Foreclosures

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

Appellate Court Rules Miami-Dade Judge Erred in Denying Foreclosure

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“The trial court was not authorized to deny foreclosure merely because it believed the borrower signed a ‘bad bargain,’ ” wrote Third DCA Judge Richard Suarez, with Chief Judge Leslie Rothenberg and Judge Vance Salter concurring. “ We thus reverse the entry of involuntary dismissal and remand for entry of final judgment of foreclosure.”

The appellate panel ruled the court improperly excluded evidence and based judgment partially on a defense the homeowner’s counsel did not raise.  The homeowner, Alfredo Brito was making his monthly mortgage payments as usual when in June 2008 his payment was rejected by his loan servicer.  From then on no more payments were made.

Two years later, the loan servicer advised Brito he was in default and demanded $60,000 as a remedy. Lender Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. then brought a foreclosure proceeding.  Brito’s original loan servicer was absorbed by Ocwen Loan Servicing in 2012.  Miami-Dade Circuit Senior Judge Judith Kreeger excluded the demand letter and the payoff printout when she should have admitted them, the appellate court ruled.

“Brito was elderly, suffered from dementia and paid religiously and was forced into foreclosure because of the predatory financial product,” said his attorney.  “Under the circumstances, it’s appropriate to require Ocwen to comply with the rules of evidence and Florida Supreme Court precedent. No court is authorized to grant the equitable relief of foreclosure if there is unclean hands or insufficient evidence of standing to foreclose merely because the borrower defaulted on their mortgage,” he continued.

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 McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Phony South Florida “Lawyers” Face Prison Time after Scamming Distressed Homeowners

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A number of South Florida homeowners were recent victims to two scam artists, posing as attorneys promising mortgage relief, but instead pocketed the upfront fees they charged.  Joseph Anton Hilton and Adam Todd Forman plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the scheme.

Authorities say the pair operated phony law firms based in Coral Springs, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, FL.  The pair posed as lawyers and even manipulated real attorneys into working on their behalf. They tricked homeowners into paying legal fees in lieu of making mortgage payments. Hilton and Forman targeted homeowners across Florida and in other states, including New Jersey and Ohio, according to authorities.

The Florida victims were from cities including Sunrise, North Palm Beach, Cooper City, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar and Delray Beach.

The Attorney General’s office said the fake law firms had more than 300 clients who could have potentially been harmed.

Click here to read more on this story.

If you 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.

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.

Click here to read more on this story.

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.

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

Just How Often Do Debt Collectors Harass People? The Answer Might Surprise You

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According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), debt collectors are required to stop calling once an official request has been made to cease communication. However, approximately 75 percent of consumers who have asked for debt collection calls to stop say that the calls kept coming.

The CFPB released a report earlier this year that surveyed over 10,800 consumers in 2014 and 2015 about their recent experiences with debt collectors. They received approximately 2,000 responses that revealed that over one in four consumers have felt threatened by the debt collector that most recently contacted them. Although debt collection agencies are not allowed to abuse or harass consumers, many collectors do not play by the rules. Approximately 40 percent of consumers surveyed said they asked a creditor or debt collector to stop contacting them, however; only one out of four people reported the collector actually stopped.

Debt collection is a $13.7 billion industry in the U.S. and the most frequent topic of complaint fielded by the CFPB. Approximately 70 million people have been contacted by a creditor attempting to collect on a debt in the past year, according to the CFPB.

The CFPB recently issued proposed rules that would strengthen consumer protections by limiting how often debt collectors can contact consumers. The rules would also require these companies to get the details right and offer an easy dispute process.

Click here to read more on this story.

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.

Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Foreclosures

Life After Bankruptcy: Getting a Credit Card Again

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If you have recently filed for bankruptcy, you may be wondering about the possibility of getting a new credit card. Before you apply for a credit card, it is important to make sure you have a stable job and the ability to pay your other bills such as rent and utilities.

