherton Estates
- Heatherton Estates was located in Florissant, Missouri.
- It was described in the original résumé as an A- to A-class apartment community.
Country Club Apartments
- Country Club Apartments was identified as another planned acquisition during the portfolio’s 2007 expansion period.
- These acquisitions demonstrate Cho’s experience with large apartment communities, commercial financing, construction loans, mezzanine financing, property rehabilitation, asset management, and multifamily refinancing.
Recovering From the Loss of the Real Estate Portfolio
The national real estate and credit downturn created significant challenges for property owners who relied on construction financing, refinancing, and commercial credit markets.
Cho eventually lost the apartment portfolio after a prolonged period of financial and legal difficulties. Although the experience represented a major personal and professional setback,
it also became a turning point in his career.The loss gave Cho firsthand knowledge of the financial pressure property owners,
consumers, and business operators experience when credit markets change or financing becomes unavailable.
Rather than leaving the real estate and financial industries, he used those experiences to begin a new career in residential mortgage lending.
Gustan Cho’s Mortgage Career from 2012 to the Present
Passing the NMLS Examination
In early 2012, Gustan Cho passed the National Mortgage Licensing System examination and began working as a licensed mortgage loan originator.
His transition into mortgage lending combined several areas of previous experience:
- Financial services and securities
- Construction and property rehabilitation
- Residential and commercial real estate
- Multifamily acquisition and management
- Borrower credit and financial hardship
- Real estate financing and refinancing
This background allowed Cho to evaluate mortgage applications from both the lender’s and property owner’s perspectives.
Opening a Mortgage Branch
After entering the mortgage industry, Cho opened and managed a mortgage branch. He gradually built a team of mortgage loan originators, processors, operations professionals, and support staff.
The organization focused on borrowers who had difficulty qualifying through banks or mortgage lenders with restrictive underwriting overlays.
Cho also began publishing educational content on mortgages and real estate to help borrowers understand lending guidelines before applying for a mortgage.
Founding Gustan Cho Associates
Gustan Cho Associates grew out of Cho’s goal of creating a mortgage platform that combined consumer education, broad access to loan programs, and hands-on assistance with complicated mortgage applications.
The organization became known for reviewing loan scenarios involving:
- Lower credit scores
- Manual underwriting
- High debt-to-income ratios
- Chapter 13 bankruptcy
- Prior Chapter 7 bankruptcy
- Foreclosure, deed-in-lieu, or short sale
- Collections and charge-offs
- Recent mortgage late payments
- Self-employment or irregular income
- Bank statement and 1099 income
- Real estate investment financing
- Previous mortgage denials
The current company platform is powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205. Gustan Cho Associates states that it provides FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, Non-QM, construction, renovation, and investment-property financing through a multistate lending network.
Mortgage Expertise Built on Real Estate Experience
Gustan Cho’s mortgage career is supported by experience beyond loan origination.
He has been a construction employee, sales manager, securities professional, branch manager, general contractor, real estate investor, multifamily property owner, borrower, commercial financing customer, and mortgage loan originator.
That background allows him to understand how credit, income, assets, property condition, construction costs, rental income, debt obligations, and financing terms affect a mortgage transaction.
His experience also helps him recognize that a borrower who does not meet one lender’s requirements may still have options through another loan program or lending channel.
What Is Gustan Cho Associates?
Gustan Cho Associates is a mortgage lending and consumer education organization led by Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293.
The organization provides information and mortgage guidance for homebuyers, homeowners, real estate investors, real estate professionals, and mortgage loan originators.
Gustan Cho Associates is currently powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205. The team works through a broad multistate platform and offers traditional and alternative mortgage programs.
Government and Conventional Mortgage Programs
The team works with borrowers seeking FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional financing.
These programs may be used for home purchases or refinancing, subject to agency guidelines, lender requirements, property eligibility, income, credit, assets, and underwriting approval.
Non-QM and Alternative Mortgage Programs
Gustan Cho Associates also works with borrowers who may not qualify for traditional income documentation or agency mortgage programs.
