Well, that stunk. Finding out after six weeks that we aren’t going to be able to move into the home we thought we would is not fun. The thing is, in hindsight, there were red flags that our loan officer wasn’t going to be able to deliver what he said he could. I’m not saying he was solely responsible for the deal souring – the tax snafu obviously played a HUGE role in that – but he nonetheless conducted himself in a way that didn’t strike me as very professional.
The most annoying thing that he did was tell us – on four different occasions – that he would be able to make the loan work if we did A, B, C, and D, and then, once we did what he asked, changed his tune and said it wouldn’t work after all.
There were smaller things that annoyed me too, things which may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but didn’t exactly engender great confidence in me, the customer. And the disturbing thing is that more and more people conduct their business this way these days.
RED FLAG #1: E-Mail
I get that E-mail has revolutionized how people converse. It’s a casual form of communication, and allows people to eschew the formal rules of old school letter-writing. That’s totally awesome when writing to friends, but when writing business correspondence? Not so much. A typical E-mail from Mr. Loan looked like this:
“hey send me thatt doc we talked abt earlier”
Yes, often these messages were sent from his Blackberry, but that doesn’t excuse the message’s tossed off nature in my eyes. More and more I get emails like this from people I am conducting business with, and I don’t like it. Important business emails shouldn’t look like a text from a junior high kid.
RED FLAG #2: Phone Etiquette
Lately people have begun to treat business calls with the same casualness as their emails, and this guy definitely is one of them. Many calls started something like this:
“Hey, Bro, listen, here’s the deal.”‘
Bro? I was also called “dude” and “man.” That would be fine if we were in a frat together, but I don’t like it coming from a businessman I am entrusting with a deal worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
RED FLAG #3: Accessibility
Lastly, getting this guy on the phone was almost impossible. Our real estate agent was driven up the wall with how every time she called, his line went straight to voice mail. I swear he was like a teenager screening his calls. Voice mail, like Email, is an awesome invention, but it isn’t supposed to be the default setting for all your phone calls.
Okay. Rant over. This has just been a long process that ended up with us being no closer to having a home than when we started, and I am grumpy. But seriously… is anyone else disturbed by the decline of decorum in business? Or do I just need to accept that this is how business is going to be done now and in the future?
Cathy K. says:
His behavior is appalling. Email/voicemail is fine for some things, but for a mortgage broker to be so casual with a potential client is unprofessional.
Ann says:
I never comment but this struck a chord in me. When my husband and I purchased our home, our loan officer did many of the same things. He wasn’t as casual in his messages but he was IMPOSSIBLE to reach. The amount of time I had to invest in following up with our loan officer was unreal. I work in a client facing role so this type of behavior, and the unprofessional communication that you described, really irk me.
Traci K says:
That kind of behavior from someone in the business community is totally unacceptable. To be casual like that should only come with long-term friendship, and even then should have nothing to do with business contact. I’m sorry you had such a bad first experience with home buying I know how stressful it is with the best of outcomes.
Leigh Elliott says:
I agree with you Mike, this seems to be the way that some people find acceptable to communicate these days. Just because we have a simpler and faster vehicle to transmit our communications, doesn’t mean we should stop making clear sentences and putting in a bit more effort.
I am quite fond of the written word and think that having strong communication skills is essential. Sometimes it is the very first impression that we can make and it is judged.
By the way this guys seems like a real dink. I am so sorry the house fell through.
Noelle says:
I love what you wrote, “Just because we have a simpler and faster vehicle to transmit our communications, doesn’t mean we should stop making clear sentences and putting in a bit more effort.”
Mike, Heather, so sorry for your disappointment. I’ve learned that if anything causes the slightest bit of discomfort you really need to listen to that. In this case it’s clear that your loan officer is unprofessional. When it comes to your financial security, you definately want to be able to trust.
Wishing you a successful home search and much happiness!
heather says:
I’m dealing with similar issues with a legal professional. Seriously.
There does seem to be a significant decline in the overall use of the English language as mobile communication gets bigger. We chose to use an English curriculum for our homeschooled children that dates to 1929. We chose it for one reason, the decline of etiquette and proper form in modern education of languages.
I am so sorry the deal for the house fell through, hopefully you’ll find something even better in the future.
Kate says:
That’s appaling, Mike.
I’m in professional school (law school, specifically) and one of the things they are constantly drilling into us is appropriate channels of communication. How to write an e-mail that sounds professional and doesn’t use abbreviations. How to deal with an individual on the phone in a way that is professional, regardless of the circumstances – up to and including someone being upset. I cannot imagine that a professional individual in any field thinks that this kind of ultra-casual communication is a good idea! I’m disgusted for you.
And sorry about the house, obviously. What a horrid timing battle.
clare says:
we just bought a home in corpus christi in december and had THE SAME issues with our crappy loan officer. i’m sure there are some good loan officers out there, but i keep hearing about “how my loan officer did this” and “my loan officer did that”. come on…it can’t be that hard, right?! so sorry to hear that the house didn’t work out, but i’m sure there’s a perfect one just waiting for you!
karen says:
Well it maybe that the house will still be on the market in 6 weeks time… or maybe not… but I will cross my fingers!
And as for the loans officer, I smell a compliant if ever I’ve smelt one!
Deborah says:
I’m sorry about the house falling through. I had a somewhat similar experience with the Dish Network guy a few years ago at my house during an installation call. He called me “babe” and “honey.” NOT ACCEPTABLE. I fired off a letter to his boss, which is something perhaps you should do as well? Someone needs to know that he’s not representing his company very well.
Mary says:
Could my Indiana mortgage broker be any help? Maybe he has good contacts in LA? If you’d like his contact info, I’d be glad to send. I think the world of him…used him once to buy and once to refinance.
Sorry you got a junky one. I agree about the email thing. If someone can’t spell, I give them a mental X in my “you’re really good” column. I give them 3 negatives if they use ANY common text acronym. Please, can a person not take time in a potential deal to spell out “I don’t know” or “by the way”???
Fingers crossed that either something better comes along or this house is still on the market when you’re good to go.
Becca says:
I completely understand. I think, in competitive businesses where there are many options (car sales, real estate, bank loans etc) people get lost in the personable side of business. They believe if they can make a personal connection with you then you will be more likely to stick with them. So they go the overly casual route. Ex: “HEEEYYYY!! How ARE you?! It’s so funny you called because I was just thinking about calling you!” Seriously?
Honestly, I think there must be more people who go for the “we’ve been best friends our WHOLE LIVES” act than those of us who would prefer to see this as a business transaction and would rather know facts and prices. It’s frustrating.
I’m sorry.
Staci says:
WOW. I work in digital advertising at an AD AGENCY and we have much more professionalism in our communications. This is not the way bankers typically behave. My mom is in the mortgage business and still wears full suits to work everyday and is completely professional all the time … to the point I would never want to work there.
I’m really sorry about the house. I hope you guys can get this tax junk behind you and find the place you were meant to find.
Megan says:
Great points, Mike. I really hope some people who conduct business like your loan officer did read this. The email etiquette you mention is particularly annoying. Our local TV news station frequently posts stories online full of grammar and punctuation errors, and it drives me crazy. People think I’m snobby for getting annoyed with mistakes like “your” instead of “you’re,” but if you can’t figure out second-grade grammar and punctuation and take a few seconds to spell check, why should I trust you to get more complicated information right?
Lisa says:
Ugh. I feel for you! Buying our first house was a nightmare! Every time we got “the very last thing” they needed, they came up eith a list of ten more things. So frustrating. And your loan “dude”? Sounds like an idiot. Thank goodness he won’t be making any money on you!
Maybe the house WILL still be there when you’re ready… And you’ll get an awesome loan person… And you’ll look back and laugh that the real loser was “bro”. Then you can shoot him an email and say “Man! We gt thhhee hse we tlkd abt!”
