It's a fairly simple system to figure out, so there are investors and businesses (Mostly flippers) focus on it as a primary deal source, building a system to study properties in advance of the sale and having top bids ready to roll.There is also a fair amount of, let's call it, less than ethical behavior going on.

Within 6 days of sending a fully ratified purchase contract to your lender (3 days if you consent to electronic receipt of disclosures), you should receive this document from your lender.In the upper right corner, it has a "rate lock" portion that is legally binding.Hardcore rate shopping at the preapproval stage, and/or when you're just on the phone, encourages dishonest behavior, because folks will quote unrealistically low to keep you on the phone, as OP just learned. 

And maybe this is not the first time these people did this and previous landlords couldn't be bothered with filing and thus you never knew about their previous behavior and rented to them?

**So the folks Russel is describing will quote the cheapest title/escrow fees that actually exist in the entire state, even if it's a call center title company in India that no one in their right mind would actually use (and this **is** a call center / internet lender and not a local, so this behavior is consistent on paper). 

Give you the wherewithal to pursue and achieve your long-term goalsMany investors start off "too hot", and they either overdevelop their first property or they spend their money too fast - either of these behavior will stop you dead in your tracks, and you probably won't even be able to achieve your short-term goals - and you certainly won't have the resources to pursue your long-term goals.

I'll give felons and junkies a lot of understanding when they apply to rent my places. but a pool gets zero tolerance from me.poor human behavior can be changed, a pool will always be a nightmare.

Give you the wherewithal to pursue and achieve your long-term goalsMany investors start off "too hot", and they either overdevelop their first property or they spend their money too fast: either of these behaviors will stop you dead in your tracks, and you probably won't even be able to achieve your short-term goals - and you certainly won't have the resources to pursue your long-term goals.

I’ve seen Seattle defang their police so they cannot stop lawless behavior, which encourages it.

Although it's human nature to want to give people the benefit of the doubt, this is not behavior that ever turns around for the better.

I'm not usually surprised by people's poor behavior but this one hurt a bit.