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Mortgage Payments Sending You Reeling? Here’s What To Do By lar Perhaps you are one of the many consumers who took out a that had a fixed rate for the first two or three years and then had an adjustable rate. Or maybe you’re anticipating an adjustment, and want to know what your payments will be and whether you’ll be able to make them. Or maybe you’re having trouble making ends meet because of an unrelated financial crisis.
Regardless of the reason for your anxiety, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know how to help save your home, and how to recognize and avoid foreclosure scams.
Know Your Mortgage
Do you know what kind of you have? Do you know whether your payments are going to increase? If you can’t tell by reading the documents you received at settlement, contact your loan servicer and ask. A loan servicer is responsible for collecting your monthly loan payments and crediting your account.
Here are some examples of types of mortgages:
Hybrid Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs): Mortgages that have fixed payments for a few years, and then turn into adjustable loans. Some are called 2/28 or 3/27 hybrid ARMs: the first number refers to the years the loan has a fixed rate and the second number refers to the years the loan has an adjustable rate. Others are 5/1 or 3/1 hybrid ARMs: the first number refers to the years the loan has a fixed rate, and the second number refers to how often the rate changes. In a 3/1 hybrid ARM, for example, the interest rate is fixed for three years, then adjusts every year thereafter. ARMs: Mortgages that have adjustable rates from the start, which means your payments change over time.
Fixed Rate Mortgages: Mortgages where the rate is fixed for the life of the loan; the only change in your payment would result from changes in your taxes and insurance if you have an escrow account with your loan servicer.
If you have a hybrid ARM or an ARM and the payments will increase — and you have trouble making the increased payments, find out if you can refinance to a fixed-rate
loan.
Review your contract first, checking for prepayment penalties. Many ARMs carry prepayment penalties that force borrowers to come up with thousands of dollars if they decide to refinance within the first few years of the loan. If you’re planning to sell soon after your adjustment, refinancing may not be worth the cost. But if you’re planning to stay in your home for a while, a fixed-rate might be the way to go. Online calculators can help you determine your costs and payments.
If You Are Behind On Your Payments
If you are having trouble making your payments, contact your loan servicer to discuss your options as early as you can. Most loan servicers are willing to work with customers they believe are acting in good faith, and those who call them early on. The longer you wait to call, the fewer options you will have. After you’ve missed three or four payments and your loan is in default, most loan servicers won’t accept a partial payment of what you owe. They will start foreclosure unless you can come up with the money to cover all your missed payments, plus any late fees.
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Proposed RESPA Reform
Mortgage brokers may have some intrusive rules from HUD to deal with.
When I read the news on HUD?s proposed reform of the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA) I was skeptical. Cathy from Sequim challenged me to read the 96-page federal register document so we could all figure out what?s going on. I am here to tell you that there is one very good change coming out of this proposal. In fact, it?s so good that I am borderline hopeful that this change might do what legislation is suppose to do and what HUD forgot to do when they signed the original version of RESPA in 1974. But first, the changes that will have many, but not all mortgage brokers screaming bloody murder:
]]>
Neocon-omics
How much can the Fed and the U.S. government do in the face of declining housing prices?
That?s been my worry since I saw the housing bubble peak in 2005. Historically, declines in housing prices take 3-4 years to bottom, which means we still should be at least half a year away. But after that, the economy doesn?t rebound instantly. It yo-yos for a bit - essentially running horizontal.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have entered into cooperation agreements with New York?s attorney general to only purchase loans that meet a new home valuation protection code, the state announced. The code is effected on Jan. 1, 2009. Under the new code, mortgage brokers and loan originators are prohibited from choosing or communicating with appraisers.
]]>
Choosing Second-best
How to leverage your second choice into seller concessions and a better deal.
So, rather than competing for the best house and paying top dollar, you can use it as leverage to get a lower price and seller concessions on a home that could be even more ideal for you ? after you do a little work.
]]>
Price Depression
A forecast for more housing price depression.
My theory is that housing prices will continue to wilt as long as large levels of foreclosures and new home inventories run high. These are not traditional homeowners, and are motivated to slash prices, thus continuing to depress prices.
You should try to get pre-approved by a lender prior to shopping for a home. A pre-approval is a strong marketing tool when making an offer that may contain many a number of seller concessions. Telling a seller that you are already approved for a loan makes the acceptance of a low offer or one where he may be paying the closing costs much more palatable.
US News and World Report implies (hopes?) we may be nearing a bottom in housing prices but with a mountain of resets coming in the next few months, it?s difficult to see how a bottom can be seen or even predicted.
]]>
Strike One
A look at role of mortgage insurance in FHA loans.
Regarding the second point: By not raising the loan limits they fail in one of the 11 ways they can help. I believe they will fail in almost all, but let us have hope. To be specific as to why I support this: FHA is not a government gimme. It is a government guarantee the mortgage will be paid or the lender compensated for losses. The program pays positive cash flow to the government in that there is a type of mortgage insurance fee charged the borrower. It is reasonable and more than pays for the reimbursements made to the lenders that suffer a default.
]]>
Who's To Blame
Mortgage brokers share the blame with the rest of the industry in the current real estate mess.
Who is not to blame for the mortgage mess? Take one step back. As lenders, money was flowing from the spigot like there was no tomorrow. As mortgage brokers, there was money to be made by cranking the faucet, and it was a foot race to see who could get to the sink first. As agents, we sang the ?Houses are expensive, but money is cheap? refrain until we were blue in the face. And, as for the consumer, it really doesn?t matter in the final analysis whether they were motivated by necessity, opportunity or unadulterated greed. We all helped make this bed in which we now must lie.
]]>
Trying To Move
Hard to move when you're house loses value.
I will continue to work from Los Angeles while we work on selling our house, which unfortunately is bad timing as housing prices have taken a bit of a dive around here. Once we have things settled over here, we?ll pack our things and move up to Seattle.
What else can you say to such a ridiculous report, such obvious sensationalism? The sad thing is, many people will read this wild hyperbole and imagine that the TV station?s salacious report has a ?point? to it.
]]>
Home Buyers Returning This Fall
This blogger says lower mortgage rates will drive buyers to the residential real estate market soon.
Ten days ago after the Fed calmed the markets' credit panic with a 1/2 point cut in the Discount rate, I postulated that home buyers will come back this fall when the Fed finally drops the Fed Funds rate, and mortgage rates drop. It's now almost certain to happen. Here are the parameters in play now:
]]>
Lead Scrub Rates
A look at the cost of a lead for a mortgage broker.
Joel has a good interview with Dave Wengel of TargusInfo around Mortgage lead scrub rates. Specifically that lendingtree and lowermybills have a 15% scrub rate whereas the free ipod guys (lure people in with promise of a free ipod but they and their friends have to signup for credit cards, netflix and talk to mortgage brokers to get it) have around a 50-60% scrub rate.
Having been an FHA lender I can attest it is a pain at times. FHA requires annual financial audits of the mortgage brokers financial condition and more. We always have survived the several day pain, and the expenses tied to it, but only FHA drags brokers through this. The actual banks that sponsor the mortgage broker go through even more red tape and grief. Loan officers have to know more rules. FHA doesn?t rely on the easy automated underwriting or the quick answer from a subprime lender. FHA restricts how the borrowers pay for certain expenses and how much the lender can charge.
Proposed RESPA Reform
Mortgage brokers may have some intrusive rules from HUD to deal with.
When I read the news on HUD?s proposed reform of the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA) I was skeptical. Cathy from Sequim challenged me to read the 96-page federal register document so we could all figure out what?s going on. I am here to tell you that there is one very good change coming out of this proposal. In fact, it?s so good that I am borderline hopeful that this change might do what legislation is suppose to do and what HUD forgot to do when they signed the original version of RESPA in 1974. But first, the changes that will have many, but not all mortgage brokers screaming bloody murder:
]]>
Neocon-omics
How much can the Fed and the U.S. government do in the face of declining housing prices?
