My refinance application is in underwriting now, am I obligated to close?

I truncated the whole question down to make for a readable headline, but let me repost it in it’s entirty now before I answer.

“Do I have to go through with my Refi? It is currently in underwriting now. I was told that the lender is going to be Countrywide. I was locked in at 6%. I’ve already paid for the appraisal and it has come back fine… No problems. I’m due to close next week.”

The short answer is “No”.

It sounds like you are using a broker who is selling your loan to Countrywide…and you are never obligated anyway. You can always cancel a loan application even
at the closing table if you so desire without any negative ramifications other than maybe a lost appraisal fee in your case. And maybe not even that since you paid for it yourself.

You do have the right to ask the broker who ordered it to “transfer” the appraisal to another provider and expect them to comply. They won’t be happy about it, but they’ll do it.

Some providers are sore about losing the deal and will drag their feet hoping they can still resurect the deal, but make it clear they will transfer it by X date, or you’ll call the local news station’s consumer advocate reporter and put their bad practice on display for the whole world to see.

You’ll get it done post haste that way.