Great Oak Lending Partners

Description of Work: Jan 2012, I initiated the application process to refinance under a VA Loan with William H. Gray of Gray Financial as the liaison who assigned it to Steven Hayes of Great Oaks Lending. After the completion of multiple documents (to include veteran certification with DD214 and VA certificate), 1 credit check, a home appraisal and pest inspection, I was told my loan was approved 5 months later on 7 May 2012. However, I did not go to closing. In the same month, my closing was delayed (re-scheduled multiple times and then postponed) due to several reasons: 1. Steven Hayes was apparently released from Great Oaks Lending due to non-disclosure of funding fees (per Jeremy McDonough, Steven's predecessor on my file) 2. There were approximately 45 other files ahead of me 3. The lending company that was going to finance my loan no longer wanted to go forward. Basically there were multiple reasons explained to me over a 4 week course of time. On 1 June 2012, I was informed I needed to re-send my VA certification information. I questioned the location of my file while re-sending the information within 1 calendar day. Due to the cease of my closing Great Oaks Lending offered to pay for the funding fee (equal to or greater than $8,600), as they accepted responsibility for the non-disclosure and delayed closing. After learning I was not exempt from funding fees, I was asked to review and sign another Uniform Residential Loan Application with the funding fees removed from my responsibility on 27 June 2012. I had informed Jeremy I was going on vacation and to please have the documents to me prior to 27 June, so I could sign and return, hence decreasing any further delays. Unfortunately, the documents were not sent until 27 June...this delay was due to Jeremy's health (a common cold). While on vacation I had a service print the documents, which were sent legal size. I signed and spent several days on vacation to get them re-sent, as Great Oaks Lending could not receive the documents back in legal size, their fax machine could only receive letter size. I had to ultimately wait until Sept to receive the correct documents FedEx to me. Prior to this, I was asked to re-submit all documentation for refi on 8 Aug 2012. I again inquired where my file was with privacy act information. In addition, I requested information as to why there were 2 additional credit checks completed, hence jeopardizing my security clearance investigation and requested my file was elevated. At this time Brandon Hazel, the V.P. of Production was brought in. His initial dialogue was he was going to work my file personally (I later learned this was just another empty promise). In addition, I was told it was hard to see what was going on in my file at this time. I suggested they started over at this time, as my appraisal (financed by me) would expire on 13 Oct, but it took a month before this was done (verification was given 6 Sept 2012) despite Jeremy and Brandon being well aware of the expiration date. More delays of effective communication from Jeremy resulted after a death in his family. On 7 Sep 2012 the Uniform Residential Application was sent to me via FedEx. On 20 Sep 2012 Jeremy informed me they were able to lower my interest rate to 3.49%. Despite multiple unanswered and unreturned phone calls to Brandon's office and cell phone and Jeremy's cell phone, it took until 16 November to get my loan re-approved. I was told it was due to Hurricane Sandy...a process that began 11 months prior to a storm, was delayed by it; and another month to get an appraisal ordered (20 Dec 2012). And now into a new year, I still have not closed. My last conversation with Jeremy in December I was told there was no one I could elevate my complaint to and was made to feel ridiculed and helpless in their mortgage melee.