That?s been my worry since I saw the housing bubble peak in 2005. Historically, declines in housing prices take 3-4 years to bottom, which means we still should be at least half a year away. But after that, the economy doesn?t rebound instantly. It yo-yos for a bit - essentially running horizontal.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have entered into cooperation agreements with New York?s attorney general to only purchase loans that meet a new home valuation protection code, the state announced. The code is effected on Jan. 1, 2009. Under the new code, mortgage brokers and loan originators are prohibited from choosing or communicating with appraisers.
]]>
Choosing Second-best
How to leverage your second choice into seller concessions and a better deal.
So, rather than competing for the best house and paying top dollar, you can use it as leverage to get a lower price and seller concessions on a home that could be even more ideal for you ? after you do a little work.
]]>
Price Depression
A forecast for more housing price depression.
My theory is that housing prices will continue to wilt as long as large levels of foreclosures and new home inventories run high. These are not traditional homeowners, and are motivated to slash prices, thus continuing to depress prices.
You should try to get pre-approved by a lender prior to shopping for a home. A pre-approval is a strong marketing tool when making an offer that may contain many a number of seller concessions. Telling a seller that you are already approved for a loan makes the acceptance of a low offer or one where he may be paying the closing costs much more palatable.
US News and World Report implies (hopes?) we may be nearing a bottom in housing prices but with a mountain of resets coming in the next few months, it?s difficult to see how a bottom can be seen or even predicted.
]]>
Strike One
A look at role of mortgage insurance in FHA loans.
Regarding the second point: By not raising the loan limits they fail in one of the 11 ways they can help. I believe they will fail in almost all, but let us have hope. To be specific as to why I support this: FHA is not a government gimme. It is a government guarantee the mortgage will be paid or the lender compensated for losses. The program pays positive cash flow to the government in that there is a type of mortgage insurance fee charged the borrower. It is reasonable and more than pays for the reimbursements made to the lenders that suffer a default.
]]>
Who's To Blame
Mortgage brokers share the blame with the rest of the industry in the current real estate mess.
Who is not to blame for the mortgage mess? Take one step back. As lenders, money was flowing from the spigot like there was no tomorrow. As mortgage brokers, there was money to be made by cranking the faucet, and it was a foot race to see who could get to the sink first. As agents, we sang the ?Houses are expensive, but money is cheap? refrain until we were blue in the face. And, as for the consumer, it really doesn?t matter in the final analysis whether they were motivated by necessity, opportunity or unadulterated greed. We all helped make this bed in which we now must lie.
]]>
Trying To Move
Hard to move when you're house loses value.
I will continue to work from Los Angeles while we work on selling our house, which unfortunately is bad timing as housing prices have taken a bit of a dive around here. Once we have things settled over here, we?ll pack our things and move up to Seattle.
What else can you say to such a ridiculous report, such obvious sensationalism? The sad thing is, many people will read this wild hyperbole and imagine that the TV station?s salacious report has a ?point? to it.
]]>
Home Buyers Returning This Fall
This blogger says lower mortgage rates will drive buyers to the residential real estate market soon.
Ten days ago after the Fed calmed the markets' credit panic with a 1/2 point cut in the Discount rate, I postulated that home buyers will come back this fall when the Fed finally drops the Fed Funds rate, and mortgage rates drop. It's now almost certain to happen. Here are the parameters in play now:
]]>
Lead Scrub Rates
A look at the cost of a lead for a mortgage broker.
Joel has a good interview with Dave Wengel of TargusInfo around Mortgage lead scrub rates. Specifically that lendingtree and lowermybills have a 15% scrub rate whereas the free ipod guys (lure people in with promise of a free ipod but they and their friends have to signup for credit cards, netflix and talk to mortgage brokers to get it) have around a 50-60% scrub rate.
Having been an FHA lender I can attest it is a pain at times. FHA requires annual financial audits of the mortgage brokers financial condition and more. We always have survived the several day pain, and the expenses tied to it, but only FHA drags brokers through this. The actual banks that sponsor the mortgage broker go through even more red tape and grief. Loan officers have to know more rules. FHA doesn?t rely on the easy automated underwriting or the quick answer from a subprime lender. FHA restricts how the borrowers pay for certain expenses and how much the lender can charge.