Available options may include bank-statement loans, DSCR investment-property loans, 1099-income loans, asset-depletion loans, jumbo mortgages, ITIN loans, foreign-national programs, construction financing, renovation loans, and other Non-QM products.
Program availability, qualification requirements, interest rates, and terms depend on the borrower, property, lender, and state.
Mortgage Education and GCA Mortgage Forums
In addition to originating mortgages, Gustan Cho Associates publishes educational content about mortgage guidelines, credit, real estate, housing, bankruptcy, underwriting, loan programs, and the home-buying process.
GCA Mortgage Forums serves as the organization’s online community and resource platform. It gives consumers, mortgage professionals, real estate professionals, and industry participants a place to discuss loan scenarios, real estate, credit, lending, and business topics.
Professional Strengths and Areas of Experience
Gustan Cho’s professional experience includes mortgage loan origination, branch leadership, complex mortgage qualification, real estate finance, multifamily investment, property rehabilitation, construction management, securities, financial services, consumer education, digital publishing, team development, and national business expansion.
He is particularly experienced in reviewing borrowers previously denied due to lender overlays, credit history, unconventional income, high debt ratios, or limited loan program availability.
Gustan Cho’s Professional Mission
Gustan Cho’s mission is to help borrowers receive clear information before making major mortgage and real estate decisions.
His approach is based on the belief that borrowers should not automatically give up after a mortgage denial. Instead, the complete financial profile should be reviewed to determine whether another loan program, underwriting method, or lender may offer a possible solution.
A mortgage approval is never guaranteed. Every borrower must satisfy the applicable loan-program guidelines, lender requirements, ability-to-repay standards, property requirements, and underwriting conditions.
Contact Gustan Cho Associates
Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293
Founder and Managing Director
Gustan Cho Associates
Powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC
NMLS 376205Phone: 800-900-8569
Email: gcho@gustancho.com
Website: gustancho.com
Online Community: gcaforums.comThe current official site lists Gustan Cho Associates as powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, and provides state licensing and disclosure information for consumers.
FAQs About Gustan Cho and Gustan Cho Associates
Who is Gustan Cho?
Gustan Cho is a mortgage loan originator, longtime real estate investor, former general contractor, and founder and managing director of Gustan Cho Associates. His NMLS identification number is 873293.
What is Gustan Cho’s NMLS number?
Gustan Cho’s individual NMLS number is 873293. Consumers should verify licensing information and state availability through NMLS Consumer Access and the company’s current licensing disclosures.
What is Gustan Cho Associates?
Gustan Cho Associates is a mortgage lending and educational organization serving homebuyers, homeowners, and real estate investors. The company is known for reviewing complicated mortgage applications and helping borrowers understand government, conventional, and Non-QM loan options.
Who Owns Gustan Cho Associates?
Gustan Cho founded and leads Gustan Cho Associates. He serves as the organization’s managing director and remains involved in mortgage origination, business development, borrower education, and strategic growth.
Is Gustan Cho Associates a Mortgage Lender or a Mortgage Broker?
Gustan Cho Associates operates as a mortgage brand and team powered by Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205. Depending on the loan program and transaction, loans may be brokered or handled through an approved lending channel.
Does Gustan Cho Associates work with Borrowers who Have Bad Credit?
The team reviews applications from borrowers with lower credit scores, collections, charge-offs, late payments, bankruptcy, foreclosure, high debt-to-income ratios, and other credit challenges. Having bad credit does not guarantee approval or denial. Qualification depends on the completeness of the application and the requirements of the selected mortgage program.
Can Gustan Cho Associates help after another lender denies a mortgage?
A previous denial does not always mean the borrower is ineligible for every mortgage program. Gustan Cho Associates can review the reason for the denial and determine whether another lender, loan product, or underwriting approach may be available.
What Mortgage Programs Does Gustan Cho Associates Offer?
Programs may include FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, jumbo, Non-QM, bank-statement, DSCR, asset-depletion, 1099-income, renovation, construction, ITIN, foreign-national, and investment-property loans. Availability depends on the state, property, borrower qualifications, and participating lender.
Is Gustan Cho Associates Licensed Nationwide?
Gustan Cho Associates operates through a broad multistate mortgage platform. State coverage can change, and not every loan program is available in every jurisdiction. Consumers should review the current disclosures and licensing page before applying.
