Archive for the ‘Home Foreclosure’ Category

With the housing market headed for what some analysts are calling a double-dip downturn, there’s been a lot in the news lately about homeowners who strategically default on their mortgages. Here’s a look at what that means, how strategic default relates to foreclosure and what you need to know if you’ve got a mortgage you can’t afford.

What Is a Strategic Default?

The mortgage manipulation known as the strategic default works like this:

  • A homeowner reassesses her debt situation: This can be spurred by a number of things, and in the current economic climate common triggers include having difficulty paying bills (though not necessarily making mortgage payments) and realizing that a home is now worth less than the amount of the mortgage loan.
  • A homeowner decides not to make mortgage payments: After a month or two of missed mortgage payments, the mortgage loan will be in default (or, said another way, the borrower will have defaulted on the loan). The decision is usually considered “strategic” because those who choose this path opt to meet other financial obligations in lieu of paying their mortgages.
  • The home goes into foreclosure: Because the homeowner stops making mortgage payments, the mortgage lender begins the foreclosure process and takes back the home.
  • The homeowner deals with the credit consequences: In addition to finding new housing, strategic defaulters must also face serious financial consequences. Strategically defaulting on a mortgage can seriously damage a credit score, and many lenders (of all kinds) may refuse to issue loans to those with strategic defaults on their record. Fannie Mae, for instance, has announced that strategic defaulters are banned from Fannie Mae mortgage loans for seven years after defaulting.

How Is Strategic Default Different from “Regular” Foreclosure?

A strategic default is a conscious choice on the part of a homeowner to stop making mortgage payments, even if those payments are still affordable. Those who choose to strategically default often indicate that they are no longer willing to pay for a loan worth more than their house.

“Regular” foreclosure happens when a homeowner can no longer afford a mortgage loan and so has no choice but to stop making payments. In both cases, the homeowner loses the house to the lender; in strategic defaults, doing so is a conscious decision on the part of the homeowner.

What Are Other Options for Struggling Homeowners?

Because of the serious credit consequences and questionable ethical nature of strategically defaulting, many homeowners are not willing to do it, even if their loan is bigger than they’d like. Alternatives include:

  • Applying for a mortgage modification: Some banks (assisted by federal programs) offer mortgage modification programs. To find out whether you might qualify, contact your bank as soon as possible.
  • Filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy: Some homeowners are able to at least delay (and possibly prevent) mortgage foreclosure by filing for Chapter 13. If you’re interested in learning whether you qualify, contact a bankruptcy lawyer in your state.
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Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Mortgage Scammers on the Loose

Despite the best efforts of groups like the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission, scammers manage to find new ways to take money from unsuspecting consumers on a regular basis. Here’s a look at one of the latest warnings that’s been posted by consumer advocates.

A New Mortgage Scam Afoot

The latest in a long line of mortgage and foreclosure “rescue” scams seems to be one that involves attempting to trick homeowners into thinking they qualify for money from a lawsuit against their lenders. According to the BBB, the scam works like this:

  • An official-looking letter arrives: Victims have reportedly noted that they received a letter indicating that they were eligible to join a “joinder action suit” against certain mortgage lenders and banks. The letters noted the potential for winning significant financial compensation in the suit.
  • Unrealistic promises: Victims who called the number listed on the letter were apparently directed to employees of the scammer, who falsely suggested that, by joining the suit, victims might win thousands of dollars, have their interest rates slashed to two percent or have their mortgage principal reduced by 80 percent.
  • Request for upfront payment: In classic scam fashion, victims were then told that they must pay a $5,000 retainer fee to ensure their spot in the lawsuit.

Unsurprisingly, none of the information presented in the letters or during follow-up phone calls was true. But what many victims found disturbing was that the scammer had access to their personal information, including name, address, loan information and even loan amount. In other words, this particular scam may have seemed frighteningly legitimate.

How to Spot a Scam

If you’re among the millions of Americans currently struggling with your mortgage, be sure to follow these safety tips (from the BBB) if and when you decide to seek mortgage assistance.

  • Go directly to your lender first. Third-party “relief” providers, especially those that approach you unsolicited, are much less trustworthy and much more likely to take your money and offer you nothing in return.
  • Be suspicious of mailings from strangers. If you receive a letter about any class action or mass joinder lawsuit, be sure to check online to learn about the latest scams. Then, contact your bank or connect with a lawyer to assess the nature and legitimacy of the letter.
  • Shy away from advance fees. Thanks to new consumer protection rules that took effect this year, advance fees are only permitted in rare cases. In many cases, those that ask for money upfront are interested only in your money and may not stick around long enough to provide the help they promised.
  • Beware of forensic loan audits. These are hot scamming ground and often have no effect on a person’s mortgage payments.
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Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

New Solutions for Those with Mortgage Woes?

