Legal Experts: My mortgage broker forced me to sign documents regarding my mortgage...Is this illegal?

Question

In 2008 I went to a mortgage broker to see what was reqired of me to obtain a home loan.  At the time I had less than perfect credit and was in the process of saving and cleaning up my credit and only wanted to know what I needed to do to obtain a home loan (down payment, credit etc.).  The broker told me that he had a lender that would approve my loan and I didn't need to wait to become a home owner that he could make it happen now with no down payment.  I became excited and decided to go for it even though I felt I was not prepared financially.  As time went on the broker told me to sign several doucuments.  I told the broker I wanted to take the documents home and look them over and he told me no.  He said we had to move quickly.  The broker was very forceful and controlling and he pressured me into entering into the mortgage loan agreement before I was ready.  Three years later, I became unemployed and am in foreclosure and need to defend myself.  Do I have a defense since I was pressured into the mortgage in the first place.  The broker forced me to sign a hand written note that stated I was pleased with his services (even though I wasn't).  The entire process was stressful.  The broker would send me two and three good faith estimates per day with different amounts on them.  I became confused and really didn't know if I should continue the process.  The broker told me I was locked into the agreement and couldn't back out.    Additionally, the broker tried to force me to fire my realtor because he didn't like her and he didn't want to deal with her. At the closing the broker showed up and caused a scene and  to make a long story short he delayed the process well into the evening and I was not able to get the keys to my home until the next day.  I cried many nights over this entire ordeal.  There is much more that I could say about this entire process however time and characters wont permit me to give your more details.

glenn · Accepted Answer

Buying a home is very stressful and so is foreclosure.  Go visit a lawyer in person with all the documents you have.  Since you are an adult you may be held responsible for any bank fraud that occurred and you would not want to reveal any of this to anyone without good detailed advice from legal council.

Sorry you were treated this way. The real estate agent may have partially been trying to protect you.  The best time to seek legal help would have been before you closed on the loan- the second best time would be now.

Simpson G. · Answer

No one "forced" you to do anything.  Did he have a gun to your head?  Did he hold your dog off a 20 story balcony?

Your life is controlled by YOU.  That you allowed yourself to be bullied by a salesperson doesn't mean you lose responsibility.

You could have walked away at any time up until all contingencies were met on your offer.  Instead, you chose to continue allowing yourself to be bullied and walked on.

It's also been 3 years.  You didn't have a problem with the way you were treated until both you and hubby became unemployed.  Now, you need to blame someone so you've set your sights on the broker.

You have the right to hire an attorney to see if you do have any case.  From where I am sitting, there isn't one, but I know that there are lots of i's that must be dotted and perhaps he missed on.
 Or perhaps he violated some rule about too much paperwork.

Ryan M · Answer

I have a question???  How come you are crying about this 3 YEARS later and not when it happened if you felt forced??  Is it because your gravy train ran out and everything was peachy before?? Now that hard time hit, it MUST be someones fault that you cannot afford your house??  Is that it?  How would things be ANY different if you took the documents home?  If you felt pressured, why didn't you just go to a different broker? How big was the gun put to your head?? When does your personal accountability come into play??  Simply amazing the attitudes of people!

Frankie · Answer

Against your own better judgement, you still CHOOSE to sign. You enjoyed the home and presumably paid the mortgage during that time. You have no defense. If this was 3 years ago when the mortgage was new, that would be different. However, this situation seems a bit far fetched. Especially considering your other questions.

John P · Answer

I am no legal expert but pretty good at common sense. If you can't take the papers home to read over and digest what they say and take them to a lawyer to look over there has to be something wrong.
This broker knows there is a catch some place and remember this for now and in the future, the broker or salesman is representing the seller, not you, you are on your own.

chatsplas · Answer

OK, because you signed the documents, you bound yourself legally.
Because you were a dishrag, you bound yourself.
You did something, are legally bound, and want to blame it all on some one else.
NO, you have NO DEFENSE against foreclosure based on those facts.  You might have a right to legal action against the broker.  Timidity, stupidity, neither are defenses in foreclosure.
NEVER sign anything when they won't let you take time to read and understand it, to take it home to examine!!!!
Get a good local real estate attorney to advise you, or a HUD approved credit counselor. . . .not a heavily advertised stop foreclosure firm.

Slickterp · Answer

He did not force you to do anything.  You signed the documents despite your better judgment.  

Whether you were pleased with his services or not is irrelevant (and again, he didn't force you to sign anything).  

You have no defense.  You freely admit you knew you weren't ready to buy, and you did anyway.  

YOU need to learn to be mnore forceful and not allow other people to push you into things.

LILL · Answer

Did the broker put a gun to your head???  If not, you have no case.

Chris B · Answer

No more than 5 minutes ago you were in foreclosure because neither you or your husband have jobs!!!!  What makes you think people are idiots?

real estate guy · Answer

oh to be the victim!!!

Chris B is 100% correct!!

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Legal Experts: My mortgage broker forced me to sign documents regarding my mortgage...Is this illegal?

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