Workout Loans For People In Foreclosure
August 7, 2008
Right now, if you’re looking to workout a mortgage loan that has landed you in the foreclosure process, you have some options. In the future, you will have even more options as Congress passes bailout loans for people in foreclosure. The key is to understand your options and to get into the process early. The minute you make a late payment on your mortgage that you know will continue over time, you should be on the phone talking to your lender and finding out about programs to help people obtain loans for people in foreclosure.
What Lenders Can Do
Lenders can help modify loans for people in foreclosures. If you have an adjustable rate mortgage, you may qualify to go into a fixed rate mortgage, and thus lower your payments and keep them steady. If you just missed a couple of payments, they can change the loan to make it current by either lengthening the term of your loan or tacking on extra payments at the end. You might even qualify for a forbearance from the lender. Until you ask, you may not even know that there are options available to modify loans for people in foreclosure, if you just started being behind on your payments.
What Congress Might Do
Congress is trying to help get some monies available to help bail out loans for people in foreclosure by getting lenders to accept a write-down on the loan that is less than what they would lose if the house foreclosed. The write-down difference between the old loan and a new loan is then factored into the new terms of the loan to help people get more affordable payments together. Unfortunately, the program is only expected to help 325,000 homeowners as the funds being discussed for loans for people in foreclosure are small. Despite the fact that there are nearly 3 million homeowners with subprime or risky mortgage terms facing potential foreclosure in the next few years, many of them will not qualify for these programs.
How To Get Ready
Things that can keep people from qualifying for loans for people in foreclosure can be second mortgages, inadequate income levels, poor credit history, or having to share some equity later with people helping to finance the bailout plan. You should try to negotiate with your lender and keep your debt levels as low as possible. Try to maintain a good credit rating, and keep your employment steady. You can file Chapter 13 bankruptcy to help stall a foreclosure and buy time, but be sure to figure out how that might impact your chances to obtain one of the new bailout loans that may soon be available.
Hard Money: Private Foreclosure Loans
August 3, 2008
Private foreclosure loans are given out by private lenders to individuals who are in need of a foreclosure bailout loan or who might want to finance a home purchase without proper credit. If you are looking for private foreclosure loans, you might want to ask your bank or lender if they know of any “hard money” lenders. That’s how they are referred to in the banking industry. The reason they are called hard money lenders is because the terms and conditions by which one obtains money from such lenders is much harder than other types of loans. Soft money, on the other hand has fewer strict conditions and more favorable terms to the borrowers.
Rates Are Higher
Hard money lenders usually charge between 12 to 20% interest, annually. This is on top of four to five origination points to close the loan, sometimes even 10 points. Since a point is 1% of the full loan amount, you are looking at some hefty upfront fees to get your hard money loan. So, why would anyone consider private foreclosure loans? There are a variety of reasons. They may not have stellar credit. They may have exhausted all other avenues of soft money. Or, they may be close to foreclosure and this is their last resort. Another reason people use private foreclosure loans is when they are investing in fixer-uppers and need capital to do the repairs. If the after market value once repairs are done is expected to be far higher, they can finance the repairs through hard money loans and thus, use none of their own capital to get the work done.
How Private Foreclosure Loans Work
Once a hard money lender agrees to do private foreclosure loans for a customer, they will have to pay the points and agree to the strict terms of the loan. This can help the borrower buy time to sell the house and recoup some equity or stave off foreclosure proceedings. They will typically only do deals for private foreclosure loans with a loan to value ratio between 65 and 75%. So, if you are upside-down on the mortgage and the value of the home can’t support a loan, it won’t qualify for a hard money loan either. If, however, your market value hasn’t slid too much, you can use the loan to finance time to sell the house and recoup your equity. In comparison, if you go into foreclosure, you will lose all your equity, so paying significant fees to become current on the loan can pay off in the end. The lender does make a lot of money on these types of loans, but they also are free to give the money based on their conditions and risk assessment.
Yes, You Can Get Mortgage Loans After Foreclosure!
July 31, 2008
The great myth about foreclosure is that you won’t be able to own another home after you experience foreclosure. This simply isn’t true. There is a way to get mortgage loans after foreclosure, but it can depend on exactly how well you negotiated your way out of the house that was foreclosed upon. The deals you get on mortgage loans after foreclosure may not be ideal, but they certainly won’t be nonexistent either. If your goal is to own a home, but you overextended yourself or lost a previous house due to medical bills or a loss of a job, you have options to get mortgage loans after foreclosure if you want to get back in the market.
