If there is one thing that the financial crisis has taught us, it's that we can no longer afford to think about our personal finances as we did in the bubbly pre-recession days. In today's economy, there are new financial realities that every consumer must understand.
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According to loan modification expert David Ramos, prior to the proliferation of subprime loans and the mass securitization of mortgages, “the loan modification system was a lot more simple.” The process required a homeowner to contact the mortgage servicer to work out an agreement to change the terms of the loan.
During the years leading up to the housing market collapse, banks and other entities started packaging these loans and selling them to investors as mortgage-backed securities. Loans that could previously be traced back to the mortgage lenders were now owned by Wall Street investors, which greatly complicated the traditional loan modification process.
When these mortgages soured and the default rate skyrocketed, the event contributed to the financial crisis that occurred in 2008. Subsequently, taxpayers’ bailed out of big banks to the tune of $750 billion.
In March 2009, the Obama Administration introduced the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). After the first year results of HAMP filtered in, it became obvious that the program was not working as intended.
Disclaimer: These results should not be taken as a guarantee, as each case is unique. We have helped over 5,000 homeowners, here is one of their stories.
Many people who were on the outside looking in at the foreclosure crisis didn't understand that many peoples situations were seemingly made worse by attempting to rectify their situation with their banks. This is probably why Washington never came up with an adequate solution to the foreclosure crisis.
Stop. Hammer-time! On the Sale Date
Consider the case of this homeowner- he had been fighting for a loan modification on his own for years prior to retaining us. Two years prior, he had lost his job and attempted to get a loan modification on his family's home, because he couldn't afford his mortgage payment, which was nearly $3500 each month. He was granted a pre-modification trial payment plan. He made the trial payments, but his bank, Wells Fargo, said he owed too much on the property for them to complete a loan modification. Afterward, Wells Fargo suggested that he try a modification again, but his house was actually sold via foreclosure auction when his modification documents did not arrive in time (the sale was rescinded afterward). By the time he retained us (April 2012) another sale date was already set on his house and he was tired of handling the situation on his own.
Illinois continues to have one of the highest foreclosure rates in the U.S. Homeowners fall behind on mortgage payments for a variety of reasons, and borrowers are unaware that even if they are unable to make their mortgage payments and falling to foreclosure, they may have an effective defense that can save their home from foreclosure, or, at minimum, buy more time by working with an experienced foreclosure attorney.
Disclaimer: These results should not be taken as a guarantee, as each case is unique. We have helped over 5,000 homeowners, here is one of their stories.
Sometimes with our crazy work schedules and other obligations, it almost seems like it would be impossible for us to deal with any additional stress. That's what banks depend on when your home is in foreclosure- taking the necessary steps to get a loan modification on your own is almost a full-time job in itself, which is why homeowners should hire a law firm that works with foreclosure defense and loan modification if they wish to save their homes.
A home loan modification is a process in which the mortgage is modified outside of the original mortgage to new terms and agreements. The resulting mortgage usually results in lower monthly payments, but the new mortgage also commonly has longer terms and potentially higher interest. The overall effect of a loan modification is to make the monthly payments more affordable for the homeowner.
Although home loan modifications are viable solutions, many homeowners choose to pursue their own modification, which results in an unsuccessful home loan modification and the bank foreclosing on the home. On the other hand, the loan modification experts at Amerihope Alliance Legal Services are among the best and most effective in the industry at getting home loan modifications approved.
When you first heard these stories, you probably didn't believe they were true. Whether the stories featured controversial changes to the Florida foreclosure laws, Florida's unbelievable foreclosure timeline, or a slap on the wrist for Florida's Foreclosure King, the three biggest foreclosure stories in Florida in 2013 are, well... as "Florida" as it gets.
From the election to the continued Sandy recovery efforts, 2013 was important for the future of New Jersey. 2014 promises to be an even more vital year for New Jersey's future. While the hot-button topic of last 5 years has been all about how New Jersey has dealt with new foreclosures, the hot-button topic in 2014 will be about how New Jersey deals with the aftereffects of the mortgage crisis.
If New Jersey's people, government, and banks don't make the right choices, then it could spell a worse 2014 and beyond for everyone in the Garden State.
Disclaimer: These results should not be taken as a guarantee, as each case is unique. We have helped over 5,000 homeowners, here is one of their stories.
If bad lending and greed made the foundation the foreclosure crisis was built upon, then its two pillars were long-term unemployment and footdragging by the banks. This homeowner and his wife had experienced all of these aspects of the foreclosure crisis, but with our help, they were able to right their lives again and get back on track to a bright financial future.
Millions of Americans are struggling financially. Some are at risk of or are already in foreclosure.
There have always been shady "Fix it Fast" companies that are trying to take advantage of people who need help. Scams can be easy to spot if you are well-informed about today's most common schemes.
1. Foreclosure Rescue Scam
The Foreclosure Rescue Scam usually includes a "counselor" contacting someone in foreclosure and telling them they can help negotiate their loan modification with the bank to stop the foreclosure, all for an upfront preset fee. There are already two problems with that promise:
