In 2003, Argent, the wholesale division Ameriquest, paid out more than $41 billion in home loans to surpass all other companies and be named the number one nonprime lender in the US.
Wayne Lee, the former President of Argent who is the new incoming CEO at Ameriquest, says that Ameriquest and Argent have embarked on a new realm in which they will be growing their markets and expanding upon the mortgage services each offers as they both progress in their path to attain full-service wholesale and retail financial bodies. Unified in their efforts, the two companies will culminate in ascending to even greater heights.
Both Ameriquest Mortgage Company and Argent Mortgage are subsidiary companies of the Orange County, California-based Ameriquest Capital Corporation. Sister enterprise of Ameriquest, Argent Mortgage is a countrywide wholesale mortgage lender, whereas Ameriquest, a countrywide retail mortgage operation, works one-on-one with the public. Though affiliate companies, Ameriquest and Argent operate independently of one another.

Founded in 1980, originally as a Savings and Loan bank in Long Beach, California, Ameriquest Mortgage Company, though a growing giant, to this day, remains a privately held company. Active in terms of marketing a wide variety of mortgage-related goods and services to consumers, Ameriquest, relatively speaking, prefers to keep a fairly low profile.
Ameriquest, having earned their credibility, is an official service provider for both the government property lending agencies of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Plus, they have entered into a relationship with the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) in which they aide in coordinating unsupervised mortgages.
One of the country’s leading mortgage financiers, Ameriquest offers consumers home equity financing through more than 300 branch sites across the US. Ameriquest and its affiliates (including Argent) employ a staff of over 12,000 individuals and associates.
The mission of, Ameriquest Mortgage Company is to assist people in attaining their dreams to be homeowners and secure freedom from debt. As part of their goal, representatives of Ameriquest initiate, purchase, trade and facilitate customers’ mortgage loans.
As a whole, Ameriquest along with Argent operate by the “Do the Right Thing” philosophy whereby they try and incorporate this principal in all their efforts to help persons qualify for loans. Employing a ethical standards that include: equitable treatment, truthfulness and honor, Ameriquest executives and staffers believe they provide the best service in the industry.