If bad financial decisions led to your bankruptcy, you may want to avoid getting a credit card for a while. However, if unexpected events such as a divorce or a job loss led to your money problems, you may be able to handle a credit card again.

Below are three important things to consider before filling out a credit card application:

  1. Timing is everything. Your bankruptcy must be discharged before you can get a credit card. Lenders will deny a line of credit during a bankruptcy proceeding because the account can be included in the bankruptcy. It takes approximately three months for debts to be discharged after the initial filing of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy entails a three to five-year partial repayment plan and therefore takes much longer to be fully discharged.
  2. Weigh your options, good and bad. A recent bankruptcy will drag down your credit score for some time. As a result, you will likely receive credit card offerings from subprime lenders. Keep in mind that these credit cards typically come with higher interest rates and low limits. In addition, they typically require frequent fees that are much higher than most. A better option after a bankruptcy discharge is a secured credit card. This type of card is designed for consumers with bad or no credit. They are backed by a security you are required to put down. Secured cards have low limits and high interest rates but do not typically charge annual fees.
  3. Monitor your credit score. If you do get a secured card, do not spend more than 30 percent of the credit limit and pay off the balance every month. If you follow these two rules, your credit score should improve in time.

Click here to read more on this story.

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

Changes to Reverse Mortgage Rules for Retirees

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Starting this month, some major changes are coming to the HECM reverse mortgage industry as the government aims to strengthen the long run projections of the program. The Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) reverse mortgage program which enables you to withdraw some of the equity in your home.

According to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, “We have a responsibility to make changes that balance our mission with our responsibility to protect taxpayers.  Furthermore, Carson noted that the changes are “needed and prudent steps to put the HECM program on a more sustainable footing so that it can remain a resource for senior borrowers.”

Here are the three major changes that have taken effect October 2017:

  1. Upfront HECM mortgage insurance premiums will be increased for certain borrowers, but lowered for others, as compared to the current system.
  2. The ongoing mortgage insurance premiums will be lowered, bringing down the total compounding rate cost for most borrowers. This could put rates more in line with the rates of traditional mortgages and the rates of home equity lines of credit.
  3. Principal limit factors will be changed, which impacts the amount of home equity that will be available for homeowners to access at various ages under the HECM program.

Click here to learn more about the specifics of each of these three major changes and how each one will affect borrowers.

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 McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

New Mortgage Demand Accompanied by Fraud Risks

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An increase in mortgage demand brings with it an increase in fraud risk, according to CoreLogic.   Analyzing only the data on purchase applications, from Q2 2016 to Q2 2017, the proportion of purchase transactions within the group increased from 55% to 66% of applications.

As a whole, during the second quarter of 2017, an estimated 13,404 mortgage applications or 0.82% of all mortgage applications contained fraud. This is compared to the second quarter of 2016 when mortgage application fraud was found on 12,718 applications, or 0.7% of all applications.

So where is the increase in fraud risk mainly coming from? CoreLogic identified the top three mortgage fraud indicators that are on the rise.

  1. Occupancy fraud risk

CoreLogic identified this as the No. 1 fraud risk.  Occupancy fraud occurs when the mortgage applicant deliberately misrepresents their intended use of the property (i.e. – primary residence, secondary residence, or investment property).  From the second quarter of 2016 to the second quarter of 2017, the occupancy- fraud indicator grew 7%.

  1. Transaction fraud risk

Transaction fraud risk increased 3.9% when compared to the same quarter last year.  This type of fraud occurs when the nature of the transaction is misrepresented, such as undisclosed agreements between parties and falsified down payments.

  1. Income risk fraud

Income fraud rounded out the top three and includes misrepresentation of the existence, continuance, source, or amount of income used to qualify for a mortgage.

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 McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Foreclosure Increase in August Double the Norm

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The rise in foreclosure filings for August was more than double the norm, according to Attom Data Solutions.

