Hi Robert. Your frustration is only natural. With any professional service, the professionalism of the individual is key. Maybe the person you're dealing with is inexperienced, maybe they're caught up in a disfunctional bureaucracy, who knows. You should definitely check around for more potential mortgage partners. I'd be happy to show you what it's like to work with somoene you can trust. I'm in Florida, and that may seem unrealistic, but keep in mind that a lot of buyers are dealing with flunkies at Ditech, etc., or a generalist at a local bank or credit union who may be equally unresponsive and often knows less about mortgages and credit than about auto loans and checking accounts. Phone calls, emails, faxes... all of that can be handled from a distance.

To your last question: You're right to be concerned, but don't focus on funding. Loan proceeds usually don't go out until closing day, or sometimes the day before, and funding doesn't really occur until signature pages are faxed back from the closing and a funding number is issued. If you're suspicious and don't feel you can afford to trust the mortgage contact any more, then ask them point blank for the current status of the loan. Ask them if it's been conditionally approved. If it hasn't, then you may be in real trouble. If they say it IS conditionally approved, then ask for a copy of the conditional approval or preliminary loan commitment. They may insist on blacking out parts of it, and that's okay. But get a copy so you can get an idea of the official status for yourself. Most purchase contracts give the seller the right to be informed about the buyer's progress in obtaining their loan, so use that as support if necessary. A productive working relationship should never degenerate to this point, but if your back's up against the wall, do what you must to protect yourself and the clients.

If the loan has been conditionally approved, ask about any remaining conditions that must still be cleared prior to closing. For sure, ask if the appraisal has been signed off, and if not, ask them to tell you the status of the appraisal review.

Hope this is helpful. There are so many variables, it's hard to cover every what-if in a blog posting. Please feel free to contact me to discuss it live. (btw, many of us can and do close loans in less than 2 weeks, so don't lose hope)