Consumer complaint received 2021-10-26
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: CA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage

Complaint:
n late XXXX of XXXX I was contacted by an associate from Freedom Mortgage Company by the name of XXXX XXXX Via phone while I was at work. She left a short voicemail asking me to return her phone call saying it was regarding my home loan. I returned her call while I was on lunch thinking it was an urgent matter. XXXX explained it was regarding a refinance and that my mortgage payment would be lower and that my interest rate would go from a 2.75 to a 2.25. I expressed to her that i was comfortable paying what i was paying and that my interest rate was decent where it was at. She asked that i contact her later when I had more time so that she could cover the details. 

Slightly intrigued with the lower monthly payment, I called her back on my way home from work. She explained the minor details via phone and sent me an email with information of new payment amount, rate and how to get started. I completed the task as promptly as i could within a few days, and was told that if XXXX had any questions to call her, or email her and she would get back to me. 
Maybe two weeks or more went by, I did not her back from XXXX so i reached out to her via phone and email. No response. 
XX/XX/XXXX I received new documents via email to review and sign. I did not completely understand the documents and the process, so I tried to reach out to XXXX again via phone. No response, XX/XX/XXXX, I sent XXXX an email to follow up, i did not want to miss out on the opportunity to have a lower monthly payment and lower rate so i began calling Freedom Mortgage Company to talk with any one to help me regarding the refinance process. 
XX/XX/XXXX. I received an email saying that i needed to send additional information. It was the same information i already sent. 
Still no response from XXXX XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX Freedom Mortgage Company expressed they did not have my home insurance policy on file. Freedom has had this information since I purchased my home. Red flags I also received a phone call around the same time from a new associate by name of XXXX XXXX. He re-opened my application and resent me documents to sign. 

This would be the last time i would hear from XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

After various document signing back and fourth from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I received an email regarding closing dates and meeting with a notary for XX/XX/XXXX. @ XXXX. 
I also was contacted by a XXXX XXXX around the time explaining that the closing date would not happen and that my refinance was not going to go through because I had delinquent taxes on my property. I had no idea what was going on. I am a new home owner and did not completely understand how i could be delinquent in taxes when all of my taxes where impounded into an escrow account that Freedom Mortgage Company was managing. I reached out to XXXX several times with no return calls or emails. 

This delinquent tax situation impeded my closing date. After researching this information with my county, I found out that the difference between annual and supplemental taxes and was greeted with a hefty {$4000.00} dollar bill. 
To be clear in order for this refinance to go through I would need to pay the taxes in full. Since this was the fault of me being ignorant i tried to be patient with Freedom Mortgage not telling me this information sooner, I was also contacted by a Freedom Mortgage associate named XXXX saying that the balance of the taxes may be able to be applied to the back end of the loan and that everything would by taken care of and that she would be in contact with me if something changed. 

Between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX I was contacted by a Freedom Mortgage Company via email and phone setting the new closing date for XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX. I was also told that I would not need to worry about XXXX and XXXX mortgage because doing that pending a closing refinance Freedom would just have to cut a check to cover the over payment. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received a Closing confirmation. 

On XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX in the morning i received an email from XXXX XXXX a totally different Freedom Mortgage Company associate expressing that the closing documents that were intended to be signed that same day @ XXXX were not going to be completed pending the delinquent taxes. I was livid. I called emailed and called XXXX immediately, She expressed that the taxes were not able to be placed on the back end of the loan, and that in order to move forward i would need to pay in full. 
I expressed to XXXX that it was the XXXX well passed the XXXX my regular monthly payment is now overdue and that I didn't have the capital to pay both the XXXX dollar mortgage plus the XXXX dollar tax bill before the XXXX of XXXX She did nothing to help my dire situation. 

At this time i was extremely frustrated and highly stressed. So many different associates dealing with my account and none of them on the same page, offering assistance, and none of them helping me fully understand what was going on. 
I was able to figure out how to pay my back taxes with my credit card, but was still certain I would not be able to pay my mortgage until the XXXX of XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received documents to sign and new closing disclosures. XX/XX/XXXX I met with notary signed documents and thought this entire worst situation i have had to deal with in my entire life was behind me. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received an email about some errors were made, and the original payment i signed for was going to be increased by {$330.00} dollars. 
XXXX dollars more than my original payment. My first thought was they made a mistake, because I wouldn't refinance to have a higher payment. I called numerous times while i was at work and was put on hold several times. I asked to speak with management because XXXX XXXX the loan originator was very difficult to reach, and never returns correspondence. No management was available to speak with either. I left my information and number for management to please return my call. NOTHING. 

I called Freedom Mortgage Company after work and was put on hold several times before finally talking to a XXXX in from the closing team. XXXX throughout this whole 5 month ordeal was the only person from Freedom Mortgage Company that offered his time and concern. He broke down what, when and why and helped my understand the reason for the increase, sighted other situations that were similar in California, and gave me options to make it a clear decision. 
I explained to XXXX that this same situation happened the month before and that i feared if i did not sign the new documents to close I would be another 30 days late on my mortgage. Regardless of what was told to me by Freedom Mortgage Company my credit score was affected by XXXX points negatively because of the false information given to me by there associates. The decision to move forward with the refinance was a no brainier regardless if the payment was higher then what i originally signed for or not, because of the bogus communication and unprofessional ism of Freedom Mortgage My credit is ruined and now i am stuck in a loan that i did not agree to originally.

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