Originally published on Mortgages Unzipped http://www.zillow.com/blog/mortgage/author/jennifermonastero/
With the current economic conditions, it’s no wonder we have seen an increase in many types of scams and ‘too good to be true’ offers. Unfortunately, we live in a world where sociopathic behavior is fairly commonplace, and even rewarded! For some strange reason, tough economic times brings out the worst in some people. Today brings a new breed of scammers to the forefront, and this is a group of people that will be growing in numbers for many weeks and months to come. I speak of “Mortgage Modification Experts”, or whatever fancy term they come up with for their unnecessary business. You know them well- just a year ago they were selling houses, selling mortgages, or selling electronics at Best Buy. Now, all of a sudden, they want to ‘give back’ and help distressed homeowners. Pardon me if I sound cynical, but I think it’s more likely they just need to make a little extra money at any cost.
Some of these people mean well, some are downright thieves. The thieves business model is simple- approach fearful homeowners with promises that their money woes can be fixed- and only THEY (the modification people) can help them! They ask for a nominal up front fee (I have seen fees ranging from $495 to $3000!) and in return promise NOTHING. (that’s right- they make no promises of success!!!) They lead the homeowner to believe that they will work diligently on their behalf to get their mortgage loan ‘modified’, and even make claims such as ‘we can help you keep your home and get you a 2% interest rate!’. The problem is, they do NOTHING, and simply take that money and RUN. The homeowner goes into foreclosure, and now they are out even more money in the process.
Consumers will see ads, hear commercials and be approached by family members who have heard of such ‘teams of professionals’. Don’t be fooled!
Here’s a list of what ANY consumer can do to modify their own mortgage, free of charge!
1) Contact the loss mitigation department or loan modification department of your current lender. You may feel uncomfortable calling them and explaining your situation- but believe me- they want to hear from you.
2) Fill out the ‘loan modification documents’ they require. Wow, that was fast.
It really is that simple. Why? Because if you fit certain criteria, the bank will work with you to help you keep your home- no “help” required. That’s what the new legislation is all about! Typically you need to have one or more of the puzzle pieces to qualify for loan modification:
1) You owe more than the house is worth
2) You have lost your job and can no longer afford the full payments
3) You have an ‘Option ARM’ from a lender like Countrywide or Washington Mutual
4) You have missed two or more payments
What a Loan Modification means for you:
1) They ‘write-down’ the balance of your loan to a percentage of the home’s CURRENT VALUE. That’s right. If you live in an area that has seen dramatic losses, the lender may forgive a portion of your loan balance.
2) A lower interest rate. This is huge- especially for people who are stuck in Adjustable rate mortages like ‘Pay-Option ARM’s’. If you are at 9%, expect a large rate decrease!
If a lender is going to modify your loan, YOU have the power to inquire about it. You do NOT need the help of any ‘team of professionals’, and anyone who tells you that you DO need them is lying. You either qualify or you don’t! No company can negotiate to “make” you qualify- but they can steal your money by telling you so. So keep that in mind.
I cannot stress this enough- do NOT give anyone money up front for loan modification services. Remember that there are always shady characters looking to take advantage of people’s fears. Do not fall victim to the latest too good to be true scheme/scam/waste of money.
If you approach your lender and they are willing to work with you, have an attorney review the documents if you don’t understand them. Be sure to check for what happens when you SELL the home, and other such contractual obligations you may have under the new terms.
The bottom line is simple- banks want you to stay in your home. They see the writing on the wall too- housing prices are continuing to fall, and a foreclosure auction will do them no good! They want your interest payments, that is all they care about. And with the new bailout, they don’t really mind ‘losing money’.
Don’t let your worries and fears hold you back- you can do this! And you don’t need the help of a fly-by-night industry to do it!
For free information, feel free to contact ANY lender on the Zillow Mortgage Discussion Boards.
Jennifer Monastero
Citizens Community Bank
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