Tag: Federal Housing Administration

Foreclosure Defense, Foreclosures, Housing Market Trends

Mortgage Debt Remains a Problem for Homeowners 55 and Older

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Homeowners throughout the country have struggled with staying afloat and remaining in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. With no immediate end in sight to the pandemic, it appears as if that problem will continue, especially those in the 55 and older age group.

The U.S. Census Bureau reviewed household statistics through its biweekly Household Pulse Survey to see how homeowners are faring with remaining current on their mortgage obligations. Their most recent study covered the period of September 1 through September 13, 2021. According to the Census Bureau, 1.7 million homeowners ages 55 or older were reportedly behind on their mortgage payments. Of these 1.7 million homeowners, 277,000 of them said that the possibility of facing foreclosure was likely or very likely for them.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Foreclosures

Struggling with Bad Credit? Here are some ways you can still qualify for a Mortgage

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Having a poor credit score, does not necessarily mean a home is out of reach.  There are organizations and resources available to help homeowners get assistance with a down payment and find lenders willing to work with them.

Here are few options that are worth looking into:

FHA Loans.  These type loans, insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) have flexible lending requirements and if you have a credit score of at least 580, you may qualify for a FHA loan requiring a down payment of no more than 3.5%.  Have a credit score between 500 and 579?  You can still get approved, but you will have to provide a down payment of at least 10 percent.

VA Loans. VA loans are reserved for eligible veterans and do not require a down payment or mortgage insurance. There is not a set minimum credit score for VA loans.  Lenders who offer these loans will have their own credit requirements.

Good Neighbor Next Door Program. The Good Neighbor Next Door program is offered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is reserved for teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.  This affordable housing program offers two big incentives: Eligible borrowers can qualify for 50 percent off the list price of the home if they commit to using the property as their sole residence for 36 months; and homes can be bought with as little as $100 down.

Filed bankruptcy or foreclosure?  If you have filed for bankruptcy or foreclosure, you can still own a home again and qualify for a mortgage.  Some borrowers may even qualify for an exemption.  For example, if the bankruptcy or foreclosure was due to a job loss or health problem, the lender may ask for an “extenuating circumstances letter.” This is an explanation of the events that led up to the bankruptcy or foreclosure, events that were beyond your immediate control.

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If you have any questions on this topic or are in financial crisis and considering filing for bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all of your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade Garcia McMaken has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade Garcia McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Hurricane Relief Options Available for FHA Mortgages

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South Florida homeowners are receiving a much needed break when it comes to their mortgages, following the devastation left by Hurricane Irma.  Lenders are offering financial relief in the form of freezing foreclosures, putting mortgage payments on hold and offering special financing options to rebuild damaged homes in the area.

Our office has been getting a number of calls about this and we want to clarify the relief options available and steps you can take to qualify for these government programs.

  1. Call your lender directly. This is the safest route to confirming that an assistance offer is the real thing.  Before the call, gather as much information about your financial situation and mortgage as possible.  It is important that you tell the lender what you can afford to pay and your current financial situation.
  1. Know your options. Many homeowners who have been affected by Hurricane Irma are eligible for forbearance, which means the lender will suspend payments for up to 12 months (especially if you have a government-backed mortgage through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac). You will not incur late fees or have a delinquency reported to any of the major credit bureaus. Many lenders are currently offering 90 days of mortgage forbearance in affected areas Florida, with an option for some homeowners to extend further based on their situation. If you have a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan, you are eligible for forbearance, a loan modification or a 90-day delay in foreclosure, to allow you to get current on your payments.
  1. Proceed with caution. Be cautious of calls from people claiming to offer mortgage relief on behalf of a government agency, or asking for fees upfront for a loan or service. Unfortunately, this has also provided an opportunity for scammers to come forward using social media and cleverly crafted emails to prey on vulnerable homeowners in financial need. Know this: Government employees never charge you a fee to help get you a benefit or service and will never ask for your payment or financial information.

 

Here are some additional FHA Programs available for hurricane victims:

  • HUD recently granted a 90-day suspension on foreclosures for mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration. There are more than 280,000 FHA-insured Florida homeowners living in these impacted counties. For more details call: 1-800-569-4287.
  • For homeowners or renters who have lost their homes, HUD’s Section 203(h) program gives FHA insurance to disaster victims who have to rebuild or purchase another house. The loans come with no down payment and greater forgiveness of low credit scores. For more details call: 1-800-569-4287.

 

If your lender is not proactively offering forbearance or other help, you can go directly to the websites of the Federal Housing Finance Agency or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to see what type of relief you might qualify for, and bring this up to your lender.

We hope and pray you and your family made it through the storm safely and our community is quickly restored. During this time of recovery, our office is open and we are here if you need us. If you have any questions on this topic or are in financial crisis and considering filing for bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all of your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade Garcia McMaken, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade Garcia McMaken, P.A. website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Related Resources:

http://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/hurricane-victims-can-get-a-break-on-mortgage-payments/

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/weather/hurricane/os-hurricane-irma-aid-20170914-story.html

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Hurricane Irma Aid Includes Everything from Foreclosure Delays to Waived Credit Card Fees

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Victims of Hurricane Irma are eligible for a range of public and private aid programs.  This includes everything from delayed foreclosures, tax extensions, waived credit card fees and any data overages incurred on cell phones.

FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance is available to eligible survivors in Florida who are unable to return to their primary residence due to their home being uninhabitable or inaccessible. If you are eligible for Transitional Sheltering Assistance, FEMA will pay for the cost to stay in certain hotels or motels for a limited period of time.

Here are some additional assistance programs you may qualify for:

  • FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program offers financial help with medical, dental, child care, funeral, personal property and transportation expenses. This program also provides funds for temporary housing, repairs and construction.  For more details call: 800-621-3362.
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance provides unemployment benefits and re-employment services to people who lost their jobs because of the hurricane, but who are not eligible for state unemployment benefits. For more details call: 800-621-3362.
  • In partnership with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, FEMA provides free legal help to low-income disaster survivors who need assistance filing their storm-related complaints. For more details call: 800-621-3362.
  • JPMorgan Chase will waive or refund late fees on mortgages, credit cards and auto loans through September 24. It will also waive overdraft and service fees.  For more details call: 1-888-346-0023.
  • HUD recently granted a 90-day suspension on foreclosures for mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration. There are more than 280,000 FHA-insured Florida homeowners living in these impacted counties. For more details call: 1-800-569-4287.
  • For homeowners or renters who have lost their homes, HUD’s Section 203(h) program gives FHA insurance to disaster victims who have to rebuild or purchase another house. The loans come with no down payment and greater forgiveness of low credit scores. For more details call: 1-800-569-4287.
  • The IRS has extended a deadline for certain individual and business filings until Jan. 31, 2018.  This includes an additional filing extension for taxpayers with valid extensions that expire October 16.  So taxpayers in the region have until Jan. 31 to file returns and pay any taxes that had been due as of September 4.  This includes deadlines for quarterly payments. For individual tax filers, it also includes 2016 income tax returns that got an extension until October 16.

Click here to read more on this story.

We hope and pray you and your family made it through the storm safely and our community is quickly restored. During this time of recovery, our office is open and we are here if you need us. If you have any questions on this topic or are in financial crisis and considering filing for bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all of your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Quicken Loans Fast Becoming the New Mortgage Lending Machine

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In the years since the housing market crash, many of the nation’s largest banks have strengthened their underwriting processes and become more conservative with their mortgage-lending activities.  However, Quicken Loans has pushed forward, becoming the second-largest retail mortgage lender originating $96 billion in mortgages last year — an eight-fold increase from 2008.

In a federal false-claims lawsuit filed in 2015, the Department of Justice accused Quicken Loans of misrepresenting borrowers’ incomes and credit scores, in order to qualify for Federal Housing Administration insurance.  As a result, when those loans defaulted, the government says the taxpayers — not Quicken loans — suffered millions of dollars in losses.

In the years since the financial crisis, Quicken has emerged as a leader in the nation’s “shadow-banking system,” a network of non-bank financial institutions that has gained significant ground against its more regulated bank counterparts in providing mortgage loans.

The increase in regulation and decreased profits forced the nation’s banks out.  Non-banks, like Quicken, quickly filled the gap.

Former executives have described Quicken Loans as a technology company that sells mortgages. The 3,500 mortgage bankers who work the phones are the life-blood of the company. Many new employees come in with little to no background in financial services. According to an inside source, one employee joined after delivering pizzas to the Quicken Loans office and becoming interested in working there.

Critics say these shadow banks, by focusing on the riskier end of the mortgage market, may be reviving the same circumstances that resulted in so many defaults and foreclosures.

Click here to read more on this story.

Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

FHA’s New Guidelines Help Struggling Homeowners Remain in their Homes

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New procedures put in place by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will help strengthen the process mortgage services currently use and help struggling families stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure.

The updated procedures will streamline the process servicers use to engage borrowers, specifically when evaluating them for the FHA-Home Affordable Modification Program (FHA-HAMP).  These changes will reduce the number of steps that a servicer and borrower must take to resolve a delinquency and enter into a loss mitigation home retention product.  In addition, FHA is removing certain obstacles that will allow servicers greater flexibility for evaluating an unemployed borrower for a special forbearance agreement.

Here is what homeowners need to know about the new provisions. Specifically, the FHA will:

  • Require servicers to convert successful 3-month trial modifications into permanent modifications within 60 days instead of the average four-to-six months;
  • Allow borrowers with three missed mortgage payments to qualify for a partial claim to bring their payments current versus the previous requirement for a minimum of four missed payments;
  • End the traditional stand-alone Loan Modification option so struggling borrowers can access the FHA-HAMP option, to receive payment relief quicker;
  • Eliminate the required 12-month term for FHA’s special forbearance option.  This will allow servicers to offer this option to more unemployed households.

Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Related Resources:

www.fhfa.gov

https://rismedia.com/2016/08/28/fha-streamlines-process-to-help-delinquent-homeowners-stay-in-homes/