According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, mortgage interest rates are at their lowest levels in five weeks, and not surprisingly more people are seeking home loans.  This is can be seen as a positive sign that the value in homes are increasing slightly instead of homeowners being upside down on their mortgages.

This is both a positive and a negative for some homeowners.  On the positive side, this means they are able to refinance their homes at a lower rate and take advantage of equity in their homes.  But on the negative side, this assumes that the borrowers who are purchasing new homes still have good credit, can make at least a 20% down payment on residences with value of no more than $417,000.

Two important keys to this type of program:

• Loan amount available up to the maximum JUMBO FHA limit in your area
• FHA financing is for Everyone and not limited to first time homebuyers

FHA loans are guaranteed by the government and offer more flexible guidelines than traditional mortgages.  Some of these features are:

·         Down payment of 3.5%

·         Allows for lower credit scores

·         Cash out refinance transactions up to 85% of loan to value

·         No minimum or maximum income limits

When considering to refinance or purchase, a new property, the consumer must be prepared to present a complete financial package to their lender.  By having all the financial information available, this will allow your loan expert to find the correct loan program to fit your financial requirements.

As a consumer, you must have a clear understanding of the program you are selecting.  Do not let any lender give you answers to questions that are not clear or you do not understand.  It is the consumer’s responsibility to understand exactly what their monthly mortgage payment will be and if this payment includes property taxes.  The consumer needs to select a program what meets their financial requirements.

When meeting with the lender, the consumer must be do the following:

• Always be truthful to the lender
• Have complete copies of last two (2) federal tax returns including all W-2’s on all borrowers
• Have copy of most recent paystub for all borrowers on the transaction
• Have a copy of last two (2) months bank statements on all accounts and any stock/investment accounts
• If refinancing, have a copy of most recent mortgage statement
• If refinancing, bring copies of original documents in regard to mortgage
• Prepare a list of all assets, including names of banks, average balances along with a list of all liabilities, i.e., auto loans, credit cards, 2^nd home mortgages.  Note the lender can receive this information via a copy of your credit report.  But having the information available at the meeting is important.

At this meeting, the lender will be able to approximate, what your debt to income ratio. The final ratio is determined by credit underwriting. 

By having this information available, the lender should be able to discuss with the consumer various types of loan programs, which will meet the consumer’s financial position.  If you are a new home buyer, it is important that you have money available for a down payment. 

Asking your lender to produce the note could be the difference between keeping your home or losing it to foreclosure.  The strategy entails asking your lender to produce the note for your mortgage.  In order for a lender to proceed with a foreclosure, they must be able to produce mortgage note for the property.  The strategy can be effective since producing mortgage documents by the lender can be difficult if not impossible for them.  At the least it will give you time to get your finances together so you can get caught up or work something out with your mortgage lender. Continue Reading »

Fannie Mae will be giving homeowners loan modification help.  DU Refi Plus will allow a homeowner to refinance their existing mortgage up to 105% of what the property is worth.  If you are upside down more than this on your home you may be out of luck.  You should still talk to your bank or mortgage holder to see if you can get a loan mod from them.

How Do I Qualify For A Loan Modification with Fannie Mae?

1.  You cannot get cash back of more than $2000.

2.  You can only redo a first mortgage.  You cannot pay off the balance of a 2nd mortgage.

3.  You cannot get a fannie mae loan mod with DU Refi Plus if you have an interest only loan.

4.  No refinancing of MyCommunityMortgages.

5.  No Balloon Mortgages.

6. No arms with fixed rate periods of less than 5 years.

Contact a mortgage loan officer to see if you can get a loan modification with the DU Refi Plus.

If you have a loan with CitiMortgage and are having trouble keeping up on your mortgage payment, you may be eligible for a loan modification with Citi.  The first step is to call the loss mitigation department at Citi Mortgage and see what you need to do to get the mortgage loan modification process started.

