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Should We Bail? (continued)

By
Education & Training with Tech and Social Media Consultant

 Mike MuellerHere is a follow up to my post yesterday titled Should We Bail?

I was reading that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are both working on programs designed to keep people from going into foreclosure.  At this point, no specific details are available.  Most of the loan amounts in my area, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and so on are considerably higher than the $417,000 conforming limit, so I don't know how much benefit the new programs may be.  Only time will tell.

I also just received a press release from the Federal Reserve Board, encouraging the lenders and institutions to work with troubled borrowers.

Will they? We'll all have to wait and see on that as well.

I do have some evidence that they might.

I related in a post on a commercial refinance I was working on that was impossible to fund (http://activerain.com/blogsview/73167/Somebody-is-going-to). 

I called the lender on behalf of the borrower and explained their situation.  The lender is putting a package together for her to complete. 

Once completed the lender is going to respond with one or more options:

 

 

 

  • Extend the term in years (thereby reducing the monthly payment),
  • Lower the interest rate,
  • Restructure to allow a temporary lower payment while she tries to sell.

 In my past experiences I can tell you I've not seen or heard of a lender so willing to compromise like that.  Of course we'll have to wait and see what they offer.  As they say, the proof is in the pudding.

Here's a link to the Press Release: http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/bcreg/2007/20070417/default.htm

as well as the statement itself:  http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/bcreg/2007/20070417/attachment.pdf

My question at this time is...

Is this the FOMC's way of a hint, or is this more of a C.Y.A. type of thing?

 

 Mike Mueller

 

Comments(2)

Ron Gent
Century 21 Prestige Properties - Upland, CA
Mike, crazy guy in California here, lenders out here are also bending over backwards to stop people from going under, its a real strange market here right now (southern calif area) while myself and other top-producers averaged between 5-10 closing a month for the past three years, in fact last December (2006) I had the highest closings in dollar amounts that I have had since I have been in the business, but come January of this year it just stopped, for everybody across the board, I have closed only four transactions this year, considering getting a job at 7-11 (not really-but its not beneath me)want to stay polically correct here, anyway thought I would vent a little on your blog, Im new to this and it looks like were all in the same boat so to speak, but being the eternal  Optimist I believe we will recover, this is America Folks and theres Gold in Them There Hills, we just have to work a little harder, good luck to all, CG
Apr 17, 2007 06:49 AM
Mike Mueller
Tech and Social Media Consultant - Walnut Creek, CA

Ron - welcome to Active rain.

You are indeed a Crazy Guy.

I'm here with you  (a left coaster) - SF Bay Area.  

Yes, the lenders are changing or at least starting to.  That doesn't mean they will continue, or won't reverse course, it is what it is.

Hey, if you start working at 7/11 - can I get a free slurpee sometime? 


Apr 17, 2007 07:04 AM