Sarah says:
Sorry about the house! Real estate is a lame game. We just bought a home recently and we finally settled on our loan company (after working with 2 others) because they were basically the complete opposite of everything you just described. They are in Santa Rosa – obviously far from you but they’re also far from us – about 3 hours. I never once had to step foot in their office, we did everything via email and phone (and yes his emails were very professional!) If you’re interested it’s Jay Hicks from Frost Mortgage – they were wonderful in a variety of ways, most importantly he was VERY easy to get a hold of. So important! Keep the faith, it’ll happen and you’ll be so happy with the house you DO get!
Melissa says:
First, I am very sorry the house fell through. I know how stressful it is to be in that position, and I can only hope that your next process will be much smoother. It really does stink.
Second, that behavior is absolutely appalling. I have noticed in some instances that professionalism is on the decline. I sent a proposal in last week to a client and their contracts manager (I am my company’s contracts manager) responded to me with a one word email that said “sweet.” SWEET? Seriously? I get that in my profession we are inundated by emails and firing off one-word responses is typical. I also get that there is a camaraderie amongst professionals in my field. I also get that this particular woman has worked with me over the years so she feels like she knows me. But a simple “Thank you, received” would have sufficed. The communications didn’t make or break our deal, of course, but the bottom line is that professionalism was lacking.
If I were in your situation, I would look at my options. While you are not blaming Mr. Loan for everything falling through, you have the right to alert his company superiors about his behavior. Typically, aren’t loan officers associated with a bank even if they work for themselves? I would go straight to the bank and tell them that this officer is not representing them in the best possible manner and that for your next loan process, you will not be utilizing him. That’s loss of business for that bank. Word of mouth is also very powerful. I would also tell everyone I know not to use that guy and consider putting the negative review on a site such as Angie’s List. Finally, I would write a very detailed letter to Mr. Loan telling him thank you for his efforts, but we will be going another way next time we buy a house, and here is why. Truthfully, if you left it alone, the guy would probably dig his own grave. But if he is alerted (and his affiliated banks know what his deal is) to his deficiencies, perhaps he will take the opportunity to grow and not cause heartache for the next customers that come along.
Again, I am truly sorry your house did not work out and that you had to deal with such an idiot.
Leslie says:
I’m so sorry that this fell through. I know how much it means to move into a house that you’ve decided on and planned your future in.
I agree that it’s appalling how so many people are lacking in their behavior these days, no professional manner and no ethics. It’s terrible. I’ve done some transactions with idiots that made me tear my hair out in frustration, particularly a refinance I did on a condo in the early 1990’s. I literally had to resort to calling this guy every morning and leaving a wake-up call on his voicemail, badgering him to call me and follow through with my loan. It was insane.
But miraculously I did find an amazing loan officer about three years ago, and I can’t say enough good things about him and his office. Professional all the way, and extremely helpful, even with the little things. We have done two transactions with him and everything has been so amazingly well done, I could hardly believe it. He’s been in business for years and he’s the most ethical person I’ve ever met in the real estate field. I’d be happy to give you his info if you want it. He’s located in Claremont which I know is a little bit of a drive from L.A., less than an hour (without traffic) but well worth it for the end result.
Then again, maybe you’ve already found another good loan officer in your area, and if so, I’m so glad for you. I wish you and your family all the best as you continue in your hunt for the perfect home. It’s out there, and you’ll find it.
I’m sorry that you’re having to deal with so much hassle in this process. Someday you’ll look back and chuckle as you cringe at the memory. But for now, I’m sure it’s nothing but sheer frustration.
Take care!
Christina says:
My husband is a Senior Loan Officer at 30 years old. Although much business discussion is communicated through email, ALL requests are also made formal and sent by mail. I have seen my husband send an email through his phone to request specific items and update a customer on pending information, however this is also forwarded to his secretary to be enetered into a formal document on bank letterhead and mailed out. Part of this is because this communication can be requested and reviewed by bank examiners, but the main reason is just common sense.
You are more likely to gain and earn the trust of someone and their money when you treat them with respect and show them that you honestly care what happens to them. Your loan officer makes me sad. I hope when you find the nxt house, you have a better situation.