Citimortgage Loan Modification Requirements Continue Reading »

H4H stands for Hope for Homeowners.  This program was created by Congress to help those at risk of foreclosure and losing their homes.  It makes refinance options available that would not be available under conventional loan guidelines.  The program is effective until September 30, 2011.

How Does H4H work?

If you are having problems meeting your monthly mortgage obligation, Hope for Homeowners may be able to assist you by refinancing your current mortgage into 30 or 40 year options to lower your monthly mortgage payment.

IndyMac Federal Bank will start a new program to systematically modify bad mortgages with a loan modification.

What Loans Are Eligible For Mortgage Modification With IndyMac?

The streamline loan mods will be available for borrowers who have a first mortgage that is owned or serviced by IndyMac that are seriously in default and are facing foreclosure.  IndyMac will work with owners show are unable to make their mortgage payment because of a reset or change due to an arm mortgage reseting. Continue Reading »

What would be the first step to modify your mortgage with Bank of America?  I just spoke with a client who originally got an option arm with Countrywide.  Countrywide was purchase by Bank of America.  If you originally had a Countrywide mortgage you will need to speak with someone at Bank of America now for a loan modification.

Call Customer Service First To Try And Get A Loan Modification

If you are trying to get your mortgage modified, your first call should be to your lender.  Most lenders have loan work or loss mitigation departments to deal with the pre foreclosure homes.  You will most likely need to provide information on your financial wherewithal.  If you do not have any income, you will probably not be able to get your loan modified.  You have to be abel to demonstrate that you will be even able to handle the new payment that can be worked out for you.  You may have to give your lender your tax returns, pay stubs and financial statements to be even considered for a loan modificaiton.

Should I Hire A Loan Modification Attorney?

I have seen law firms starting to advertising for loan modifications.  The truth is that you can probably do a loan mod yourself without an attorney.  If you feel more comfortable using an attorney to handle the modification , I would not try to talk you out of it.  You have nothing to loose to try and do it yourself first however.

I saw a law firm call Phillips and Associates advertising loan modification services.  Do you need to hire a law firm like Phillips & Associates to do a loan modification or can you do it yourself?  The truth is that you do can do a loan modification yourself and save yourself a retainer fee.  I would hire an attorney or someone else to handle your mortgage loan modification only if you are paralyzed by fear and know that you would be taking ineffective actions in getting it done.

Do I Need Loan Modification Services? Continue Reading »

Who do you call if you are behind on your mortgage and need to modify your existing mortgage?  If you are behind on your mortgage and are facing foreclosure you should call your existing mortgage company at once.  Look for the number on your most recent statement.  Here is a list of the larger banks and the phone numbers of their loan modification departments.

GMAC Mortgage 800-799-9750

Wells Fargo  800-678-7986

Citigroup, Citibank and Wachovia  866-272-4749

JP Morgan Chase, Chase, Wamu, Washington Mutual  866-550-5705

Countrywide  800-669-0102

M&I  877-473-4333 or 877-849-6160

If you are behind or know that you are going to get behind on your mortgage, don’t wait until it is too late.  The sooner you start the more likely you will end up with a favorable result.  Save your home from foreclosure and make the call today.  You home is worth saving and loan modifications do work.  You do not need to pay someone to do a loan modification, you can do it yourself.  Use this information to save your home.

Will My Mortgage Company Modify My Loan Even If I Am Not Late On My Mortgage Payments?  Most mortgage companies and banks will not want to speak with you until you are behind on your mortgage payments.  I know a person that is going late on their mortgage on purpose just because they will not talk to him.  I do not advise just stopping payment to your mortgage company.  In the instance I was speaking about earlier is in regards to a gentleman who has a $6000 a month mortgage payment that they can see that they will not be able to make in the future due to a job loss.  He can see the future coming straight at them.

Contact Your Bank Before You Are Late On Your Mortgage

It is wise to contact your bank before you are late on your mortgage payment.  Some banks and lenders do have policies that allow for a loan modification to be completed even before a late payment has occurred.  If you are in an arm or have an option arm you may be eligible for an automatic loan modification.  You would just need to contact your lender about this.  I would not make any assumptions about loan modification until you have all of the information.

How To Negotiate With Your Bank For A Better Mortgage Rate.  If you are having a hard time making your mortgage payment, your bank may be willing to renegotiate new loan terms with you.  Through the loan modification process you can actually get a new interest rate, lower principal amount or even a forbearance agreement.  Most lenders including Bank of America, Chase, IndyMac, Wamu, Washington Mutual and Wells Fargo have dedicated departments set up just to help borrowers and homeowners work out new mortgage terms so they can stay in their home.  You can either go online or call your bank to ask for the loan modification or loss mitigation department to get started.

How Do I Get Started On A Loan Modification? Continue Reading »

What Happens If I Walk Away From My Home If I Can’t Pay The Mortgage?  If you are unable to pay your mortgage and are facing foreclosure, you don’t have too many options.  You could try to do a short sale or a loan modification.

How Does A Short Sale Work? Continue Reading »

How do I apply for a loan modification with my bank? Do I really need to use a loan modification company to negotiate new terms for my mortgage?

Who Can Do A Loan Modification And Get Paid? Continue Reading »

What is Obama’s mortgage bailout plan?  Incoming president Barack Obama has taken the position that he will change the direction that has been taken by the treasury and Henry Paulson.  He has talked about doing national foreclosure moratoriums and about the kind of asset purchase program that the FDIC is encouraging.  It is also likely that Obama will replace the current Secretary of the Treasury has fallen under criticism for using bailout monies to bail out the large banks rather than help the average guy on main street.  The trickle down theory starting by giving money to big bank-ers does not appear to be working.  Obama has been outspoken about having a trickle up plan and helping struggling home owners avoid f foreclosure.-

If you need assistance with a loan modification please call toll free 1-888-368-6668 for a no hassle mortgage review.

How will the streamlined loan modification program for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac work?  This new mortgage bailout program will be set to begin on December 15, 2008.  It will apply only to mortgages that are owned or guaranteed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae.  A borrower who is 90 days delinquent will be eligible for a new mortgage with a monthly payment that does not exceed 38% of their gross monthly income.  Proof of a hardship will need to be justified, jobless or illness etc.  If you are not experiencing a loan default you will not be eligible for this mortgage bailout program.  You do not need to be in a bankruptcy proceeding.  This program is only available to primary residences.  Second homes and investment property will not qualify for this program.

For more information you can call Hope Now at 888-995-4673.

If you are interested in a loan modification please call toll free 1-888-368-6668 for a new hassle loan modification review.

How does the governments hope for homeowners program work?  If you are having a hard time paying your mortgage there are not many great options.  You could do a short sell, let the house go into foreclosure or loan modification.  If you do not fit into any of these categories, you have one last option.  This would be the Hope For Homeowners Program.  It is also known as H4H.  This program began on October 1, 2008 and will run until the end of September in 2011.  This program is the last hope for homeowners by bringing in the federal government who voluntarily will allow a homeowner to refinance under the H4H guidelines.  The H4H program will reduce the size of the mortgage to a max of 90% of the properties current appraised value.  The other condition is that you can only have a 30 year fixed rate mortgage.  FHA will be insuring up to $300 billion of these types of loans.  The only kicker is that you will have to split 50% of the appreciated value for as long as you own the home or pay off the mortgage.  You will not be able to take out a second mortgage under this program unless the money will be used to maintain the property.  For more information please call 888-995-4673 or 800-225-5342.  You can also visit the Hope For Homeowners website at http://www.hopeforhomeownersprogram.org.

What should I do if I cannot pay all of my bills.  According to Dave Ramsey you need to prioritize.  The necessities need to come first.  Food, Transportation and housing should be your top priorities.  If you can’t pay your credit cards you may just need to let them go for now.  You will find that your mortgage company will be alot easier to work with than your credit card company.  Mortgage companies are taking extraordinary measures to work with you.  In fact Fannie Mae has stopped eviction and foreclosure proceedings until Continue Reading »

Loan modification is the process of renegotiating mortgage terms to an affordable level.  Millions of Americans are facing foreclosure.  The good news is that the banks are willing to renegotiate the terms of these mortgage notes rather than take on additional REO inventory.  The cost to carry foreclosure property for banks runs into the hundreds of millions.  The banks still have to pay the property taxes, hoa fees, landscaping and maintenance fees.  It is cheaper for them to modify your loan and keep you in the property rather than foreclose and take the property back.

What Is The First Step To Modifying A Mortgage

Your first call should be to the loss mitigation department of the bank that holds your mortgage.  Explain the circumstances to the bank representative.  They may ask for your most recent tax returns, pay stubs and asset account statements.  You need to demonstrate an ability to be able to make the new payment should they grant you a loan modification.  If you are lucky you will get a reduced interest rate as well as a write down on the mortgage balance.  You may also get a no interest option for a while.  Often you can get a forbearance agreement which will lower your payment and tack on the difference to the mortgage balance.

If You Are In Trouble With Your Mortgage, Do Not Wait Til Its Too Late

If you are in trouble and put your head in the sand, you may just be doing yourself in.  If you know you are in trouble don’t wait.  Get help now.

When will the economy start to improve?  This is anyones guess.  But a few things need to happen before consumer confidence will turn around.  The subprime meltdown has caused a mental picture of wealth to scarcity to occur.  When people felt their homes were worth a lot of money and they had equity, they would be more eager to spend.  Now the statistics for equity in home for homeowners is frightening.  More than 1 out of 6 homeowners are upside down in their mortgages.  This means that they owe more than their home is worth.  When this occurs, people are going to hang on to their cash.  That home equity line is closed or has been reduced by the bank.  Many people used their home equity lines for cars, home improvements or vacations.  When the equity is gone there is going to be a pullback in spending.  When their is a pull back in spending, companies are not making as much as they were in the past.  Thus you have people that are losing their jobs.  These people are no longer discretionary income and are just happy to get by every month.

What Will Fix The Economy?

How will the economy get fixed?  Hard to say, the first thing is that we need to get consumer confidence back and job stability.  When people feel secure about their jobs, they will buy.  They will buy cars, they will buy houses and they will take vacations.  John McCain wants to focus on bailing out homeowners, but I think we need to focus on stabilizing the job market and consumer confidence first.  The 300 Billion could be better used to stimulate jobs.  Once we have this under control, people will go out and make a home purchase.  I do think that the banks will need to step in and modify some of their terms.  There is nothing wrong with doing short term forbearance agreements with people until things turn around again.  We survived the real estate crash in the 80′s, we will get through this one.

The truth be told, paying someone to modify your loan is silly.  It’s not complicated and you can do it yourself.  The simplest route to changing the terms of your mortgage is to see if your mortgage has an option that will allow you to recast your mortgage.  A mortgage recast will allow you to make payments based on the balance that you have paid your mortgage down to.  This will only give you a lower payment if you have a fixed rate mortgage.  If you have paid your mortgage down and now are in need of a lower payment, a mortgage recast option could be your answer.  A lender will allow you to do this once in most cases for a fee.  The fee to recast your mortgage is usually anywhere from $250 – $500.  This is definitely cheaper than doing a whole new refi.

Are Loan Modification Companies Legit? Continue Reading »

Many Americans are facing foreclosure due to the credit crisis.  What should be your first step if you cannot make your mortgage payment?  Your first call should be to the bank.  You want to speak with someone in loss mitigation.  See if you can work out a forbearance agreement or perhaps even work out new loan terms.  Sometimes a bank will even lower your principal balance as well as interest rates.  At the least you can hope for a forbearance agreement.  This will allow you to pay back a smaller mortgage payment for awhile.  The portion of the payment not paid will be tacked on to the end of the mortgage.  At the least it will give you some relief in the present.

What Is Loan Modification? Continue Reading »