Where Can Borrowers find Gustan Cho Associates Reviews?
Borrowers can review testimonials on the Gustan Cho Associates website and search independent consumer-review platforms. Branded searches for Gustan Cho Associates reviews currently surface on platforms such as such aslot and Experience.com, but ratings and review counts change.
How can someone contact Gustan Cho?
Gustan Cho Associates can be reached by calling 800-900-8569 or emailing gcho@gustancho.com. Borrowers can also submit a request through gustancho.com.
Important Changes From the Old Resume
I recommend removing the former Barrington Hills residential address, old telephone numbers, fax number, AOL email address, detailed residential line-of-credit request, and outdated references to NEXA Mortgage. Those items are either private, obsolete, or unrelated to the purpose of a modern professional biography.
The page should use ProfilePage and Person structured data, connect Gustan Cho’s author profile to his published articles, and include accurate sameAs, image, job title, NMLS identifier, company, and biography fields. Google specifically recommends ProfilePage markup for employee, author, and “About Me” pages focused on one person.
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Gustan Cho Biography: From Immigrant Entrepreneur and Real Estate Investor to Founder of Gustan Cho Associates
Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293: From Immigrant, Entrepreneur, Real Estate Investor, and Mortgage Professional to Gustan Cho Associates Founder
This biography details the career of Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293, an immigrant, entrepreneur, real estate investor, mortgage professional, and founder of Gustan Cho Associates.
Gustan Cho Associates is a mortgage lending company that provides consumer education and serves as an online resource for home buyers, homeowners, and real estate and mortgage professionals in the U.S. The company operates under Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205.
The Road and Pathway to Mortgage Lending
Gustan Cho did not take a straight path to mortgage lending. Early in his career, he worked in real estate development, distressed-property investing, multifamily financing, sales management, construction, and securities, and he also faced bankruptcy.
Gustan Cho Associates was established as a result of Cho’s entrepreneurial drive, extensive experience as a real estate investor and rental property owner, and the insights gained from overcoming financial challenges.
First Hardships
Gustan Cho was born in 1965 in the South Korean City of Incheon. In 1967, he and his family moved to Buenos Aires. The family moved again to the Chicago metropolitan area in 1974.
As a member of an immigrant family, Cho adapted to new countries, cultures, and lifestyles. He ultimately settled in Chicago, where he completed his education and began his professional career.
Cho attended school in the Chicago area’s northern suburbs. He went to Indian Grove Elementary School, River Trails Junior High School, and John Hersey High School. He attended North Park University and took additional courses. While he did not earn a degree there, Cho worked during college to support himself. This position provided his initial exposure to business and sales, fostering the entrepreneurial curiosity that influenced his subsequent career trajectory.
The Start in the Workforce
He was working for a construction company as a telemarketer when he started college. The job included sales, extra responsibilities, and product training. He was promoted to sales manager before he turned 20 and soon managed sales operations. Cho remained in the construction industry until 1988. Establishing his own business instilled in him the importance of diligence, a comprehensive understanding of real estate and sales, and the principle that success is achieved through proactive effort.
The Lessons Never Left His Side
The construction business was replaced by the securities business in 1988. Cho was a licensed stockbroker with a Series 7 securities registration. He then obtained Series 24 and entered the securities management field. He moved up quickly and built a successful career as a branch manager.
New Side of Finance
Working in securities introduced Cho to the wider world of finance. He went from working with contractors to dealing with investors, clients, financial markets, and regulations, and soon earned recognition as a top producer.
Real Estate and Mortgage Lending
Cho learned what it takes to succeed in real estate and mortgage lending, including managing finances, navigating regulations, and overseeing risk and employees.
Personal Bankruptcy
Cho struggled with his personal finances into his thirties. He trusted business associates and investors, lent them money, and allowed them to use his personal credit. When those relationships ended badly, he was left with significant debt, including credit card and personal loan balances.
He considered filing for bankruptcy but decided to try settling the debts himself. His challenges deepened when the securities firm he worked for shut down just as the economy slipped into recession.
With a young family to support, Cho faced mounting debts and uncertainty. Some attorneys advised him to file for bankruptcy, but he delayed because he was only 25 and did not want to damage the credit he had worked hard to build.
Eventually, bankruptcy became his only option. He filed for Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy in 1991.
How Bankruptcy Influenced His Future Career
Cho understood the significant impact bankruptcy can have on a person and wanted his future clients to learn from his experience. He understood firsthand what it meant to have no credit, maxed-out cards, no income, and the daunting task of rebuilding after bankruptcy.
Cho emphasized that a credit crisis is only a temporary setback, not a defining narrative. Such challenges do not preclude the attainment of long-term financial stability.
Returning to Construction and Real Estate
Cho worked in securities until 1996, after which he returned to construction and real estate. He entered general contracting and collaborated with business partners on several substantial projects. These projects included gut renovations of apartments and single-family residences, new construction, completed shopping centers, and loft condominiums.
During this time, Cho got hands-on experience in real estate development, learning about both the physical changes to properties and the financial strategies involved rehabilitation, financing, leasing, management, and the valuation of the properties.
This learning curve set the stage for his next chapter: in October 1998, Cho began investing in real estate. His early-stage investments were in single-family and two-family homes, made in collaboration with other investors. These properties were improved and sold for a profit. However, he soon realized that flipping renovated properties was only one option. He found that steady rental income could be just as rewarding.
First Multifamily Apartment Acquisition
In December 1999, Cho made his first multifamily apartment building acquisition as an individual investor.
This marked the beginning of his ambitious strategy in multifamily investments. Instead of only buying fully stabilized apartments, Cho looked for troubled properties that others ignored.
- Many were empty, poorly managed, and poorly maintained.
- Substantially repair and renovate.
- Improve property management.
- When legally appropriate, replace chronic problem tenancy with a stable tenant base.
- Increase occupancy.
- Stabilize rental income.
- Refinance improved property.
- Hold when long-term cash flow is justified.
- Cho often held on to apartment buildings for their rental income rather than selling them immediately after renovations.
- He was able to move from smaller residential investments to bigger multifamily buildings.
Building a Chicago Multifamily Portfolio
After rehabilitating and managing many multifamily buildings in Chicago, Cho also acquired and managed other multifamily buildings. Properties varied from 2 units to properties that could contain dozens of units. Many of the buildings he acquired were distressed or borderline habitable. Comprehensive rehabilitation and renovations were done before stabilizing the buildings. Cho’s hands-on work gave him experience with multifamily properties that few people have.
Gustan Cho Biography
His appetite for real estate encouraged him to learn about and become involved in construction management, tenant issues, property management, financing, refinancing, operating expenses, capital improvements, occupancy, and the daily business concerns of owning an apartment
building. As his portfolio grew, he owned dozens of properties, and his range of ownership included small multifamily properties to larger buildings with about 60 units.Larger Apartment Communities
His real estate activities in the early 2000s were no longer limited to small and mid-sized Chicago apartment buildings. In 2004, he contracted to purchase the Southgate Apartments, which was a 424-unit apartment community, and completed the purchase in October 2004. This The property offered tremendous potential for transformation. His focus, and that of his team, was to renovate apartment units and complete capital improvements, stabilize occupancy, and improve the operation of the apartment community.
Refinancing as a Tool to Improve His Portfolio
Cho’s model of investing included the strategic use of refinancing. Once a distressed asset was improved, the property was operating well, and the value of the property increased, refinancing would then be possible.
The capital that was generated from refinancing could be used to carry out further improvements on the property, restructure the debt, or be used for other investments.
To successfully implement this investment model, Cho had to understand commercial real estate lending from the borrower’s perspective. He had to deal with all aspects of financing, including acquisition financing, construction financing, permanent financing, refinancing, and mezzanine financing, and the extensive operations involved with large multifamily properties. These hard-earned lessons would later prove invaluable in his mortgage career.
Growth of His Multifamily Portfolio
His portfolio continued to grow beyond his original Chicago multifamily holdings with large multifamily properties and other projects. His investments included Southgate Apartments, Eagle Terrace, Heatherton Estates, Forest Hills, Cedars Apartments, and the Country Club Apartments, among other investments.
