Consumer complaint received 2021-05-10
Company: Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
State: GA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021, I engaged with XXXX XXXX ( NMLS # XXXX / NMLS # XXXX ) of XXXX XXXX regarding XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX # XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX which is the address for a property I am interested in purchasing. I was referred to XXXX by an onsite sales agent and in fact XXXX contacted me before I had an opportunity to reach out to her. 

The information I am submitting is an allegation of XXXX steering, redlining, and lending discrimination. Further investigation may be needed to validate this allegation. I think that it is also important to note that I am a Certified XXXX XXXX XXXX and have a compliance risk management background. I am very much aware that a mortgage broker is not allowed to discourage applicants from buying in certain areas or a certain property and that is exactly what XXXX did XX/XX/2021. ( I will refer to XXXX as she/her throughout the remainder of this document ) I submitted my application and supporting documentation directly to her as she sent me a link to download an app for information sharing. Following the submission of my documentation, XXXX and I had a conversation and she told me that unfortunately she could not approve me for this property because XXXX would not approve me. She mention that only XXXX performed lending for this housing project and that no other XXXX ( XXXX, FHA ) will back loans in this neighborhood at the time. 

I inquired further as to the specific reasons my credit file was not approved and she told me that my credit looks great but that it was something going on with XXXX and she did not understand why she could not get it approved. She mentioned that XXXX did not provide a reason. She also told me that no other lender would be able to get me approved through XXXX for that property just in case I was thinking about applying for loan for that property through another lender. 

She mentioned that she sent it to manual underwriting and her underwriter would not approve. She stressed that my credit was good and that she would be more than happy to lend to me anywhere but she can not help me with this particular property. 

She proceeded to tell me that maybe we can revisit getting me approved for that property once they get more buyers in the neighborhood because the property values are slated for growth. She mentioned that she already had one closing XX/XX/2021 and if they can get more they will be able to start the next phase and get me in but in the meantime shop around and she will be willing to lend to me elsewhere. 

Knowing that this was the very textbook definition of steering I continued to probe further hoping that there was some other plausible explanation. She provided an analogy : Think of it as trying to buy a pair of shorts from XXXX XXXX in the Winter time. You may find something but it wont be exactly what you want. 

She offered something else Most people dont believe this but I believe the housing market does exactly what it is supposed to do. This was not for you but something is and you will get exactly what is for you She never offered any legal explanation for denial other than she could not understand why XXXX XXXX would not accept my loan and her above philosophy and analogy. 
Because I did not trust XXXX, I reached out to a lender I used for my current home and he was able to get me approved through XXXX for the above property. 

I would like an auditable explanation for denial for the above property with supporting documentation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation