Aggressive Lender Email

[Eliot Smith]

Our offer on a home was accepted. The next day, we asked the lender who issued our pre approval letter to match another rate we found. We received this email in response:

“I pass. We need to have started this morning to be able to meet deadline. The listing agent is going to be very upset she accepted your offer because I was the one doing the financing since she knows/trusts me. Shopping around was not an advisable move. I'm sure the listing agent is going to be all over you and your realtor to make the dates or there may be penalties.”

What is going on? I found the lender online who happens to know the listing agent. I am getting pressure from both of them to get with this lender. The contract only had a pre approval letter so Not sure why listing agent assumed I would go with them. Why did the lender indicate he could not process the loan and that it was not wise to shop around the day after an offer was accepted?