Consumer complaint received 2026-05-31 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Closing on a mortgage — Fees or costs after closing
Company: Mortgage Research Center, LLC
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
I recently closed on a home purchase through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I closed on XX/XX/year>. I am a 100 % XXXX veteran who is on homebound status, so not have a spouse/dual income or a way to work currently. I applied for this home loan with my VA XXXX award letter only. I believe I am a victim of predatory lending, as I was approved for approximately 68 % DTI ratio, which doesnt include my homeowners insurance or state taxes. My loan officer was pressing me to purchase a home, and I was not informed or aware that they increased my income by 25 %, which I am being told is legal and they do not have to disclose because Im disabled. This does not make any sense to me as Im on a fixed income, and I will never be able to make that 25 % additional income. I was sold a home that I can not afford and I believe my loan officer did not do his due diligence, nor did he appropriately document why he approved a VA home loan at 68 % DTI, because I have no qualifying factors. I have no assets, no savings, my credit was fair, and in order to approve a DTI thats high, from my understanding is alone officer has to document why I qualify for a higher percentage and justify how I can afford the home and I do not believe that was done. I am now in a financial hardship, and I have to choose between paying my mortgage and having a roof over my head, but not being able to pay any of my other basic living expenses to include food. Ive reached out to the VA and they had no solutions. Ive reached out to the lender who either ignored me or brushed me off and told me they can not provide any assistance because my loan is too new, so Im unable to refinance. And Ive had to max out the only credit card that I have to try to stay afloat. I do not understand how any mortgage company or the VA would allow for a mortgage company to increase a 100 % XXXX homebound Veterans income by 25 %, not disclose it to the veteran that they did so in order for me to qualify for a higher mortgage, I wouldve much rather purchased a home that was less money so Im able to pay my basic living expenses. The lender is not willing to work with me, Ive reached out to various news channels and havent heard back, the state of Arizona doesnt have any assistance, and I am now in a position where I dont have any good options, or options at all. I either pay my mortgage, but cant afford anything else, or I dont pay my mortgage and I become homeless. I dont have any family or spouse or do income and now with my credit card be maxed. Im in an even worse position and I do not want to miss a mortgage payment because I plan on refinancing when the mortgage rates went down. Im shocked that the VA would allow this to happen and also that my loan officer and XXXX XXXX would take advantage and put a veteran in this situation. I had absolutely no clue that they increased my income by 25 % and they pushed me to purchase this house, which I wanted, but only if I could actually afford it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. My income is literally only enough to pay the mortgage and only a couple additional expenses. I dont have Internet, a TV, furniture, my phone is on its last leg, I cant afford food and I havent been grocery shop since purchasing this home, I can not afford my utilities, and now I have a max credit card with a high interest rate, and I also do not even have the money for a vehicle or transportation. So I live with the bare minimum, but I feel like this is predatory lending and the VA shouldve protected me and a loan officer has to document why they approve somebody with such a high DTI and I would love to see his documentation on what he wrote as to how I would be approved when I have XXXX assets and a disabled homebound veteran with minimal income. Any help with this would be great greatly appreciate. I do not want to be late on my mortgage, its very scary and they shouldnt have to choose between having a roof over my head and buying food or having transportation or making it to my medical appointment, etc. Im extremely disappointed in this entire process, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and the VA for allowing us to happen when they are supposed to protect XXXX from getting into bad situations like this. The VA said they cant help me in until Im delinquent on my mortgage payment payments, but I shouldnt have to be delinquent when I can clearly show that if I dont pay my mortgage, I cant pay for anything else and I have to be able to eat. Im literally sitting here starving unable to sleep because my stomach hurts so bad. Thank you for your time. Respectfully, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX

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