Consumer complaint received 2019-02-23
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — 
Company: Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (MD)

I purchased my one bedroom condo unit in XXXX XXXX Maryland ( XXXX XXXX ) in XXXX of XXXX, before the housing market crash. What I paid about {$110000.00} for was only going for about {$50000.00} fourteen months later. Investors took advantage this, scoped in and bought up as many units as possible, and started renting them out. The surroundings changed drastically by XXXX. Crime went up in the area, condo fees tripled, without hardly any up-keep to the buildings, parking lot, common areas. My car was broken into constantly, wheels taken, auto insurance premiums went up, investors rented out to XXXX XXXX, XXXX, gangs, and XXXX, mouse, trash everywhere, XXXX, XXXX shots often. 

I attempted to apply for a loan modification with XXXX XXXX, as well as the XXXX program, and was told I did not qualify because at the time, I wasn't behind on my mortgage payment, and that my mortgage payment was not significant amount $ XXXX monthly. I also had complete renovated my condo unit, new windows, new sliding glass door, new kitchen, new bathroom, new bedroom, new furnace and AC, new flooring. Over the years, I put so much into this place. At the time I purchased the placed, I wasn't making much money, and it was about the only thing I could afford at the time. But it was no longer safe to live there. One evening a bullet went through my neighbors ' sliding glass door, through the wall to my living room. People loitering in the hallways, blocking the entrance to the building, and to my unit, XXXX XXXX, doing XXXX, XXXX XXXX, having XXXX in the laundry room, stealing other peoples clothes from laundry room, constant foot traffic & car traffic, noise, fighting, and loud music. Police was constantly notified and came often, most of the time way too late. I could barely sleep anymore, which affected my overall health and concentration at work. After complaining to XXXX XXXX XXXX so many times with practically no results for over a year, I decided to cut my losses and move. 

I finally find a place, and moved last year in XXXX of XXXX. Praise XXXX. I hired a Realtor to do a Short-Sell, because the unit I purchased in XXXX only appraised for about {$63000.00}. So, as you can see I am still underwater. The Realtor help me to complete all the necessary paper-work. Later, the mortgage company, who acquired my mortgage, that originated with XXXX XXXX, denied approval of the short-sell with no explanation. So I tried again a couple of months later with a different Realtor, and Dovenmuehle Mortgage Inc. located in XXXX XXXX, IL denied the short-sell again, but this time Dovenmuehle notified my Realtor that they would not approve the short-sell until they get more information about if I was renting OR buying where I had moved to, and if I had property insurance on the new place of where I moved to. None of which had nothing to do with the property I moved from in XXXX XXXX Maryland, and those questions were not included in the Loss Mitigation Short Sell Package that my Realtor and I completed. I did report this to the Maryland State Attorney General Office, and they are currently being investigated by the Office of the Commissioner Of Financial Regulation for potential violation. 

Dovenmuehle Mortgage Inc. caused me to lose out on two potential Cash-Buyers for the property in XXXX XXXX, and one Veteran VA Loan qualified purchaser, which both Realtors can attest to this. I could no longer keep up and afford to keep paying for two separate places, where I live now, and the old one I left in XXXX XXXX, after six months had passed. Since then, Dovenmuehle has started Foreclosure on the property in XXXX XXXX. 

I worked very hard over the years to get my credit score to near excellence, now it has been negatively affected by things out of my control. The financial stress has took a toll on my health, and I not too long ago got out of the hospital after a major XXXX and long stay. How can a person protect themselves from falling victim like this? I talked with two attorneys, even they told me that I did everything right. Do you have any advice or suggestions that can help me protect my credit and financial standing. I have already lost was too much as it is.