Extenuating Circumstances
Typically, lenders will be more willing to lessen the waiting period after a foreclosure for those people who lost their home due to illness or a loss of a job. If that issue has been resolved and you have a new job for the last couple of years, you can easily qualify for a new mortgage. Or, if the medical issue has been paid off or resolved, then that also can help to clean up your record much quicker. The foreclosure information will still be on the record, but again, if the lender has managed to sell the house and recoup most of the costs, and your situation has improved dramatically, you may be eligible for another loan in as little as two years. Although, if you really want to get back in the market you can get mortgage loans after foreclosure as soon as a year afterwards if you are willing to pay higher interest rates, a large down payment, and many more origination points on the loan.
The Cost of Foreclosure
Essentially, mortgage loans after foreclosure will be more expensive to obtain. The impact of the foreclosure on your FICO score will begin to fade over the years, so time is the best healing agent in this case to get good mortgage loans after foreclosure that aren’t too prohibitively expensive. If you just can’t wait, for some reason, you will have to be satisfied knowing that you will have to have at least a 20% down payment (if not more) and pay much higher interest rates on the loan. This can significantly increase the price of the home once the life of the loan is complete. Not only will mortgage loans after foreclosure have higher term costs, but the impact of the foreclosure on your credit score will leak into areas like insurance and automobile loans too. You will find that you will be required to pay more across the board for having foreclosed on your home.
Buyer Beware: Foreclosure Buy Back Mortgage Loans
July 27, 2008
One of the biggest scams out there that a person involved in foreclosures might encounter is the foreclosure buy back mortgage loans. To be clear, there are some honest investors that offer this option too, but it is definitely a case of buyer beware. You have to be certain you understand the terms of the buy back agreement so that you really do have an option to buy back the property as you assume is the case. Otherwise, the foreclosure buy back mortgage loans offered by some unscrupulous investors can be used to divest you of the home or place you in further debt.
The game starts when a person finds themselves in the foreclosure process. They are often targeted by reputable as well as dishonest investors trying to make a buck off of your predicament. While the honest investor might offer genuine foreclosure buy back mortgage loans, what the dishonest one will do is tell you one thing and have you sign something else entirely. So, be sure to pass any papers you sign by your own attorney if you are considering such a deal.
In the case of foreclosure buy back mortgage loans, you are generally required to sign the deed to your home over to the investor. In return, they might promise to pay off the outstanding balance and allow you to rent the property from them while you get back on your feet. The problem is that once you sign the deed over, you’ve lost the house and the odds of you buying it back are pretty slim. They might have very restrictive terms that make it impossible for you to buy back the property or you have to buy it back for far more than you sold it to the investor for by allowing them to pay off your account. Also, there are dishonest investors that might not pay it back and just use the remaining equity in the house with the deed to go out and get more financing for other deals, leaving you with the bill – if you remain listed as the owner of the house. Either way, the results of such deals are typically that the home owner is evicted, they are fleeced, or they end up buying back the property at a premium. If they really want that particular house and can find a reputable investor, then it might pay for them to do this deal, but it should be investigated thoroughly. You should have your own lawyer present throughout the deal to review documentation and make sure your interests are being met.
Where To Find A Lender for Loans for Foreclosure
July 24, 2008
Your home is being foreclosed and you’ve heard there are investors who are willing to help you stop the process either through a foreclosure bailout loan or some other rescue measure. Where do you go to find a lender for loans for foreclosure? While the Internet can be a valuable resource to located information for a lender for loans for foreclosure, it is not the best place to seek out a reputable lender. Since most people who qualify themselves as a lender for loans for foreclosure are private individuals, not companies, you will have very little information on how reputable they are. If you do find a company specializing in these loans, you should still take the added precaution of running all forms and documents by your own legal assistance. So, where do you look?
Places To Look For A Lender for Loans for Foreclosure
Actually, the lender or bank that is foreclosing on you might be able to help you find a lender for loans for foreclosure. Most of these lenders are either going to be called “hard money” lenders or bailout experts. Your bank or lender may have a list of hard money lenders who can evaluate your property and see if it qualifies for a bailout program. This probably will give you a few extra months to come up with money to save your home, as you will still need to abide by the terms of your new lender as well.
Another great place to get a lender for loans for foreclosure can be family members. If you have someone who can give you a private loan from your relatives and who can help you save your home, the bank will take their money just as much as anyone else’s money. Just because you need money, doesn’t mean you have to go through conventional means to get it. In particular, if your credit is damaged and you are looking for a lender for loans for foreclosure, you may end up either being denied or taking on very high interest rates. With family, they have the option to ignore your credit rating and give you a break. There are places online, like VirginMoneyUS.com, that can help a family member loan you money with terms and collections spelled out so no one ends up being hurt in the process, if the terms aren’t met. They manage the details of documentation and collections to keep your family harmony intact, even when money passes between relatives or friends.
Your Choices For Foreclosure Resolution Loans
July 21, 2008
When people get a notice of default on their mortgage, the first thing they think is that they have few choices for foreclosure resolution loans. That thought and the accompanying fear and panic may keep them from contacting their lender at a time when this is the best approach. Your lender can help you work out foreclosure resolution loans so that the foreclosure process doesn’t go full tilt into the auctioning of your home, your most prized possession. If you aren’t familiar wish some of your options, now is the time to learn about them – not when you are so scared you can’t think straight.
Foreclosure Resolution Loans Your Lender Can Offer
Mortgage modifications can include a variety of options, but you have to call your lender first. Foreclosure resolution loans can be refinancing of your existing mortgage to allow you to: skip a few payments, reduce payments, waive payments until the end of the loan, and more. The options you have increase with how steady you’ve been in the past (how much they trust you to stick to your word for repayment) and what your credit rating is like. If your credit rating is in tatters it will definitely be a whole lot harder to get refinancing with good rates and terms.
Another way to get a foreclosure resolution loan is to refinance using a different loan vehicle than the one you have. For instance, those people with adjustable rate mortgages have very high monthly payments that have adjusted beyond what they can afford. By refinancing to a fixed rate mortgage they can afford their payments and have less to fear in the future when the rates might change again.
Get In Touch With Professionals
There are so many options out there now, that you don’t have to just stick with your lender to find out about them. You can call mortgage specialists and/or private hard money lenders to figure out what other foreclosure resolution loans are available to you. Just be careful not to make sure that the terms that you accept on the final loan are fair and acceptable to you. There are a number of different professionals that can help educate you on what makes the most sense in your situation, however, there are also some unscrupulous scam artists out there too. Take whatever agreement you have decided sounds good and pass it by a lawyer before signing and agreeing to it. This one small step can help you avoid regrets later down the line.
Where To Find Home Loans After Foreclosure
July 20, 2008
If you have a foreclosure on your record, it can be harder to get qualified for a new home loan than if you didn’t have the foreclosure. However,it is not impossible to find home loans after foreclosure, especially if you know where to look for them. Government agencies, like the FHA, can help people who have undergone foreclosure to qualify for home loans after foreclosure within as little as two years afterwards. Other private lenders, also called hard money lenders will be willing to give out loans in as little as six months after a foreclosure, if they think you are a reasonable risk. You might even qualify for conventional home loans after foreclosure, if you are willing to wait at least four years before applying for one.
The FHA Program
The Federal Housing Administration doesn’t actually provide loans for people looking for home loans after foreclosure. What they do is underwrite the risk for other lenders so that you can still qualify even with poor credit or a smaller down payment. There are some FHA loans that require only a 3% down payment. You can find out more about this program by going to hud.gov and looking up the FHA program. They do have mortgage limits on their FHA loans, and you do have to qualify according to their standards.
Hard Money Lenders
These individuals are the business of providing capital for investors who may be rehabilitating houses or someone who has experienced a foreclosure and is looking for home loans after foreclosure. They can provide home loans after foreclosure, but they usually come with much higher interest rates than conventional loans and with at least 4 to 5 origination points on the loan. You do have to be looking at a home with significant equity, meaning a larger down payment. You can find out more about hard money lenders from your bank or conventional lender.
Conventional Home Loans After Foreclosure
If you’ve waited significant time and rebuilt your credit, conventional lenders will be willing to work with you after about four years. They will want to know that whatever caused the foreclosure has been dealt with and your circumstances are much better than they were before. You will be asked for a lot more documentation to substantiate your income and expenses in order to qualify for home loans after foreclosure, but it can be worth it in savings of interest rates and points on the loan. For those people who have a little patience, waiting out the market decline may also be a good strategy to buy in low and be set to profit as prices start to rise again.
Refinance Pre Foreclosure Options For Owners
July 18, 2008
It is always devastating to families and individuals when they are in default of their mortgage payments and face the possibility of being forced out of their homes. Thankfully there are several refinance pre foreclosure options that are available for homeowners, depending on their financial standing, credit history and record and the circumstances that led to the home or property mortgage not being paid. Refinance pre foreclosure methods will also differ slightly from state to state, so always do some research and learn about what your state offers and requires. This will help you discuss refinance pre foreclosure options with your lender from a knowledgeable and informed perspective.
The first step in obtaining information on how to refinance pre foreclosure property if you are home owner is to talk to someone that is knowledgeable about both your options and your legal rights. A HUD housing counseling agency can be a good first step, as these counselors can provide information on various government programs that may be available in your area. To access these services check your local government website or contact your Veterans Affairs department if you are current or past military and purchased your home with a Veteran’s Administration (VA) guaranteed loan.