Kristin (MamaKK922) says:
That is beyond unprofessional and I agree 100% I hate the way business is conducted now days. I also hate that everyone is text messaging in short hand half the time it takes me forever to figure out what they are saying. And sometimes it confuses me so much I worry if they might possibly be having a stroke.
Kelly says:
I bought a condo a year ago (celebrated my house-a-versary last week!) and had a similar experience. Everyone told me I’d close early, and everyone did their part — except my mortgage guy. He threw everyone under the bus. He didn’t know that my realtor was my cousin, and my attorney was an old family friend, and kept telling me they hadn’t done A, B, or C, when I knew for a fact they had. He also didn’t tell me until 12 hours before closing that I had to show up with a $4,000 check, which I didn’t have.
I ended up reporting him to his manager’s superior’s superior, and got a big refund on their fees, but it was a NIGHTMARE. I hadn’t trusted him from day one, and I learned a valuable lesson to never work on something important with someone who strikes me as untrustworthy.
I hope you guys do find your perfect house soon.
Kelly says:
Ugh…how frustrating! I totally understand though! It sucks to be so close to closing & then loose the house. We got to our final inspection to find mold and some sort of huge water issue that happened within the past two weeks, after the initial inspection. We were devistated to have lost the house, but it was a blessing we found the mold when we did (just a little mark on the wall but we had them take the wall down and the studs & entire slab were saturated with water..not good). And we found an even more fabulous house that went on the market just a few days later. We closed about 2 weeks ago & can’t wait to move in! Yall will find the perfect house too & you will realize that it all worked out for the best!
Good Luck!!
Brandy says:
Professionalism definitely seems to be on decline. I have a Blackberry and I send business emails all the time but they ALWAYS begin with a salutation (even something as simple as “Hi Mike!”) to at least begin the correspondence. I then include a paragraph (well spell checked I will add!) and a complimentary closing, even if it’s just “Thank you!” for an exchange that is slightly more casual and my name (even though they should know my name from the email – you should still write it!). Okay, sorry to rant on that a little, I just can’t help it sometimes. I get texts from teens all the time and they drive me up the wall. The loan officer you described definitely doesn’t seem any better than that. I would NOT be happy with a loan officer acting like that at all. I would be looking for someone else before moving on to another home. Good luck!
AmazingGreis says:
My pet peeve with a business professional is when they don’t do something they say they will.
I’m going through a lawsuit, I’ve had to hire a lawyer. All I ask is that they keep me updated, so I know where the case stands. They never call. I call and ask for updates and they say they’ll call me back that afternoon and they never do. I’m paying you a LOT of money the least you can do is keep me updated on MY case.
Needless to say I’m not very happy with this law firm.
So sorry about the house. I know you were both looking forward to moving.
Lorena says:
I am so very sorry that you went through all that hassle and came up without the house. It’ll either still be there in four to six weeks and you can try again or it wasn’t meant to be your house and you’ll find something better!
What a creep! It’s been twelve years since I lived in California and worked in a loan office (Orange County). We had fantastic business precisely because of wahoos like this guy. My Branch Manager simply wouldn’t stand for any of the things you mentioned and more, and our branch had a great reputation. Can’t tell you how many loans we got because people hadn’t mastered things like courtesy, returning phone calls, etc.
Might I suggest that you start now looking for a new lender? See what they can do for you, find someone you can work with, and start the approval process again. Explain the tax thing, and then when you get the all clear, you can jump right in, and it might close even faster than you originally thought it could.
Best of luck!
Brittany says:
I would get a loan from Rigby dressed in a business suit, with a cigar in her mouth and a Blackberry velcro’ed to her paw before I would ever do business with that guy.
Lesson learned, in a sucky way.
But, there is light. Know there is light.
Marie says:
There is a huge difference between a mortgage broker who typically works for himself and needs all the business he can get, and a loan officer who works for a bank and gets paid no matter what.
Bankers ! Blah ! I’ve never met one I liked. And I have bought many a house and even a business. Ok there was one we both liked but he’s gone now and a jackass is in his place! Once my husband passed away things were sooooo different at the bank!