For Cho, the goal was never just about amassing properties. Cho’s investment documents indicate a focus on asset stabilization and a willingness to make additional acquisitions after stabilization.
For Cho’s distressed multi-family properties, this meant a hands-on approach to complete renovations, stabilize occupancy, and establish reliable leasing and cash flow before pursuing and securing longer-term financing. This practical approach provided Cho with direct insight into the challenges encountered by property owners. These experiential lessons, unavailable in textbooks or underwriting guides, contributed to his distinctive perspective on lending through activities such as purchasing, renovating, managing, and financing real estate.
The Start of Originating Loans for Own Real Estate Holdings
Cho worked with lenders in many different capacities: consumer, entrepreneur, contractor, securities professional, investor, landlord, and multifamily property owner. This background ultimately contributed to his practice of residential and commercial mortgage lending.
Currently, Gustan Cho, NMLS 873293, is the National Managing Director and Branch Manager of Gustan Cho Associates. His practice is centered on mortgage lending for borrowers who face challenges in the traditional lending qualification process.
Founding and Building Gustan Cho Associates
Gustan Cho Associates grew beyond the boundaries of a typical mortgage origination team.
The organization integrates several components, including mortgage lending, borrower education, publishing, mortgage-related training, and the construction of a professional real estate and finance community. Currently, GCA’s About Us states that Gustan Cho Associates is a national platform for online mortgage lending, consumer education, content publishing, and professional community training.
Gustan Cho Associates works in conjunction with Coast 2 Coast Mortgage Lending, LLC, NMLS 376205. Specializing in Challenging Mortgage Situations
Throughout his mortgage career, Cho became known for helping borrowers whose applications fell outside the usual lending boundaries.
These Situations Can Involve Borrowers With:
- Low credit scores
- High debt-to-income ratios
- Chapter 7 bankruptcy
- Chapter 13 bankruptcy
- Foreclosure
- Previous mortgage denials
- Manual underwriting
- Collections and charge-offs
- Self-employed
- Nontraditional
- Complex
- FHA and VA loans
- Nonqualified mortgages
- Bank statement loans
- Loans for the purpose of financing an investment property
Currently, GCA’s resources highlight Cho as a real estate investor and mortgage expert recognized for handling complex mortgage cases, including prior denials, credit issues, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and self-employment challenges. Financial experience is emphasized as a critical asset.
How GCA Set a Solid Foundation After Big Failures
Cho’s approach to handling difficult mortgage cases is shaped by more than just lending guidelines and manuals. He filed for bankruptcy, rebuilt, bought property, secured commercial financing, took construction-related risks, refinanced, and managed large real estate investments.
Gustan’s life journey gives him a unique perspective when reviewing applicants who face tough financial challenges. An applicant who filed for bankruptcy long ago could be financially successful today.
A self-employed applicant may have significant cash flow that is not easily quantified as income by traditional measures. A self-employed person may be a real estate investor and may have a different understanding of a property’s financial implications than a typical borrower who plans to live in it.
The Importance of Knowing the Real Estate Investor Beyond Just the Income and Credit
While mortgage underwriting requires borrowers to meet certain program and lender guidelines, understanding each person’s full story can help find the best mortgage option. It creates a platform for conversations on mortgages, credit, real estate, personal finance, housing, careers in mortgages, loan programs, and related subjects. GCA Mortgage Forums is, in a way, powered by Gustan Cho Associates.
The mission is to make complex mortgage and financial topics easier to understand for both consumers and industry professionals.
A Career Built Through Reinvention
Gustan Cho’s story is not typical. Instead of following one career path, he worked in many industries, adapting and reinventing himself as he went.
- He worked through college.
- He had jobs in a variety of fields, including construction and sales.
- He became a securities professional and branch manager.
- He experienced bankruptcy in his twenties.
- He went back to construction.
- He became a real estate developer and investor.
- He bought distressed multifamily units.
- He transitioned to large apartment communities.
- He gathered experience in financing from the borrower’s side.
- He built a mortgage lending career and started Gustan Cho Associates.
- Each step was built on the one before it.
