Tag Archives: Foreclosure Prevention

Arizona attorney general Tom Horne announced the filing of two lawsuits against Arizona companies offering allegedly fraudulent mortgage modification services to distressed homeowners. Horne brought suits against Phoenix-based Making All Homes Affordable, LLC (MAHA) and Tucson-based La Paz Source, LLC, alleging fraudulent practices by the two companies.

The first half of 2012 saw more than 385,000 permanent loan modifications for struggling homeowners, HOPE NOW reported Tuesday. The voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage professionals and non-profit counselors released its June 2012 data, showing that 385,468 homeowners received permanent loan modifications for the first half of the year.

Clearer monthly mortgage statements, warnigns before interest rates adjust, quick correction of errors - these are among the proposed rules for mortgage servicers from the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau. According to a commentary from Fitch Ratings, these new rules, if implemented, would set consistent standards for residential servicers, but the rules ""will also further increase compliance costs for the industry and potentially drive further consolidation within mid to smaller servicers.""

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed two notices with rules designed to protect homeowners from surprises or mistakes made by their mortgage servicers. CFPB first announced in April that it was considering several proposals to implement requirements laid out in the Dodd-Frank Act, the bill that created the bureau.

CitiMortgage announced the launch of the Home Rental Program, a program designed to provide an alternative to foreclosure and allow eligible borrowers to stay in their homes. Under the program, the eligible borrower transfers ownership of the property to a vehicle established by Carrington Capital and its joint venture partner, Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. A lease will then be established for the property at a manageable monthly payment.

The Department of the Treasury and HUD announced Wednesday that they are hosting a free event for struggling homeowners in Maryland. The event will be the Obama administration's 75th occasion designed to bring together the nation's largest mortgage servicers, local HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, non-profits, and government partners to assist homeowners struggling to avoid foreclosure.

Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts signed into law a bill Friday that will require lenders to first determine the value of modifying a loan before foreclosing on a home. If a modification will bring in a greater financial advantage, then lenders must opt for a modification over a foreclosure.

Servicers have three years to provide relief to homeowners as outlined in the $25 billion national mortgage servicing settlement. To raise awareness and alert homeowners of the help that is available, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced during a conference call a new settlement PSA and online resources through the HUD website.

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) announced Wednesday that it is ready to launch the next phase of its foreclosure mitigation initiative, the Homeowner's Assurance Program (HAP).

Freddie Mac released the results of its second quarter refinance analysis Wednesday, revealing that homeowners who refinance continue to strengthen their housing situations. Freddie Mac's report showed that 81 percent of homeowners who refinanced their first-lien home mortgage either maintained the same loan amount or lowered their principal balance in the year's second quarter.