Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Avoid foreclosure with loan modifications

By J. Ochs

Foreclosure rates are at an all-time high in the US right now. Stories of houses being abandoned by their owners and turned back over to the bank are all too common. The funny thing is that the banks don't even want the houses back, as they aren't in the real estate business; they're in the business of banking. This is an important fact to keep in mind if you happen to be in a place where you can't afford to pay for your mortgage anymore. Whether you're in financial distress in general, unable to keep up with your adjustable rate mortgage or some other bind, there ARE programs out there that will help you restructure your current loan and allow you to keep your house and get your loan back in order.

These programs are referred to as Loan Modification, Loss Mitigation, or Home Loan Workout programs. You do need to exercise caution when enrolling in this type of program and make sure you are working with a reputable company, but the programs can be extremely successful and can offer great financial relief.

Take, for example, a borrower with a $400,000 mortgage loan at 8%, living in a home worth $340,000. Once the home has been foreclosed, the bank has to either re-list the home on the market or sell it at an auction. Re-listing or auctioning off the home could potentially add another $60,000 in losses for the bank.

In this example, bank will lose at least $120,000 if a client decides to "walk away". Through modification and lowering interest rate to 5.25% on a 30yr fixed term, bank will make close to $400,000 in future interest payments. The result is a win-win for all parties involved.

Homeowners can occasionally be successful at working out loan modifications on their own, however default rates with attorney-backed modifications are 5% or less. Self-help modifications are defaulting at over 50%. This is why banks prefer to work with attorneys.

The costs vary for this type of program but are usually fully refundable if the attorneys are not able to modify your home loan. The types of workout remedies that they are able to achieve are amazing. They range from interest rate reductions, lower monthly payments, extended payment terms, and loan principal reduction.

We'd be happy to give you some more information about our loan modification program, so give us a call! We can be reached at 1-888-282-1011. If you're in a financial bind or just need a way out of your adjustable rate mortgage, let us see what we can do to help you! - 16003

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