Maybe the house will still be on the market when you are straightened out with the IRS. I am sure the house owners are upset too. But it happens all the time. Things slow down and get bogged down and then quit. Ack! I feel so badly for you all. All packed and everything.
Contact a mortgage broker when you are ready. They do the dirty work for you.
Hugs from Minnesota
Marie
MS says:
Oh no! So sorry to hear about this. Folks we know here in Ohio are having issues buying and selling due to random issues all of the sudden as well. Not cool banks!
Obviously, when you find the next house (and you definitely will find one) go with a different bank. Interview numerous banks and loan officers. There is no reason you have to go with a dingbat.
Barb says:
I bought my house 8 years ago and it was all around an awful experience. We found the house in March and moved in in August. We never could get a hold of any of the lawyers involved or the loan officer!
This past winter we refinanced because the rates were so low and it knocked 7 years off our existing loan, what was suppose to take a month took 4 and it was because again a lawyer that came highly recommended was useless.
I have told my husband we are never moving becuase I can’t handle the experience of lawyers or loan officers again!
Nasrene says:
Totally agree, and recently had a similar experience.
I cancelled a rather large order from a vendor when she included “ROFLMAO” in a professional email. Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!? That was the final straw in a long string of bothersome events. It was a mini-hassle to find a new vendor, but I was fit to be tied with the unprofessionalism of the original one!
Aliesha says:
I would be incredibly irritated by the email and call ettiquette! So rude! No excuse!
Also so incredibly sad to hear that your house fell through–I’m sure another, better one is just around the corner (figuratively, of course).
Nicole says:
No, it sounds to me like this guy was a special kind of tool. The kind you need to NOT work with again. All the loan officers I’ve worked with have been very by-the-book–not a dudebro in sight. Good luck finding the next place–I’m sure it will be worth waiting for!
Catherine says:
This is not acceptable at all Mike! Next time, please call me and I can try to help you guys and deal with the brokers and title and escrow. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is common, but that doesn’t excuse it. So sorry:(
Amanda M. says:
You had me at red flag #1! I cannot deal with that. If you can’t handle typing like an adult, you cannot handle my business. That kind of laziness drives me bananas.
Lesley says:
Yep, that sounds about like 3 our of 4 of mortgage brokers I’ve worked with. I didn’t realize how crappy our brokers were until I had the most professional rock star mortgage broker our last time. My last (and most awesome) broker (and his entire team) always answered my calls and always followed up our phone conversations with a summary email. AND, I almost fell out of my seat…his assistant sent me a summary status report every stinking Friday afternoon with an update of where we were, what we were still waiting on, if they needed anything from me and an ETA of closing. I have happily recommended them to everyone in my area. It’s appalling how truly awful your broker AND so many other brokers are and get away with being.
I’m so sorry for all of the madness!!!
elzimmy says:
This drives me crazy. My landlord is the exact same way and sometimes I want to punch him in the face for it. I might have aggression issues…we’re looking into it. But seriously, he’s a dirtbag and it sounds like your mortgage broker is too.
Marty says:
Mike, I just read your Blog post and I wanted to apologize and I totally empathize with you in your experience. When I became a Mortgage Professional in 1991 I was treated in a similar manner by my Loan Officer when I purchased my home. I said to myself when I became a loan professional, I know exactly how to conduct my business-180 degrees opposite of the way I was treated.
Fortunately, Mortgage Loan Professionals abound in our mortgage world! BUT, you have to trust your Realtor to give you the name of a TRUSTED professional, not just his golfing buddy or his BRO! If the Mortgage Loan Originator he is referring to you hasn’t met with the Realtor in a Professional Business Meeting in the past 30 days, the Realtor has no reason and should have no business referring the loan originator to you (this is in my humble opinion).
I am approved in all 50 states to originate loans and I was #8 in my company last year, I conduct myself as you and I would be expecting to be treated. Let me know if you have more steam to blow off or if there is anything I can help you with in the future. ? Marty Qualls
________________________________________
Glenda says:
Yes! I am with you! There is this casualness and no professionalism nowadays that is killing me too.
When we bought a house 2 yrs ago the loan officer was never to be found. The only way was by emailing and setting an appointment to see her in person. She only wanted to do everything via email. You’d email and it’d be a couple of days or more before she’d reply. I’d call get her voice mail and leave a message as to “I’m still waiting for a reply to my last email such and such days ago”. She got back on her toes when we told her straight up we were looking elsewhere for a loan officer.
Dude, Bro, Yo, Man, etc… unless we are “friends” it’s unacceptable. If we are conducting business you need to be in your utmost professional behavior. It just says a lot about the individual.
Jennifer Choate says:
As a real estate broker, I totally understand your frustration…that is why I only let my buyers use lenders that have proven track records with me…I have been doing this 16 years so I know who is good and who sucks….In his defense, underwriters are the ones who come back with the new demands….sometimes they come out of left field. Ever since the market crashed the lending community has been under scrutiny (which was needed) so they have to cover their asses like never before. My best advice is to use a mid to smaller company. The larger companies do not take care of their clients cause they have plenty of them…you want to be a face and person to your lender, not just a file on the desk…on a brighter side…maybe your dream house will be available when this tax issue is cleared up…Good Luck…
divrchk says:
We’re in the process of buying a house and just got our final loan approval commitment letter yesterday. We’re using USAA for our loan and we had NONE of those red flags. That is not cool. I would definitely use a different, more reputable loan company next time.
Dudge OH says:
Can’t believe the LO’s use of slang in the email/phone conversations. I worked in a mortgage company for many years and was always as formal as possible in all forms of communication.
When we were buying this house, back in ’05, we got all the loan stuff in place first…
Julie says:
Regarding business casual…what kind of a real business person arrives to show you a house while wearing blue jeans and a tshirt? When I am spending upwards of a million hard earned dollars, I don’t want some frat guy p0inting out the pros and cons of my future home. Comb your hair, shave, put on a clean dress shirt and arrive on time. I like to at least pretend you are professional. We had similar problems with our dream home a few years ago. We had made an offer ( the only one they had received) and they accepted. Two days later they said it was already sold. We were crushed. As luck would have it, we are now in a better home, better location and better price. The bad deal turned out to work in our favor. Oh, and when we went past the house a few months later it was still for sale. It took 3 years for them to sell it at a lower price than we offered. YEAH!!! Good luck.
Lisa says:
We used a small town bank that kept their loans in house. It was much more efficient and didn’t have any red tape. We didn’t even have to provide tax returns. They just used job references and credit checks.
Dee Dee says:
I hope you are able to get a new loan officer in your future house purchase. Sounds like this DUDE has much to be desired.
Christina says:
Mortgage brokers are…AWFUL. We bought our house a year ago…it took us 3 months just to close. The broker we finally ended up with…I hated him by the time we were done. It seems to me that mortgage guys are all fast talking wheeler dealers….and honestly I think he hated me too. At one point I told him look….if you cant close the deal…then we’re are just gonna drop out….and hung up on him…and refused to take his calls….the man came unhinged….You’re losing MONEY! He cried over and over (which meant…he was losing money) but honestly the whole transaction was a joke. I NEVER want to buy another house again.
Sherry says:
Yep, yep and yep. Business professionalism HAS gone down the tubes.
I’m so sorry about the house, I know how frustrating that can be. My husband and I didn’t get the house we initially wanted but little did we know that there was an even BETTER house waiting for us. And now we’re so thankful we didn’t get the first one. Maybe the same will hold true for you….or maybe that house will still be on the market when your information is complete??
My husband shopped around for a loan company and went with the one that gave us the best rate and zero points….but the loan officer himself needed a refresher course in customer service!! We had a deadline of THREE weeks to close and he assured us a million times it was no big deal. After several attempts to contact him via phone, email, etc, about various things we decided to end our relationship with him and cross our fingers that another loan company could pick up the pieces and get us closed in less than 3 weeks. The new company was MUCH more professional, and we dealt with a Senior Loan officer, so maybe that was a reason he was more professional. And we closed on time (with lots and lots of paperwork to be submitted nearly every day it seemed, I’m so happy that’s a thing of the past!).
