My realtor will ask the attorney next Monday, but I wanna know now. My questions are: Why did they need to request a new payoff?If you have any further questions you may call the New York State Department of State at (631) 952-6579. Having the payoff letter and proof of payment will take care of the issue if you try to sell and the mortgage is open. Customer. Depending on your lender, you may have to sign in to an online account, call a helpline, or send a formal letter to start the request process. A payoff letter provides instructions on how to pay off a loan with a lump sum before the loan term ends. Learn how payoff letters work. How is escrow calculated? Why can't I make my mortgage payment online? Step 1: Get the payoff amount and instructions.