Are Verbal Mortgage Agreements Legally Binding?
A mortgage company gave me a good faith estimate last week and I agreed to it over the phone. Gave my credit card number for them to charge the application fee and deposit (for a longterm rrate lock). I have yet to sign off on anything and since then, rates have went down a little.
The question is, am I legally binded to do business with them or am I technically free to go to another company since I have yet to sign anything.
You can still use another company.
You can even back out of a loan up to 3 days AFTER closing.
But remember your "Right to Cancel" does not apply to purchases or investment property.
Yes...this is true.
I should have been more specific.
Truth in Lending gives you a chance to change your mind on one important kind of transaction—when you use your home as security for a credit transaction. For example, when you are financing a major repair or remodeling and use your home as security, you have three business days, usually after you sign a contract, to think about the transaction and to cancel it if you wish. The creditor must give you written notice of your right to cancel, and if you decide to cancel, you must notify the creditor in writing within the three-day period. The creditor must then return all fees paid and cancel the security interest in your home. Until the three days are up, a contractor may not start work on your home, and a lender may not pay you or the contractor. If you must have the credit immediately to meet a financial emergency, you may give up your right to cancel by providing a written explanation of the circumstances.
The right to cancel (or right of rescission) was provided to protect you from decisions that are hasty or made under pressure, possibly putting your home at risk if you are unable to repay the loan. The law does not apply to a mortgage to finance the purchase of your home; for that, you commit yourself as soon as you sign the mortgage contract. If you use your home to secure an open-end credit line—a home equity line, for instance—you have the right to cancel when you open the account or when your security interest or credit limit is increased. (In the case of an increase, only the increase would be cancelled.)