- A key lesson from Cho’s journey is that financial adversity is often temporary.
- Investments may fail, emergencies may arise, credit may be damaged, and bankruptcies or mortgage denials may occur.
- However, understanding the relevant regulations and seeking solutions enables progress despite setbacks.
- The goal is not to promise approval to every borrower.
- Each mortgage must still meet lending and underwriting guidelines to be approved.
- The aim is to review the whole borrower profile before deciding if a mortgage is not possible.
- In some instances, the answer is an FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional loan.
- Some borrowers may need to be served under manual underwriting or a Non-QM program.
- In other cases, the answer may be to simply buy time to allow credit to improve, carry less debt, document additional income, or resolve another applicable issue.
- The key is knowing the difference between a borrower who truly does not qualify and one who just went to the wrong lender or was put in the wrong loan program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Was Gustan Cho Born?
Gustan Cho was born in Incheon, South Korea, in 1965. His family moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and later to the Chicago area in 1974.
Where Did Gustan Cho Go to College?
Gustan Cho graduated from North Park University in Chicago and later attended other universities to pursue his graduate education.
What Did Gustan Cho Do Before Entering the Mortgage Business
Before immersing himself in lending, Gustan Cho participated in a variety of industries. These included construction and management, contracting, real estate development, and investing in multifamily real estate.
Was Gustan Cho a Stockbroker?
Yes, he was a stockbroker. Gustan Cho was in the securities field in 1988. He completed the requirements for his Series 7 and Series 24 to become a securities branch manager.
Did Gustan Cho File Bankruptcy?
Yes, he filed for personal bankruptcy in 1991. During this time, he experienced the unfortunate combination of working in an economic recession, the closure of his workplace, and being left with a large financial burden. This did not prevent him from becoming a highly successful real estate investor, owner of multifamily properties, entrepreneur, and mortgage professional.
When Did Gustan Cho Start Investing in Real Estate?
Gustan Cho began his real estate investment career in 1998. He made smaller property investments to start, but eventually shifted his focus to buying larger multifamily properties and starting larger investments in apartment communities.
What Type of Real Estate Did Gustan Cho Invest In?
Gustan Cho developed a personal investment strategy that focused on value-added commercial real estate, specifically purchasing underperforming and/or distressed multifamily properties. He improved the properties through the owner-operator approach and stabilized them to achieve a long-term income-producing asset
What is Gustan Cho’s NMLS Number?
Gustan Cho’s NMLS number is 873293. Currently, Gustan Cho Associates identifies him as the National Managing Director and Branch Manager.
What Is GCA Mortgage Forums?
GCA Mortgage Forums are the mortgage, credit, and real estate segments of a community created by Gustan Cho Associates. It is a space where consumers and industry members can ask questions, share answers, and discuss real estate and mortgage topics.
What Types of Mortgages Files Does Gustan Cho Specialize In?
Gustan Cho specializes in difficult mortgage cases, including, but not limited to, borrowers with multiple prior mortgage denials, credit issues, bankruptcy, foreclosure, elevated debt-to-income ratios, self-employed borrowers, and those needing manual underwriting and alternative financing. Gustan Cho Associates Mortgage Brokers
Final Thoughts on the Gustan Cho Biography
Gustan Cho is a serial professional who has worked across multiple industries and economic cycles. Gustan Cho is a versatile professional who has navigated many industries and economic cycles, from construction to entrepreneurship to mortgage lending. He has had major career accomplishments as well as major career failures. He has celebrated big career successes and faced major setbacks.
Gustan started with single-family homes and built a multifamily portfolio, which led to a successful career in apartment communities.
His focus on multifamily investments began with financing and grew into a mission to help borrowers with the challenges of mortgage lending. He now channels his experience into leading his team at Gustan Cho Associates and GCA, focusing on mortgage education and solving unique or complex lending challenges for borrowers, while also offering real estate and credit services. A financial setback does not define an individual’s entire narrative; rather, it represents a single chapter on the path to long-term success.
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About Us at Gustan Cho Associates
About Us at Gustan Cho Associates: Gustan Cho Associates is a national mortgage company licensed in multiple states with no lender overlays
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