These days, many Americans are desperate to stay on top of mortgage payments, and are considering unorthodox ways to pay the bills. apparently, when a company called Adzookie offered to pay people’s mortgages for up to a year if those people would display large advertisements on their homes, applications flooded in by the thousands, as a recent report from Credit.com details.

The deal reportedly works like this: if you apply and are accepted into the program, Adzookie will paint advertisements on your home and pay your mortgage for three months (with a chance to renew for another nine if the ads remain in place).

While that may sound like heaven to some struggling homeowners, only a handful of people will be selected for this deal. So what can the rest of us do?

Finding Affordable Housing

Because of the tight standards of many refinancing programs, few homeowners are able to qualify. So that might mean a few things, one of which could be giving up a mortgage (whether with the help of personal bankruptcy or not) and renting for a while.

So how can you find affordable rent? By following these steps for negotiating:

  • Know the area: Figure out what people are paying for apartments in the neighborhood you want. In addition, try to determine whether there are more apartments than tenants or vice versa. If there are lots of vacancies, you have a better chance of negotiating a deal. You can do this by scouring local postings and asking people who rent nearby.
  • Consider amenities: Determine whether your potential apartment is bare-bones or all-inclusive. The former may provide you better negotiation opportunities, but make sure you’re able to find necessary services nearby—if you have to haul your laundry across town every time you’ve got dirty clothes, a small rent savings might not seem worthwhile in the long run.
  • Prove yourself: Offer to show to a potential landlord a strong credit report, a reference from a previous landlord or proof of steady income. A landlord who views you as a good credit risk is more likely to cut you a deal because she’ll be less likely to have to chase you down for rent or lose money on you.
  • Think outside the box: Offering to sign a lease longer than one year (which saves a landlord the work of finding new tenants), pay ahead of the due date (which saves a landlord worry and possibly money loss) or move in whenever works best for a landlord can all give you leverage in negotiations, as all these circumstances tend to ease a landlord’s financial (and worry) load.
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Monday, April 11th, 2011

Celebrate Financial Literacy Month

The Federal Trade Commission has announced that April is National Financial Literacy Month and, as such, a great opportunity for Americans of all ages to brush up their financial smarts to make the most of their money, credit and financial future.

So what kinds of things can you do to celebrate financial literacy month? The FTC recommends checking out these services.

  • Money Matters: This web site has information in both English and Spanish about essential financial literacy topics including debt collection, credit repair scams, vehicle repossession, job hunting, job offer scams, foreclosure rescue scams, budgeting for mortgage payments and more. Whether you prefer quick tips or more in-depth videos, this site has information to help you.
  • Free Annual Credit Reports: Here, the FTC explains how and why Americans are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major reporting bureaus once each year. This site also provides information about why it’s important to check your credit report regularly and where you can get your no-strings attached, truly free credit report (www.annualcreditreport.com).
  • You Are Here: This site is geared toward children and provides them interactive online games that teach them about advertising, competition and steps they can take to protect their privacy and prevent identity theft.

Why Does Financial Literacy Matter?

So why does our country need a financial literacy month in the first place? In recent years, tests administered to high school students yielded almost no passing scores and, as we are still collectively learning, ignorance about financial matters (such as how mortgages work) on a grand scale can lead to devastating financial fallout for the entire economy.

In addition to those resources provided by the FTC, consider visiting these sites as part of your financial literacy month celebration:

  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: This page explains who is protected by the FDCPA and what the law prohibits from debt collectors. Understanding your consumer rights is one powerful way to make sure you aren’t victimized by scammers or dishonest debt collectors.
  • The Bankruptcy Glossary: Thinking of filing for bankruptcy protection? You may want to start here as you consider what bankruptcy might mean for you. This page offers plain-English definitions for many terms commonly used in bankruptcy cases.
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The government’s new consumer protection body is still growing, but already offers a number of interactive options for people interested in staying up-to-date about consumer protection rules, laws and debates.

Remember: the only one responsible for your money, retirement fund, loan payments and other financial obligations is you. If you aren’t sure how your money is working (or not working) for you, it’s a good idea to take the time to educate yourself about basic financial literacy matters – the resources are out there and they’re free.

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New reports highlight some interesting information about two topics near and dear to those who have filed or are considering filing for bankruptcy: underwater mortgages and student loan debt. Here’s a look at what kind of picture the latest numbers paint.

Students Don’t Need to Default to Be Behind on Loans

The Institute for Higher Education Policy released a report last week showing that two-fifths of those who borrowed money for educational purposes fell behind on their payments at some point in their first five years of repayment. So what does this mean?

  • Widespread repayment difficulties: These numbers may not even reflect the current rates of repayment difficulty, given that graduates in the last few years have faced a much tougher job market than those who graduated five years ago.
  • Old measures may be inadequate: Traditionally, studies on student debt have focused on the rate of default rather than delinquency. Looking at delinquent loans offers a clearer picture of how many people are struggling to repay their loans, even if they manage to get back on track at some point.
  • Bankruptcy not an option: Student loans are typically not dischargeable in bankruptcy court, which means that those with unmanageable student debt have few options for easing their debt burden. This is scary, considering that some estimates put the country’s total student debt at $896 billion, which is greater than our national credit card debt total.

Reports note that these numbers may affect the current debate in Congress over whether for-profit colleges and universities should be eligible for federally backed financial aid.

More Underwater Homes

Recent numbers released by a company called CoreLogic show that the number of underwater homes in the U.S. (that is, homes with a current value less than the amount of the mortgage on the house) has climbed since last quarter. Here’s a look at the numbers.

  • A reported 11.1 million U.S. homes were underwater in 2011’s first quarter, a jump from 10.8 million in the last quarter of 2010.
  • Nevada has a 65 percent rate of underwater mortgages, and is apparently the only state in which the average homeowner is underwater.
  • Besides the more than 11 million underwater homeowners in the U.S., 2.4 million Americans have less than five percent equity in their houses, according to sources.
  • Collectively, we reportedly owe about $751 billion more on mortgages than our homes are worth.
  • Analysts predict that home prices could fall by another five to 10 percent in 2011, meaning that those with little equity could soon find themselves underwater.

Unfortunately, mortgage loans for primary residences cannot be modified in bankruptcy court, but in some cases homeowners may find a Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 filing useful for eliminating other debts to help improve their odds of staying on track with their mortgages.

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Because the current recession was caused in large part by questionable practices in the mortgage market, home sales and foreclosure rates have been particularly interesting to monitor as an overall indicator of the economy’s rate of recovery.

Here’s a look at some of the latest findings and reports about the industry.

Home Sales Up Slightly, Thanks to Foreclosure Sales

The Associated Press reported this week that home sales in the U.S. rose from December 2010 to January of this year:

  • Rate of increase: Reports show that existing home sales (i.e. sales of not-new, previously occupied homes) rose at a rate of 2.7 percent between December and January.
  • Annual rate: The rate of sales in January put the market on pace to sell 5.36 million homes for the year. December’s sales were at a 5.22 million annual rate. A “healthy” economy, sources note, generally includes about six million home sales per year.
  • First time buyers: The latest numbers show that first-time home buyers accounted for 29 percent of all sales, well below the 40 percent that apparently is the hallmark of stronger economic times.
  • Hearty areas: Particularly strong types of home sales reportedly included foreclosure sales, at 37 percent of all transactions, and cash-only sales, which accounted for another 32 percent. Sources indicate that these numbers mark a doubling in such types of sales from two years ago.
  • Median home price: The glut of foreclosures now on the market continues to drive down home prices, and the median price in January was apparently $158,000, down 3.7 percent from this time last year and the lowest median in nearly a decade (since April 2002).
  • Unsold homes: Sources report that 3.38 million unsold homes still clog the nation and hold back the housing market’s recovery. At January’s rate of sales, it would take more than seven months to sell these homes.

New Changes on the Horizon for Mortgage Servicers?

A recent report at Credit.com notes that the federal government may be nearing an announcement of new regulations for the mortgage servicing industry. Here’s why:

  • During the subprime housing boom, mortgage servicers were often rewarded for signing customers up for more expensive loans than they could have qualified for.
  • This led to abusive practices by many mortgage servicers and caused many customers to pay more than they could have for their loans in interest rates and related services.
  • Since the collapse of the housing market, federal investigators have apparently been attempting to determine which practices were most detrimental to borrowers.
  • As the research period draws to a close, insiders are reportedly expecting the announcement of new regulations for the mortgage servicing industry in the coming weeks.
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Monday, February 21st, 2011

The Changing Face of Mortgage Loans

Since the start of the mortgage foreclosure crisis in 2007, the mortgage industry in the U.S. has changed significantly. And, according to a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal, one of the latest changes being noted is a push by banks for larger down payments on mortgage loans.

Here’s a look at what that might mean for potential homeowners, the housing market and the recovery of the U.S. economy.

More Money Down = Fewer People Buying Homes?

The WSJ reports on how the home-buying landscape has changed in recent years:

  • Down payments at all-time high: One online real estate information base, Zillow.com, has apparently been keeping track of median down payments required by lenders since 1997, and this year’s median (22 percent of the home’s value) is the highest that number has been since the tracking began.
  • Steep rise in required down payments: What’s more, sources report, that 22 percent figure marks a doubling of the median down payment required just three years ago! In other words, banks have reacted swiftly and decisively to the turmoil in the housing market.
  • Higher stakes for homeowners: It seems that the push for higher down payments has been largely driven by lenders, as a reaction to findings that homeowners with more of their money on the line (i.e. those who make larger down payments up front) are less likely to default on payments or go into foreclosure than those with less money at stake.
  • Alternative lending assistance sought: The Journal notes that, because many potential homebuyers cannot afford a 22 percent down payment, there’s been an uptick in applications for mortgage assistance programs designed to help select groups of people (including veterans).

A More Realistic Picture of Homeownership?

While owning a home has long been considered part of the “American Dream,” the real estate bubble’s devastating effects on the housing market has left some people questioning whether homeownership is in fact for everyone.

Considered from a broad perspective, tightened mortgage regulations could well be a good thing for the U.S. economy as a whole: with lending practices that require more fiscally conservative borrowing and spending, the housing market will have less of a chance to spiral out of control and create another boom-and-bust cycle like the one we’re currently digging out of.

Worried about Your Mortgage?

If you’re currently saddled with an unaffordable mortgage (or one that’s gotten out of your reach because of job loss or reduction), you may be able to benefit from the foreclosure-prevention power of Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which may allow you to catch up on your mortgage payments or sort out your living arrangements without the pressure of creditors breathing down your neck.

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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

The Latest on the Foreclosure Crisis

Since the housing boom of the early 2000s, the housing picture in the U.S. has changed dramatically, as anyone struggling to make mortgage payments each month already knows. But exactly what is the state of mortgages and foreclosures right now in the country? Here’s a look at some indicators that say a lot.

Lowest Homeownership Rate In More than a Decade

Recent data released by the Census Bureau show that home ownership in the United States has dipped to its lowest level since 1998:

  • In the fourth quarter of 2010, 66.5 percent of Americans reported owning their own home.
  • In 2009, 67.2 percent of the nation claimed homeowner status; the drop reflects the continued effects of the recession on income and ability to make mortgage payments.
  • At its peak in 2004, as many as 69.2 percent of Americans reported owning a home.

Just as subprime loans were found to disproportionately affect non-white home buyers, it seems that foreclosure rates are currently higher among that segment of the population: in 2007, the number of African Americans that owned a home was reported at 48 percent; a year later, the number had already fallen to 44.8 percent. Similarly, among Hispanic families, 50 percent reported homeownership in 2007, but only 46.8 percent did in the last quarter of 2010.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of these numbers is their apparent explanation: while the first wave of foreclosures resulted largely from the resetting of subprime loans, this wave seems to be more a result of long-term job loss hindering homeowners’ ability to make their (otherwise affordable) mortgage payments.

Homeowners on their Own to Fight Foreclosure?

In a related story, The New York Times recently reported that, more and more, Americans are having to fight the foreclosure of their homes without legal representation or outside help. According to the article, areas of the country with high foreclosure rates are holding how-to workshops for individuals and couples interested in contesting foreclosure in the courts.

New reports apparently show that foreclosure is shifting its face in the court system: what was once a process that involved mostly paperwork now, it seems, involves more and more people actually visiting the court to make their case for keeping their homes.

How Can I Fight Foreclosure?

Whether you’re struggling from job loss, job reduction or an unaffordable mortgage loan, you may be able to fight foreclosure with the help of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing. Thanks to its three- to five-year repayment plan, Chapter 13 helps many homeowners catch up on their mortgage payments by rearranging the amount and type of debt they’re responsible for paying each month.

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Monday, January 17th, 2011

2011 may Be a Record Year for Foreclosures

Much has been written in the last few years about the foreclosure crisis that took hold once the housing bubble burst. And, according to the Associated Press, this year will not offer any relief – in fact, sources suggest, 2011 looks like it could see even more foreclosures than 2010 did.

