Consumer complaint received 2018-01-21
Company: ALTERRA GROUP, LLC
State: GA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
My family and I learned Monday XX/XX/XXXX, that we lost the home at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX. I wo n't forget the look on my family 's faces when I broke the new to them that we were not going to get the home that we had grown to love. I realise there are no guarantees in purchasing a home, we lost this home unnecessarily due to the poor service we received from XXXX/XXXX office of XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

We came to Alterra in early XX/XX/XXXXbecause we wanted to use financing through XXXX. We had been denied by FHA on an previous offer, just a few weeks before. We found out the reason for our denial was due to the fact we did n't have enough time from our home transferring out of our name during foreclosure process. We had to wait another year to qualify to FHA. 

When we started with Alterra, my wife and I made our situation very clear. Yet, our loan officer, XXXX XXXX XXXX insisted that she thought she could get us qualified for a FHA loan. Using FHA was never our priority or our idea. At no time did my wife or I inquire or request to re-apply for a FHA loan. Getting a new home was our top priority. We were more than happy to use XXXX and wait a year to apply for a mortgage when we were qualified to do so. Moreover, we were assured that our pre-approval with Trio would be in place if the FHA did n't work out. We provided all documentation requested. 

We had two closing dates set. We signed all documents and wired all fund requested without first receiving a clear to close. We got an extension to close by XX/XX/XXXX. After that day, we were no longer in contingency. My wife and I were told the night before we would n't be closing on XX/XX/XXXX. Our file went into final underwriting on the day we were to close, XX/XX/XXXX. Our file went to the Underwriting during early Friday afternoon as my wife was submitting the PoA and doing a final walk through at the property. 

Again, we were now out of contingency, but our file was not reviewed by the underwriter until late Monday evening. XXXX XXXX then called my wife requesting her to produce more information to prove her XXXX XXXX was the cause of our need to file Chapter XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. This was the now the week of XXXX. My wife has worked very hard to rebuild her life after losing her vision. The next morning she went to XXXX, only to find out her Specialist was on XXXX vacation. Her doctor was nice enough to write and send a letter only to be told it was n't sufficient. On her way from XXXX, she reached out to XXXX XXXX XXXX for some clarity, only to be chastised for lack of " faith in XXXX '' concerning our home loan. 

We kept submitting documents requested by the XXXX staff. At no time did the XXXX staff continue to prepare our XXXX application.This finally came to and end Friday, XX/XX/XXXX when I was called at work to be told we did n't get the loan. If the XXXX staff did n't want to use our pre-approval with Trio, why were n't we alerted and given a choice on how we wanted to proceed? 

During this process, when we 'd inquire about using the financing with XXXX, we were consistently told we could n't use it because it would " mess up our current loan application. '' This was not true! Simply checking the " Facts about Trio '' on its website eviscerates this claim ; " Use XXXX as a backup. 
Most people do n't know that over 30 % of mortgage applications for the purchase of a new home end up denied. Today 's mortgage rules and regulations are complicated and it 's just not that easy to qualify. If you are being told you qualify today, but are n't positive, use Trio as a backup just in case. Contact us and let us know if we can help. 
Source Source : XXXX XXXX The Allterra team 's fixation on using the FHA loan, when we had another option ready to go, lost us this home. 

I am therefore requesting the reimbursement of our earnest money, ( {$2000.00} ) inspection fee ( {$470.00} ) as well as our appraisal fee ( {$500.00} ) Total ( {$2900.00} ).

In addition, all attempts to communicate with the Alterra corporate office were ignored. 
We think reimbursement is only fair, due to fact this disaster was caused exclusively through Alterra insistence on using the FHA loan instead of XXXX. 

Moving forward, it is my sincere hope that changes will be made, and this never happens to another family. 

At this point any contact is to be made through my email address : XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation