No. Only the listing agent, working under a signed borrower authorization, is permitted to communicate with the seller’s lender about the file. Buyers and buyer’s agents who contact the lender directly aren’t legally authorized to discuss it.

This rule trips up buyers and even some less experienced buyer’s agents who assume that more direct communication with the lender will speed up the process or give them more visibility into where things stand. It typically does the opposite.

Why the authorization requirement exists

A lender or servicer can only legally discuss a borrower’s loan details with parties the borrower has specifically authorized in writing, generally through a third-party authorization form. The listing agent, working on the seller’s behalf and with that signed authorization in hand, is the one party positioned to have that conversation. A buyer’s agent calling in, even with good intentions and a reasonable question, isn’t on that authorization and generally won’t get information beyond the most generic acknowledgment that a file exists.

What happens when buyers try anyway

Beyond simply not getting useful information, a buyer’s agent contacting the lender directly can occasionally create confusion in the file, particularly if information gets relayed inconsistently between multiple points of contact. Lenders reviewing short sale files prefer a single, clean channel of communication, and multiple parties calling about the same file tends to slow things down rather than speed them up.

The right move when a buyer’s agent has questions about timeline or status is to route them through the listing agent, who has both the legal standing and the direct relationship with whoever’s handling the file at the lender.

Considering a short sale purchase, or have questions before you write an offer? Call or text Michele Lee Scherger at 561-309-2950 for guidance specific to the listing.