“There is often a seasonal monthly increase in foreclosure activity in August paralleling the seasonal slowdown in the overall real estate market, but the 14% month-over-month increase nationwide this August is more than twice the average 6% seasonal increase in August over the previous 10 years — the highest in fact since a 37% month-over-month increase in August 2007,” according to Attom Data Solutions Senior Vice President Daren Blomquist.

There were 75,115 properties in some stage of foreclosure (including default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions) in August, compared with 66,112 in July and 95,132 in August 2016.

The five states with the most foreclosure activity were Florida with 8,237 filings, California with 7,479, New Jersey with 5,721, Illinois with 5,137 and Ohio with 4,540.

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 McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Millions of Dollars in Foreclosure Assistance Squandered by State Government Agencies

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According to a new report, state agencies “lumped unnecessary expenses into permitted expenses categories, elevating the risk of fraud, waste, abuse and over-payment throughout the (Hardest Hit Fund) program.”

The Hardest Hit Fund was created in 2010 to assist state housing finance agencies help struggling homeowners facing foreclosure.  More than $7.6 billion was designated for low-income homeowners with the Department of Treasury committing an additional $2 billion to the fund last year.

Any expense the state agencies charged to the program were supposed to be essential to easing loan modifications, according to federal guidelines. The investigation and recent report from the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), found that the 19 housing finance agencies charged $3 million in wasteful and unnecessary spending.

Some of the charges were relatively small, such as TARP gift cards for housing finance employees, balloons and even a TARP piñata. But other charges were unnecessary and extravagant.  Every dollar spent on these items was one less for people desperate to save their homes.

Among the abuses covered in the 2017 SIGTARP audit report for the State of Florida include:

Florida Housing Finance Corporation. At the same time the Florida agency was billing TARP for gifts and $106,774 in bonuses to employees, it was denying TARP relief to homeowners at record rates, according to the report. The agency apparently processed only half the homeowners with incomes under $30,000 who were potentially eligible for loan modifications.

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 McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

 

Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Student Loans, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Lennar Offers Millennials Unique Mortgage Opportunity that Helps Pay off Student Loan Debt

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It’s no surprise that the amount of student loan debt many Millennials have, has been holding them back from purchasing a home.  A National Association of Realtors (NAR) study showed that only 20% of Millennial respondents own a home, while the majority of them carry an average student loan balance of $41,200, which exceeds their average annual income of $38,800.

Among the Millennials surveyed who do not own a home, 83% said that their student loan debt affected their ability to purchase a home.

Eagle Home Mortgage, a mortgage lender and a subsidiary of Lennar, announced this week that it will offer a new mortgage program that will help home buyers pay off their student loan debt. Eagle Home Mortgage’s Student Loan Debt Mortgage Program offers borrowers as much as $13,000 that can be used to pay off student loan debt.

Here are some of the program’s terms and conditions:

  • Borrowers who use Eagle Home Mortgage’s Student Loan Debt Mortgage Program can direct up to 3% of the purchase price to pay their student loans, but only if they purchase a new home from Lennar.
  • Borrowers must meet credit and income requirements when using the Student Loan Debt Mortgage Program, and can qualify for loans with down payments as low as 3%.
  • The program is not intended for parents who took out loans to finance their child’s education.
  • The program’s maximum loan amount is $424,100, but Lennar said that in addition to the 3% contribution to student loan balances, buyers may also be eligible for other incentives – such as credits toward closing costs.

According to Lennar, the homebuilder will contribute up to 3% of the purchase price of a new home to be used to pay down student loans incurred while attending universities, colleges, community colleges, trade schools and other certificate-granting programs.  The Student Loan Debt Mortgage Program is being offered on a trial basis with new Lennar homes nationwide.

Click here to learn more about the program.

For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all 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 website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Related Resources:

https://www.housingwire.com/articles/41396-lennar-targets-millennials-with-mortgage-that-pays-off-student-loan-debt