Team Varela – PrimeLending

I’m in the process of attempting to buy a house. As a first time homebuyer, I am pretty overwhelmed. It is a huge process. I do have some items I need to work out, like paying off two small things.
I also requested my insurance agent check into their bank as well, just out of curiosity. She came back with a better payment and I informed Alex at PrimeLending that I was talking with her as well.
He then sends me this totally unprofessional email as if I don’t know that it costs his company money to work my loan: «Got it. So in the nicest way possible … :)
I am going to put everything on hold on my end. To update the credit report and work on your score etc it costs PrimeLending money. Money that we don’t charge. We work with clients one on one to deliver the best possible service. When you decide how you want to proceed please let me know.
I would love nothing more to help you achieve homeowner ship but I cannot put in all the time and cost for you to decide to use State Farm Mortgage. I am so sorry but please let me know if you want to commit and for us to move forward.»
Anything you have to preface with «in the nicest way possible…» and include a smiley face is not something you want to write to a potential customer. And oh, it costs YOU money to lend me money? WHAT?!? How… WHAT IS LIFE, I DON’T EVEN KNOW!!111! No sh! t, Sherlock.
So, I absolutely will not be using PrimeLending. I’m just sorry I had to burst a co-worker’s bubble when she asked me how it was going, as I went to Alex on her recommendation. I have no desire to deal with someone who acts so petty and unprofessional when I was at least polite enough to inform him that I was working with another bank.

Summary
I’m writing this review in hopes of helping others through the home buying process. My suggestion is to skip this lender at all costs, for reasons including unethical business practices, and when things don’t go as he planned, the Branch Manager got vengeful with us. We felt threatened, and at his mercy. We were terrified to do anything against his guidance for fear of not getting our home. He left us without options. But rather than fill his pockets, I chose not to give him our business, even at the risk of losing the home all together. We had a horrible experience, and want to make sure you do not have the same.
Ultimately, we took our business elsewhere because of Varela Group/​Prime Lending’s inability to get the loan done and the unethical business practices.
The Good
Response time for initial contact
Our initial loan officer truly care
Knowlegeable on loans/​requirements
The Bad
Unethical business practices, including threatening and bullying of buyers
Interest rates higher/​not competitive
Lack of urgency, slow to return calls
Branch Manager doesn’t care about the people, he only cares about the numbers
Branch Manager is focused on finding the right loan for business benefit vs. buyer benefit