Consumer complaint received 2026-04-02 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue with the loan closing
Company: MORTGAGE LINK, INC., THE
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this explanation to document my involvement and concerns regarding an appraisal fee that was improperly charged to the buyer during the loan process without proper disclosure or agreement. At the beginning of the loan process, the buyer paid for an appraisal that was fully disclosed on the initial Loan Estimate. This fee was disclosed properly and accepted by the buyer. However, at some point later in the loan process, the buyer was asked to pay for a second appraisal. At no time was a Change in Circumstance provided, nor was there any revised Loan Estimate or disclosure indicating that the buyer would be responsible for an additional appraisal fee. The buyer never agreed to be responsible for this second charge. I was not made aware of this issue until the very end of the transaction. One day prior to closing, the buyer informed me that they had been charged for a second appraisal. Upon learning this, I immediately questioned the charge with the Loan Originator and expressed my frustration that such a significant issue was arising at such a late stage in the process. The Loan Originator explained that the second appraisal was allegedly required because the property was a flip. I disputed this explanation, as the title company had submitted all documentation well in advance, clearly reflecting the nature of the transaction. The lender should have identified any appraisal requirements early in the loan process. This should not have resulted in a last-minute, undisclosed charge to the buyer. At closing, both the buyers and I continued to question why the buyer was being held responsible for this second appraisal fee. We were told that no one had communicated to the title company that the second appraisal was to be paid by a party other than the buyer. Again, the buyer never agreed to this charge, and it was never disclosed as their responsibility. We were assured that the matter would be resolved. The transaction closed early on a Friday morning. The buyers requested an early closing in hopes that the loan would fund the same day, as they planned to move into the home over the weekend. At approximately XXXXXXXX XXXX that same day, while I was boarding a plane, I checked on the funding status and was informed that the second appraisal charge was still holding up the funding. At that point, I was concerned that the buyers would be left without a timely resolution and could potentially lose access to their new home for the weekend. In order to ensure that the loan funded before the end of the business day, I offered to have the disputed appraisal charge deducted from my commission. I made it explicitly clear to the buyers that I was not admitting fault or responsibility for the charge but was doing so solely to prevent further harm or inconvenience to them. Later that day, I received a call from XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, which I was unable to answer due to being on the flight. I texted him once I landed, and he responded in writing : Looking at how we can get you the {$700.00} you paid which you shouldnt have had to do. This message further confirms that I should not have been required to cover this cost and that the buyer should not have been charged in the first place. In summary, the second appraisal fee was never disclosed to the buyer, no Change in Circumstance was issued, and the buyer never agreed to be responsible for it. The issue resulted from XXXX XXXX XXXX failures and was discovered only at the final stage of the transaction. My decision to advance the funds was made under pressure and solely to protect the buyer and ensure funding, not due to any acknowledgment of fault. I request that this explanation be considered as part of the CFPBs review of the matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief