Consumer complaint received 2023-03-04
Company: PulteGroup, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I applied for a mortgage with Pulte Mortgage to purchase a new construction home. I currently live in XXXX XXXX XXXX, but will be relocating to XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, where the new home is located. The Loan Processor asked me to submit a letter/statement indicating the reason why I was relocating to XXXX XXXX and confirming that I intended to occupy the house as a primary residence. I did so. I also confirmed that as a Federal employee, my duty location would change from XXXX XXXX, XXXX to XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, and I provided the XXXX XXXX pay scale and asked the Loan Processor to use the lower pay rate of the XXXX XXXX locality pay to qualify me for the loan. Then, on XX/XX/XXXX, the Loan Processor indicated that " guidelines '' and " the underwriters '' require I submit a letter from my employer ( U.S. DOL/OSHA ) `` verifying '' that I have " the ability to XXXX XXXX  from '' the home address in XXXX XXXX XXXX and that " XXXX XXXX  will have no adverse effect on income. '' On XX/XX/XXXX, I requested a copy of the 'guidelines ' the Loan Processor referred to for the terms and conditions she mentioned. On XX/XX/XXXX, the Loan Processor responded with a copied/pasted excerpt repeating the terms and conditions for " XXXX XXXXXXXX '' I have repeatedly confirmed that I will not be working XXXX XXXX '' so ( on XX/XX/XXXX ) I explicitly rejected the terms and conditions and asked the Loan Processor to send my rejection to the underwriters for consideration. She indicated she would send my rejection to the " regional underwriters. '' on XX/XX/XXXX, the Loan Processor asked me to agree that loan approval would be contingent on me " giving notice to OSHA '' of my move and OSHA " providing a letter confirming the relocation and new pay rate before closing. '' The Loan Processor asked me to provide this agreement via separate email. On XX/XX/XXXX, I provided a separate email indicating, " I am confirming that loan approval is contingent upon me giving notice to OSHA and OSHA providing a letter confirming the relocation and new pay rate before closing. '' The Loan Processor confirmed receipt of my agreement/confirmation email the same date. On XX/XX/XXXX, the Loan Processor emailed me a " Loan Approval '' email with an attached letter of the same date entitled, " Update on Your Loan Approval. '' In the body of her loan approval email, the Loan Processor indicates, " This conditional loan approval is subject to certain terms and conditions to be met prior to your loan closing. Approval is also based upon the Property, Sales Price, Loan Amount, Loan to Value, Loan Type, Loan Term, Buydown Plan and Appraised Value ( the Loan Parameters ). Should there be any change in the Loan Parameters it may negatively impact your loan approval. We will updated credit ( sic ), income and assets prior to closing. I will require updated bank statements and income documents. I will also re-pull your credit report at that time. '' Nowhere in the body of the email does the Loan Processor mention or repeat the XXXX XXXX ' terms and conditions she previously insisted on that I explicitly rejected. However, when I opened the actual 'Loan Approval ' letter attached to the email ( copy provided - password protected- please contact me for the password ), I found that it contained the exact same 'XXXX XXXX  ' terms and conditions I explicitly rejected and asked the underwriters to consider my application without. As I repeatedly told the Loan Processor, I can not meet her 'XXXX XXXX XXXX terms and conditions. I will not be XXXX XXXX  and I will have a drop in my income due to the lower locality pay in the XXXX XXXX locality. I made that exceedingly clear. To meet the XXXX XXXX  ' terms and conditions, my employer would have to sign a letter that constitutes a false statement or fraud on the taxpayers. The Loan Processor has set me up to fail and to have my final loan approval disapproved, losing my {$15000.00} earnest money deposit and, ultimately, the home. Also, the pressure applied is that I had certain deadlines to apply for the mortgage ( and obtain approval ) using the builder 's mortgage company to receive more than {$17000.00} in closing costs paid for by the lender. I stand to lose that benefit by the unique, inexplicable, and legally impossible 'XXXX XXXX ' terms and conditions the Loan Processor surreptitiously imposed on my loan application. Classic 'bait-and-switch. '

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation