We were referred to Movement Mortgage on behalf of Eastwood Homes. This home buying experience was stressful, unorganized, and altogether a miserable ordeal. The loan officer was unprofessional, disrespectful, incompetent, and extremely arrogant. Movement Mortgage has proven with us to utilize unethical practices and we regret our decision to pick Eastwood Homes mostly because of this stressful home buying experience. On November 30, 2015 we went to North Carolina to close. We had the walk through two hours before closing and during the walk through, the sales agent informed us that the closing was not possible. The builder John Leach was not even aware that closing was not going through. The incompetence of this loan officer includes not sending out a vital document that needed a three day validation and not verifying the employment of my husband. Therefore, we wasted time and money taking an unnecessary trip from New York to North Carolina that we were not compensated for. The loan officer Mike Merriam sent an email at 2:00 pm the afternoon before to inform us that the closing was not going to happen. However, we were on the road since 7 am and did not receive the email. Nonetheless, Mike Merriam the loan officer displayed pure incompetence with his actions. Mr Merriam finally fulfilled his responsibilities by sending out documents and verifying employment and informed us on December 11, 2015 that we were cleared to close. However, I informed Mr. Merriam on December 10, 2015 that we were grieving as we had an unexpected passing of a love one who was very dear to my heart. On December 11, 2015 with this knowledge, Mr Merriam displayed pure callousness by replying to us how about Tuesday to close. We were so taken back by his inhumity that I contacted the builder John Leach and the sales agent Randi Bauer and really asked for them to interven because I did not know who to turn to concerning this matter. Nevertheless, Mike Merriam put so much pressure on us to close as we were going to this heart breaking circumstance. Adding to this already devastating ordeal, as we were getting ready to close, we realized that the builder never switch back the heat and water into their name. As required by Eastwood Homes, we set up an automatic transfer of the water and gas into our name as of December 1, 2015 since we expected closing was going to take place on November 30, 2015. I informed Eastwood Homes on December 1, 2015 that we were unable to switch it back to the builder as the builder can only complete this action. However, because Mr Merriam was stringing everyone alone making us all think that closing was going to happen within days of November 30, 2015, the builder never switch the utilities back into their name. Now, closing is scheduled for December 31, 2015. At this time, we were not permitted to take anymore time off of work because of our bereavement and flights were extremely expensive. Nevertheless, we did everything within our power to complete this ordeal therefore we asked my sister and her husband to represent us as a power of attorney because they live in Mooresville, NC and closing was to take place in Charlotte. Closing almost did not take place even on this date because once again Mr Merriam sent the package to the wrong paralegal. Additionally, we were going through another unnecessary ordeal with this officer via email. He was completely rude, disrespectful, and arrogant to me and my family. My brother in law was concerned that everything was in order and Mr Merriam told him that he was the biggest pain in the butt. Once me and my husband received the final closing document which was another disaster, Movement Mortgage changed the final closing document to an increased amount and only sent it to my sister and her husband who was our power of attorney and left me and my husband out of the email thread. We found out this information later on as the days past. Therefore, when we closed we were legally obligated to a higher amount for cash on closing yet we did not have any knowledge because we went off the amount that was sent to us. As the days pass, we were thinking that we closed on our home and we can finally put this nightmare behind us. Notwithstanding, that did not happen. We were informed by the marketing leader Daniel Dunes that the deed recording could not be completed until the original power of attorney forms were received. Therefore, we sent the original forms. Once Movement Mortgage received the original forms on January 6, 2016, we were informed by Daniel that we owed 900.00 and now the deed cannot be recorded because the amount we owed. We were confused and shocked to say the least! Movement Mortgage's unethical practice was costing us 900.00 more. I understand that legally it obligates us but it was an unethical way of retrieving more funds from us. Furthermore, Daniel the marketing leader informs me that he can arrange for the 900.00 to be reimbursed to us if we sign a settlement agreement. After the review of this agreement, I felt as if we were signing our soul to the devil and we refused. We were not allowed to tell our story or we will suffer legal ramification. By this time a lawyer contacts me, Asleigh Black and she informed me we cannot close because we are short financially therefore the deed cannot be recorded. I asked her how can we get out of this horrible situation since technically we are not recorded and she did not respond to me until days later when we refused to sign that agreement. Ms. Black the attorney informed me that we were now closed and the deed was recorded. Once again we were really baffled because I was just asking how to get out of this stressful situation with them because we were not closed and they were asking for more money. I informed Ms. Black of the incompetence, unprofessional, unorganized, and the unethical practices among many other situations by Movement Mortgage including how I asked her how to remove ourself from these unethical practices days prior because she informed us we were not technically closed and we were not going to sign to settlement agreement which was basically a gag order and I needed to know how long we have to pay the 900.00 from a legal stand point because of their unethical practice I understand we were really obligated to pay more money, she then informed me that the 900.00 was taken care of. Eastwood Homes, I ask that you understand this situation was not short of unhonorable. I even had to go through a negative situation with John Leach because we are receiving utilities bills for a house we did not even own. According to John Leach the bil was only 8.00 but the principal of it is that we should not have been obligated to anything prior to closing. He then informed me to send the water bill to was an administration, swilliams. Yet after that whole ordeal I did not even contact him about the heat bill. Who has the mental and emotional energy to continue on with a battle? We are mentally and emotionally drained! What was suppose to be "the American dream" and a wonderful home buying experience turned into a nightmare! The only person out of this nightmare that was truly upstanding and outstanding was Randi Bauer, the sales representative from flowers plantation. He always inquired how he can help and Eastwood Homes is very lucky to have him on your team. I have family that will be visiting and some are interested in relocating. How can I recommend Eastwood Homes after the disaster we were put through? How can Eastwood Homes continue a relationship with Movement Mortgage knowing the unethical practices and the nightmare that we went through? Thank you for taking the time to review this email. Aaron LaValley and Valerie Rodriguez-LaValley Aaronlaval@gmail.com 3476788009