1.2 Million Foreclosures Predicted for 2011

So why are news outlets and industry insiders predicting that 2011 will have more mortgage foreclosures than any year we’ve seen? A number of factors are apparently contributing:

  • High unemployment: While the national unemployment rate has declined slightly since its peak of just above 10 percent, it’s still much higher than normal and millions of Americans without work are or will soon be unable to keep up with their mortgage payments.
  • Plunging home values: Further, the crash of the housing market means that millions of homeowners are currently “under water” on their mortgages – in other words, they owe more than the home’s value and so have little incentive to pay their loans back.
  • Delayed foreclosures last year: Another spur for 2011’s foreclosure season is the delays in foreclosure processing that happened at the end of last year: in addition to ordinary holiday moratoria on foreclosure proceedings, the robo-signing scandal halted foreclosures on many properties around the country. Those foreclosures that were delayed may now proceed normally.

A Look at the Numbers

So just how bad is the foreclosure crisis expected to get this year? The numbers provided by news outlets paint a pretty bleak picture:

  • A reported five million borrowers are currently behind on payments by at least two months; without serious change in the employment scene, that number is likely to increase.
  • It seems that as many as 2.9 million (that’s one in every 45) U.S. houses were in some stage of the foreclosure process last year. This could mean that the homeowners simply received notice of default or that the foreclosure actually took place.
  • Apparently, five states are responsible for the bulk of foreclosures around the country, and insiders expect the pain to worsen in these areas: California, Arizona, Florida, Michigan and Illinois have reportedly accounted for about 1.5 million of the foreclosure notices received last year.

An End in Sight?

One source quoted in the Associated Press article seems to think that 2011 will show the “peak” of foreclosure filings in the U.S., which could be taken for either a good sign or a bad sign – 2009 and 2010 both set records for foreclosure volume.

And is there any hope if your home is nearing foreclosure? You may still be able to benefit from the protection of Chapter 13 bankruptcy (ask a lawyer for details), or perhaps from lowered mortgage rates. But many banks, it seems, are still less than eager to offer refinancing deals.

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Monday, January 10th, 2011

Foreclosures Expected to Balloon this Month

Recent news reports have forecasted a significant increase in the rate of mortgage foreclosures across the country in the first month of 2011. According to NPR, the forces that held foreclosures in check for the final months of 2010 are no longer at play and this year should see foreclosures picking up with a vengeance.

Here’s a look at what’s happened so far in the foreclosure world and what you can expect in coming months.

The Sad Saga of U.S. Home Foreclosures

While many economic indicators suggest that we’re finally tugging ourselves out of the recession that’s gripped us for years now, the state of the housing market suggests otherwise. Here’s a look at why.

  • Robo-signing foreclosure scandal: In the last few months of 2010, a foreclosure scandal hit: it seems that, at many banks, the practice of “robo-signing” had become common for foreclosure paperwork. Lawyers questioned the legality of the practice and, in the meantime, hundreds of thousands of foreclosures were put on hold while the courts decided what to do.
  • End-of-year foreclosure stays: Following that scandal came the holidays, a time during which many banks and lenders traditionally put a hold on foreclosure processing.
  • Backlog of foreclosures in 2011: Now, of course, the holidays are over and the robo-signing cases have been more or less settled. And, according to NPR, as many as 100,000 homes could go into foreclosure by the end of January.
  • Even more homes on the market: Naturally, increased foreclosures are bad news for the families directly affected by them, but they’re also likely to be problematic for the already glutted housing market. And, with mortgage lending standards tightened and unemployment still above nine percent, the chances of other families buying those homes any time soon are slim.

Is there Any Hope for Foreclosure Relief?

If you’re worried about losing your home to foreclosure, now is the time to take action. Consider the following.

  • Visit a housing counselor: She can help you figure out what your options are and whether you can realistically catch up on your mortgage and stay in your home.
  • Speak with a lawyer: A local attorney can help you figure out whether or not Chapter 13 bankruptcy could provide you with sufficient means to halt foreclosure and work towards saving your home.
  • Consider rescission: Ask your lawyer about the right of rescission, which could help you keep your home if your lender originated the initial loan fraudulently.
  • Contact your lender: Whatever you decide to do, be sure to keep lines of communication between you and your lender open. While mortgage modifications may not always be an option, they can provide a realistic alternative when they’re practical.
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