Refinance pre foreclosure options may also include an actual modification in your mortgage payment, without the requirement of a full refinance. This can be arranged between the lender and the borrower and typically occurs due to some specific issue such as a loss of income, disability or a change in your income that will not allow you to pay the amount you were previously able to cover. Clear information to the lender as well as a prior good payment history before the pre foreclosure is usually critical in this special situation.
A partial claim refinance pre foreclosure deal can be a true lifesaver for both the borrower and the lender. In this option there are several criteria that may be met, but what actually happens in the lender is able to claim the deficit amount through a no-interest loan directly from HUD (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development). This can only happen if the house or property in not currently in foreclosure but is in default between four and twelve months and the homeowner is able to now make full mortgage payments to the lender at the terms of the original loan.
Typically home owners in looking for refinance pre foreclosure options may also be able to work through banks or lenders if they have a significant amount of equity built up in the home. In cases where the homes have no equity or negative equity, options will be very limited. Negative equity occurs when there is more owed on the home than the property would bring in if placed on the market.
Additional Costs For Foreclosure Refinance Loans Non Owner Occupied
July 16, 2008
It’s tough enough to qualify for foreclosure loans when you are having trouble making payments, but it’s even tougher when the property is non owner occupied. Foreclosure refinance loans, non owner occupied, have higher equity requirements and higher interest rates associated with these types of loans. This is because it indicates that it is an investment property and the owner will not be residing in the home, making it a higher risk to the lender. Interest rates can be higher by 3/8% for foreclosure refinance loans, non owner occupied. In addition, instead of 10% equity, you are going to have to have at least 20% to 30% equity to qualify for foreclosure refinance loans, non owner occupied.
There are two types of refinancing that can help put funds in the pocket of someone looking for foreclosure refinance loans, non owner occupied. They are a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit. The home equity loan is like a second mortgage and can be used to set up a one-time disbursement of funds. The home equity line of credit works more like a checking account, where you have a set limit you can withdraw and pay back. For non owner occupied properties the limit you can borrow is typically lower than residential properties.
If you have a second home or investment property that you want to refinance, now is a good time because the interest rates are very low. Even with the additional interest you pay on the loan, it can still be a sound financial move. In addition, if you want to take some equity out of the property a refinance can help put money in your pocket to maintain or increase the value of the home with renovations. Don’t be surprised if you are asked for even more documentation than a regular primary residence. This is very normal now that the credit climate is more restrictive and lenders are looking closely at loans that are financing investment or non owner occupied properties. Be prepared to spend a little more time documenting the equity, your income, and anything else the lender requests. In the end, if you have a high amount of equity sitting in a home that can’t be sold right now due to market conditions, it’s a good way to help you get monies to tide you over and pay expenses on a property that isn’t even serving as a primary home. Hopefully, by holding on to it a little longer, the market will have a chance to turn around and you can sell the property for enough to pay off the foreclosure refinance loans, non owner occupied, and also make a small profit for yourself.
Will You Qualify For Foreclosure Bail Out Loans?
July 15, 2008
You’ve probably heard that the UK and the US are both considering bailing out homeowners who are being threatened with foreclosure. While the entire process has not been approved by the governments, these loans will not be available to everyone when they do come out. There are some things that will keep people from qualifying for foreclosure bail out loans, like a second mortgage. Even if you qualify, the funds put aside (at least in the United States) are minimal compared to the number of homeowners facing foreclosure. If you do find that you qualify for foreclosure bail out loans, you will want to be one of the first in line before the money runs out.
How Foreclosure Bail Out Loans Work
The governments are actually going to just hand out money to homeowners, so that’s not a reasonable hope. Instead, the United States hopes to get lenders to agree to refinance homes for about 85% of the home owner’s property value. In markets where property values have decreased more than 50%, it won’t help to recoup the homeowners costs, but it will help to lower the monthly payments to the lender who will have to write off the other 15% as a loss. The monies that the foreclosure bail out loans provide will be used to help refinance existing loans.
What Might Help Your Qualify
As stated earlier, foreclosure bail out loans will not be available to everyone. You will have to meet specific criteria to be eligible. One of the things that can severely hamper an attempt for a bail out loan is a second mortgage. Another problem is the entire mechanism works on the same concepts as a conventional refinance. So, the homeowner with a job loss or medical bills may not qualify because they won’t have sufficient income to refinance, even at a discount. Refinancing doesn’t meant that a homeowner is current with any unpaid late payments or fees, and those also would have to be factored into the new loan to make it current. It won’t help anyone who has already been foreclosed upon. So, if you find yourself falling a little behind and think you might qualify and can refinance and take advantage of the government’s foreclosure bail out loans, then you should find out if you are eligible. You don’t want to wait too long for the programs to be approved by governmental agencies, which always seem to take longer to process things. Otherwise, it may pay to look at other avenues like private money lenders and other forms of credit to help in your situation before things get too dire.






