This week, Federal regulators proposed a new rule that would make mortgage lending standards less restrictive. The proposed Qualified Residential Mortgage rule was supported by both consumer advocates and mortgage industry members- an otherwise rare occurrence- largely because it eliminates much stricter down payment rules that the previous version of QRM would have created.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Qualified Mortgage (QM) rule requires lenders to underwrite home loans based on the borrower’s ability to repay the loan, a step the agency took to combat some of the bad lending practices that led to the housing crisis.
Under the CFPB’s QM rule, borrowers must provide income documentation that they can repay the loan, and that their debt-to-income ratio does not exceed 43 percent, among other requirements. It does not, however, have any rules requiring lenders to ask for a set down payment amount.
QRM would have required lenders to demand a 20 percent down payment from borrowers. The rule was intended to prevent unqualified borrowers from taking out a mortgage they can’t handle, but housing advocates and mortgage industry members argued that it instead prevented too many qualified and responsible low- to middle-income borrowers from taking out a mortgage.
According to some housing experts, aligning the QRM rule with the QM rules will allow more American families to become homeowners and ensures that housing markets can remain strong in the future. This is especially important for communities that are still rebuilding from the foreclosure crisis.
The National Association of Realtors President Gary Thomas called it a “a victory for homebuyers and the future of homeownership in this country.”
Click here to read more the new rule that would make mortgage lending standards less restrictive.
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 website, www.miamibankruptcy.com.
People who file for bankruptcy can sometimes feel ashamed, hopeless and overwhelmed. But it may be a comfort to know that you are not alone. According to the American Bankruptcy Institute, the number of July bankruptcy filings came to 87,684. 
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is allowing borrowers who went through a bankruptcy, foreclosure, deed-in-lieu or short sale to reenter the market in as little as 12 months. Previously, borrowers who experienced a foreclosure had to wait at least three years before getting a chance to be approved for an FHA loan. To qualify for the more lenient approval process, documents must show ‘certain credit impairments’ were from loss of employment or loss of income that was beyond the borrower’s control. The lender must also verify the income loss was at least 20 percent for a period lasting for at least six months. 
Last week, President Obama introduced a proposal that would give colleges federal money based on performance and affordability to students. This so called ‘ratings system,’ Obama said would require accountability at colleges across the country in an effort to curb the escalating costs of student loans. 
President Obama recently went on a two-day bus tour to push a new proposal aimed at creating a college ratings system that evaluates schools on a number of criteria including tuition, graduation rates, debt of graduates and alumni’s earnings. 
A Manhattan bankruptcy judge recently approved a plan for Eastman Kodak to emerge from Chapter 11 as early as September 3rd, 2013. The new company will be vastly different from the once dominant film company that virtually invented amateur photography. 
Several hundred to possibly thousands of Florida homeowners will have an opportunity to own their house free of charge as a result of a Florida law. The statute is common contract law that says a person has five years to sue on a debt, with the right to collect that money expiring at the end of the time period. The most common scenario of how this occurs is: The bank filed the initial foreclosure, then dismissed it for whatever reason and failed to refile during the five-year period. It is possible that cases currently in the system, and older than five years, could get dismissed and then will not be refiled because the allotted time has run out.