Consumer complaint received 2025-03-14 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — Applying for or obtaining a modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or deed-in-lieu
Company: Mortgage Research Center, LLC
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
I purchased the home XX/XX/XXXX. Shortly after the last week of XXXX the house started to shift after a builder started building a new duplex across the street and had opened up the street in front of my home adding water lines, connecting to sewer and gas lines. Throughout XXXX and XXXX I continued to have severe issues with the home due to the house swaying. I contacted my insurance company in XXXX. The fire department also responded due to neighbors calling XXXX with the house swaying. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I lost my job with XXXX XXXX due to a Reduction in XXXX. I had to move out of the home in XXXX due to wood truss beams supporting amin level breaking, the south wall of the home bowing inward along with the basement walls bowing inward. 

My insurance company has been working with utiliy company to determine what work they had a XXXX doing int he street that has caused my house to be unsafe. 

I contacted the mortgage company in XXXX and was told to call back in XXXX as there is nothing they can do other than note my account that I was unable to pay mortgage. I had asked for a forebearance as I have to pay to live somewhere else while they are trying to figure out what is going on with my home. THere is a gas leak they can't find, the floor trusses have snapped due to the house swaying and the floor in the home has buckled along with two water leaks. 

I called back in XXXX and I was told nothing they can do until I am XXXX months behind. I emailed them on XX/XX/XXXX and received this response on XX/XX/XXXX. I had already spoke to the XXXX and they stated there wasn't much they could do to help meXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  at XXXX ext XXXX This email was from XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I am a client advocate at XXXX XXXX. Your loan team forwarded me your email to provide some guidance. I am sorry to hear about the condition of the property you purchased. 

While we are limited in what we can do at this point. We can provide advice on your next steps. Here are the options we have seen work in the past : Contact the home inspector. A home inspection is going to be a much more thorough assessment of the homes structure and inner workings. An inspection is not required by XXXX XXXX but highly recommended. Inspectors typically have protections to help out in situations where they may have missed something. 

Contact the VA XXXX XXXX XXXX. If you feel like this is something that was missed by the VA XXXX please let the VA know. The XXXX is there to assess the value of the property and make sure the home is safe, sound, and secure. The XXXX is not a going to be able to speak about the condition of home systems since they are not home inspectors, but feel free to discuss these issues with them. You can find their contact info here : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX If there was something not disclosed by the seller or real estate agent, please contact a real estate attorney. They will better be able to assess your situation to see if there is any financial relief you can receive. 

I understand that this is a stressful situation and if there is anything I can do to help, e.g. provide docs from your loan file, dates, etc. please let me know. 

Please let me know if I can help in any other way. 

XXXX XXXX Client Advocate NMLS ID # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ext XXXX XXXX I contacted XXXX XXXX back on XX/XX/XXXX to ask what my options were regarding applying for a Forebearance for XXXX months to allow me time to find a new job as well as get this house situation fixed as of today I have been out of the home for XXXX months. All my belongings are in the home and the fire department and building inspectors have deemed the house to unsafe to reenter until the issue can be figured out including gas leak and house instability. 

When I spoke to XXXX XXXX on the phone on XX/XX/XXXX I asked for a forebearance but she said she was unable to get a forebearance approved because of a Active request or Active something and that the house was scheduled to go into foreclosure on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I was got off guard because I have spoke to XXXX XXXX and kept them informed of what is going on with the home and my inability to live in it currently. 

I called back when they said but yet they put my home into foreclosure. The only thing I could do to delay it was apply for a loan modification which I am now waiting until mid XXXX to hear back on and all that is going to do if approved per the lady is possibly lower monthly payment down by 10 % but wont delay any payments. 

I am not trying to get out of paying my financial responsibility and I had hoped XXXX XXXX could see the unique situation I am in with not being able to be in the home and having to pay to live somewhere else currently while I search for a new job. WEhere XXXX am in my career it takes about XXXX months to go through a hiring process. 

I am hopeful XXXX XXXXXXXX will take my unique situation into consideration and actually work with me. If they do not allow a forebearance and then or a loan modification I will have to file bankruptcy because I can't afford to pay the mortage and pay somewhere else to live at the same time while my house is being fixed or insurance decides the best route to go.

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