Are You Eligible for a Government Loan Modification Plan?

Are You Eligible for Obama’s Loan Modification Program?   To be eligible for mortgage loan modification options under the federal initiative, borrowers should be able to meet the following basic requirements:

o    The home for which the loan being modified must be the primary residence of the applicant.

o    The value of the present home mortgage cannot exceed $ 729,250 for a 1-unit property.

o    The existing home loan should have been approved before 1st January, 2009.

Sam Khater, senior economist, First American CoreLogic. “To say there is a second wave implies the existing wave has receded,” Khater told me. “I don’t see that the wave has receded.”  Khater shared his historical data of 90-day delinquency rates for Orange County, as well as the foreclosure-in-process rates and rates of REOs, or foreclosures on banks’ books. The 90-day rate includes all outstanding 1st mortgages at least three months late but not yet foreclosed. The foreclosure rate is just 1st mortgages with a notice of default or trustee’s sale filing.

If you look at the 90-day rate it has been heading straight up it has not scaled back. Khater also said the California foreclosure rate and REO rates have been impacted by government tinkering in the market. He said federal and state efforts have mostly delayed foreclosures, preventing few.

In Khater’s view it shows “one giant wave.”  Local State and Federal loan modification programs have helped thousands of borrowers keep their homes, but in some cases the mortgage relief was simply delaying the inevitable loan default that will push the homeowners out with a legal foreclosure.

Mathew Padilla elaborated more the 2nd-wave of foreclosures looming for so-Cal neighborhoods. He said it’s based on the idea that there has been a lull in home “foreclosures and the big second and maybe third or fourth waves will come as low introductory payments end on various types of adjustable-rate loans.” Credit Suisse released reports with graphs highlighting significant of resets and interest rate recasts in 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

Industry insiders have already discussed that defaults remain high for negative amortization option ARMs.  The report reminds us that we need not wait for the adjustable rate loans to adjust, because many of them are already defaulting.  If you are a homeowner seeking a loan workout make sure that you contract with a reputable law firm or loan modification company.  Ask about their refund policy, in case the lender rejects your request for a loan modification.

Adrian Sainz wrote an article a few days ago, that I wanted to share with you. Homeowners worried about missing mortgage payments and entering foreclosure may have another option: a loan modification. Despite some signs of stability in the housing market, foreclosures remain a major obstacle to a meaningful recovery. And more borrowers in good standing are likely to miss their mortgage payments as the recession claims more jobs.  That’s why some people have gone for a loan modification — a permanent change in a mortgage that results in more affordable payments for the borrower.

Efforts to modify home loans have been easily outpaced by the number of new delinquencies, according to a Treasury Department report released in late June. In the first quarter, loan companies modified 185,156 mortgages, up 55 percent from the previous quarter, while the number of foreclosures in process increased to 844,389, up 22 percent.  Still, modification has been an option for many troubled homeowners. Lenders have been overwhelmed by calls from people seeking to modify their home loan, leading to reports of frustration and delays, according to mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac, which recently released an Internet video discussing this topic.  In the face of these delays, it’s important to start the loan modification process fully prepared. That means having the correct paperwork handy before calling or meeting with a loan servicer or housing counselor.  Here are some questions and answers about what you should have on hand.

Question: What are some basic documents to gather ahead of a loan modification meeting?

Answer: First, the servicer will want to quickly find the file in question, so have the monthly mortgage statement in hand.  Next, find the most recent statement for any homeowners’ or condominium association fees. Some borrowers have seen association fees increase in light of more home vacancies brought on by foreclosures, stressing monthly budgets — so you’ll want evidence of what you’ve been paying each month.  Also, borrowers who took out home equity lines of credit, and second or third mortgages, should have paperwork for those loans handy.  All of these documents go a long way in displaying a troubled borrower’s financial situation and determining their eligibility for a loan modification. Borrowers should also enter the process with a budget plan that includes how much they can actually afford to pay in monthly housing expenses, including insurance and taxes.

Question: Are there any documents not specifically related to the home that should be nearby during the meeting with the loan servicer?

Answer: Yes. Bring along statements showing balances and minimum monthly payments on active credit cards, car loans, student loans and other debts or obligations, Freddie Mac says.  These documents give the servicer a sense of the borrower’s monthly expenses outside of housing-related expenditures, to come up with a manageable monthly mortgage payment that will be sustainable.

Question: Is that all?

Answer: Actually, no. Freddie Mac recommends that homeowners write a statement that discusses the financial problems that are or could be leading to foreclosure.  This should be an honest account — the writer should set pride aside and give the servicer a sense of how bad the situation really is.

Loss mitigation and mortgage relief can be a complex decision for some mortgage lender, so remeber that you have the opportunity to make another 1st impression, so don’t blow it…process. In most cases, homeowners should have an attorney guide them through the loan modification process to work through any technicalities and make sure the lender is taking the correct steps.

Frustration is going back and forth from homeowners to lenders.  Unfortunately, Washington, is not helping much either. The Obama administration set up a $75 billion Making Home Affordable program to pay mortgage lenders to modify home loans, but a Treasury Department spokeswoman couldn’t even say whether lenders and banks have to reveal how many mortgage loans have been changed.  So why bother trying to get an unaffordable loan modified?  John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for Credit.com, points out that a loan modification, if you can get it, won’t damage your credit the way a foreclosure or a short sale would.  And he notes: This process, although difficult, is free.

You don’t have to use those law firms and companies that are advertising heavily, saying they can pull off a modification for a fee, usually of a few thousand dollars.  To learn more about the Obama’s loan workout program and mortgage relief in general, go to www.makinghomeaffordable.gov.  Homeowners Hope Hotline, 888-995-HOPE.  Article was written by Harriet Johnson Brackey for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.