Tag Archives: modification

Common Signs of Loan Modification Scams and How to Avoid Them

For those considering loan modification, times have likely been better. Generally, people only seek information on modifying their loans after having some difficulty keeping up with their mortgage payments and other bills. They see this as an option to stay in their homes and continue getting their finances back on track.

Unfortunately, some loan modification companies are preying on these individuals with false promises and guarantees that are too good to be true. Since the Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP, began many opportunistic individuals, including some loan modification attorneys, have attempted to profit.

Here are some warning signs that one of these loan modification companies is attempting to add you to their list of victims.

1) They ask for upfront payments. This is one of the most important flags because of its predatory nature, and also because it is illegal to ask for money before their work on the modification has begun. Also, you should never make your monthly payments to the loan modification attorney or any other third party. Your loan is still serviced by the lender and that’s where your payments should be sent.

2) They offer results that are too good. While the purpose of the program is to reduce your monthly payments to an affordable amount, either through spreading out the repayment period, reducing interest rates or reducing the principal, if the offer sounds exceptional then be wary. Any “guarantee” or “promise”, whether it is an end to foreclosure proceedings or even acceptance into the program, should be approached with caution.

3) They can’t, or won’t, explain the services they are going to do. While the loan modification process can sometimes seem difficult or tedious for homeowners, the process is relatively straightforward. Your lender supplies a packet that must be filled out, generally including an authorization to release tax information, proof of income and bank statements, as well as an explanation of why you are having difficulty making the payments. There is no mystery or secret to the process and any reputable loan modification company should be able to explain the process to you.

Loan modifications can be confusing to many people but guard yourself against potential scams by watching out for upfront payments, too-good-to-be-true results, and mysterious methods.

How To Get A Loan Modification In A Week Or Less

If you want to get your loan modification approved in a week or less, good luck! It is almost impossible…or is it?

If you know anything about loan modifications, you know that it generally takes 2 to 3 months to get the modification approved. It is a stressful process if you are the homeowner desperately waiting for an answer. Some lucky people can get this done in about a month, but this is very rare. Getting it done in a week or less is almost unheard of!

The reason it takes so long to get a loan modified is because there are so many people in need of this service. Lenders have stacks and stacks of files on their desks and not enough employees. It takes a long time to sort through all those files and get the loan mod completed.

There are a few companies out there that have such close relationships with lenders that they will actually allow them to take some of the unbearable workload off their backs. There are only a few companies that do this because it is very hard to come up with the necessary ratios to get this accomplished.

What this means in lamens terms is this: A company that provides this service can call up your lender with your loan number. They speak to a case manager and review your file. They approve or deny the loan modification right away and tell them what your interest rate and payment will be. They can then tell you what the terms of your modification will be and you can decide to move forward or pursue another option.

If you do decide to move forward, they can generally complete the loan modification within 24 hours to 7 days. To further ease your financial burden, often times they can push back your next payment 30 days from the date the loan mod docs are signed.

The success of this depends on what lender you have and if you are even a candidate for a loan modification. The top lenders participating in this program are Countrywide, Bank of America and EMC. These are not the only lenders, just the main ones.

If you want to get your loan modification approved in less than a week, this might be your only option.