I seriously think some of the officers just tell you what you want to hear so that you stick with them and keep your loan with their company. I don’t think they give a rat’s butt whether you get your house or not. And they purposely avoid your calls to avoid those questions they cannot answer honestly.
Ugh. Sorry to rant, but I feel your pain.
So here’s to a better experience next time!
Rebecca says:
I would copy all correspondence and send it (by postal or e-mail) to his supervisor.
Shell says:
Had my mortgage broker not been a good friend, I’d have strangled someone. Seriously, I was a first time buyer, a single woman, and was terrified of getting screwed. She held my hand through the whole thing and though she knew (and hated) my Realtor, she was professional in dealing with him as well.
Though after about the 26th gazillion piece of paper she asked for, I got frustrated and sent a sworn statement containing my name, education level, career trajectory and the color of my toenails. She wrote back, “Cute. Now where’s your bank statement from May of 1997?”
Hang in there!
kristen says:
One day..not today, but far off in the future, you will think back on this and laugh. Trust me..my mortgage person/closing appointment was the pits. I’m really surprised my mug shot isn’t hanging in Post Offices, and that my name isn’t on no fly lists. I do look back at it and (somewhat) laugh at how evil I can be when pushed. My closing wasn’t all smiles, I was engaged in full out war with the attorney and the mortgage person – who was conveniently filling in for my real mortgage person who was on vacation. Seriously, who schedules a closing at 3:00pm on December 31..oh, and I wasn’t consulted on the time; I was told to “be here and bring your certified check!” You will find something better…and with the real estate market still in such a funk, I’m sure you all can find a better mortgage agent who is professional and knows how to treat a customer. Keep your head up, Daddy Spohr..and please don’t judge me for my poor grammaration (like that word? it’s a conjunction for grammar and punctuation, I completely invented it- you may use it). I admittedly suck!
Kristen in NC
LiteralDan says:
It isn’t, as long as people cut off business relationships with people who behave that way– you should move on to another officer or another bank altogether, and if asked, you could cite these reasons as just some of the symptoms of a deeper disconnect.
I’m sure he’ll read this post, and that’s a good start!
Ray says:
Wow, so sorry about the house. That sucks! And you are totally and 100% right on with everything that you wrote in this entry. That guy sounds like the epitome of, “Ghetto Fabulous.” And to be like that in the workplace is just HORRIFIC!
Professionalism is sadly dying. We need to bring it back!
PRONTO!
That and people NEED a class in “Etiquette!”
Audra says:
Ugh! All of that is awful. I know its over, but I think you should complain (I’m 36…not 65…lest you think this is the advice of a grumpy old codger). I’m sure this guy’s boss would love to know about Mr. Loan Officer’s overly casual attitude. Clearly this is a guy whose feelings of self-importance supersede his need to provide good customer service. Talk about a red flag!
Chris says:
We went through something similar with the real estate person who represented us 5 years ago (move from CA to WA). I would email constantly and never get a response. Ironically, his vanity license plate reads “emailme”.
Christa says:
My husband is dealing with the same problems at work. He has one lady who returns every email with “k”. Nothing else, he then has to call her to see if “k” means she read it or she’s going to comply with it.
Email is great but capitalization,punctuation and spelling out your words are still a requirement, even if you are replying from your BlackBerry!
Meg says:
Totally with you, Mike — I’m constantly disturbed by the “business” emails I get at work. I know I’m an uptight English major and editor, but I can’t stand misspellings and typos and grammatical errors, etc. Super annoying. So I don’t look like a dummy, I double-check everything I send out; others obviously don’t do the same.
And there’s no excuse for the “bro,” “dude,” etc. He’s not your buddy. UGH.
Penbleth says:
This is totally unprofessional. I abhor fake pally behaviour. In business people aren’t mates, they’re in a working relationship. It is drummed in to people in my work that email is official and must be treated as such and written as such at all times.
Hopefully you won’t have too long a wait until something even better comes along.
Elizabeth says:
People are just….disturbing!! Good luck as the search continues.