Looping in a supervisor is kind of a gamble, honestly. I’ve done it a couple times when my short sale was just sitting there with no updates. Sometimes it lights a fire, but other times it just means your file gets shuffled to the bottom of a new pile. Here’s how I usually approach it, for what it’s worth:
1. First, I try to get as much info as possible from the frontline rep—ask for timelines, next steps, and if there’s anything missing on my end. Sometimes they’ll admit they’re waiting on something simple.
2. If nothing moves after that, I’ll ask (politely) if there’s a way to escalate or if a supervisor can review. I try not to sound like I’m blaming anyone—just that I’m stuck and need help moving things along.
3. When I do get a supervisor, I keep it short and stick to facts: “Here’s what’s happened, here’s what I need.” No long stories or venting.
4. After escalation, I follow up every couple days. Not every day—that just annoys people—but enough so they know I’m not going away.
I agree with you that sometimes it just adds more layers and slows things down. One time, the supervisor literally repeated everything the first rep said and then told me to wait another week... super helpful.
But on the flip side, I’ve had one supervisor actually call the negotiator directly and get my file moved up. It really depends on who you get and how overloaded they are.
If you’re dealing with an underwater sale and the lender’s dragging their feet, sometimes you have to push a little harder. Just be ready for some extra waiting or even having to resend docs they “lost.” It’s annoying but seems par for the course.
And yeah, cookies probably wouldn’t hurt... but at this point, maybe coffee would work better.