Tag Archives: process
Loan Modification – How To Qualify
A loan modification refers to the process by which your bank grants you a permanent or temporary adjustment to the conditions and terms of your mortgage. These adjustments are aimed at making your payments more affordable in accordance with the regulations of your financial situation, and they can involve longer loan term periods, the reduction of the principal, or the granting of a lower interest rate. These measures can prove instrumental in avoiding foreclosure on your home. In order to apply for this process, you must find out if you qualify for a loan modification.
You need to determine if you meet the required qualifications relevant to a modification. Lenders have their own qualification guidelines. Whilst similar, these guidelines can vary from lender to lender.
The following are guidelines that banks use in evaluating the eligibility of your loan for modification:
Front-end debt-to-income ratio
The front-end debt-to-income ratio is utilized by lenders in determining the amount of your gross income (not net income) that is directed toward your house payment on a monthly basis. They combine the costs of housing expenses, interest, taxes, and other relevant and important factors in determining your debt ratio. The lender calculates the front-end debt-to-income ratio before the modification process is started, along with what it would be after the application has been processed. Before the modification, this ratio needs to be above 31% in order for you to be eligible. As a result of the modification, the ratio needs to be lowered as follows:
1. For private loan modification programs, an acceptable debt-to-income ratio is typically between 31% and 42%.
2. For HAMP loan modifications, the guideline is to lower the debt-to-income ratio between 31% to 38%.
It is important for homeowners to understand that this is an important criteria for approval.
Modification agreement
This agreement provides homeowners with a lower monthly mortgage payment which helps reduce their debt-to-income ratio to an acceptable level, as outlined above. Before you are granted a permanent modification, you will be given a three-month trial loan modification (a.k.a trial payment period, or TPP). During this period, it is critical that you make your payment on time or you won’t be offered a permanent loan modification. You may need to fine-tune your budget and eliminate unnecessary expenses in order to afford your new mortgage payment.
Although you should be well aware of your debts and expenses, you should not need to become a financial analyst in order to understand how all these ratios work together. It’s advisable to seek some expert help in trying to make sense of your budget before and after the modification process.
Do your research
In order to qualify for a loan modification you need to educate yourself about the process. Initially, the process can be intimidating to homeowners, but with some careful research you will discover it to be less daunting than you might expect. Educate yourself regarding the lending requirements of your bank while thoroughly completing all the necessary forms. This will increase your chances of approval.
Seeking outside help while working directly with your lenders
You may choose to work with your bank directly. However, informing yourself about the process may help you avoid unnecessary difficulties along the way. Additionally, if you want to obtain some assistance, secure help that is inexpensive and conflict-free.
Presenting professionally prepared paperwork
Your application package and the associated paperwork must be acceptable to the bank. Ensure that you have filled out all the required forms. Don’t forget to include a letter that describes your financial difficulties in detail. Use language that is grammatically correct in order to convey a respectful and professional attitude.
Conclusion
Take the necessary time to be properly prepared before you begin the loan modification process. After all, this is your precious home that you are trying to save. You will discover that once you become familiar with the ins and outs of this process, you will be able to determine whether or not this program is suited to you.
For more information on loan modification programs, please visit
Six Million Final Stage Foreclosures In America by 2014
In the United States, a Bank Repossession of a home is the last part of the foreclosure procedure that usually involves three foreclosure notices. This is typically the stage at which a struggling homeowner is forced onto the street. When the media reports on a certain amount of foreclosure cases in a particular month, this figure includes cases that are in any of the three stages of the foreclosure process.
A reputable source of information on foreclosures in America that is found in the public domain takes the form of RealtyTrac. RealtyTrac collects and organizes data on foreclosure filings that occur at a local level throughout the country. Detailed reports on foreclosures are released by them at a fee, although it does release limited amounts of information at no cost which are provided to various media outlets.
Foreclosure Statistics so Far
There are at this time no governmental agencies that report on the massive extent of damage suffered by the housing market as a result of the questionable tactics employed on the part of Fannie and Freddie, along with Wall Street. Since the beginning of 2005, an alarming 3.7 million families have been forced onto the street. Considering an average of 2.3 people per family, that translates into approximately 8.5 million Americans who have lost their homes. It will indeed take some years yet for the full impact of the greed and corruption that has severely damaged the housing market to be fully witnessed and comprehended.
Foreclosure Numbers Expected to Rise – Based on independent research of RealtyTrac figures, it has been estimated that as many as six million households will suffer the loss of their homes before the worst of the housing crisis has come and gone. It’s nearly impossible to understand the awful level of personal tragedy represented by these kinds of statistics if one has not been personally affected by it.
Due to the backlogs present in foreclosure procedures and the delays involved in the filing process (it took an average of 150 days to resolve one foreclosure case in 2007), we can be certain that comprehensive foreclosure figures are sure to rise in the few years that lie ahead.
Loan modification process
The loan modification process, if undertaken responsibly and with an informed approach, is able to provide families with real hope in their efforts to hold on to homes that are precious to them for many valid and understandable reasons. If only there was a way to ensure that people had access to truthful information and expert guidance as they explore the loan modification process.
Some of the things that a loan modification applicant should be aware of is whether or not they are pre-qualified financially, and how best to prepare their loan modification package. We do not provide advice as to whether or not pursuing loan modification represents the best course of action in a specific situation. We view our role as informing prospective applicants of the possible outcomes if they are intent on heading down that path. Knowing your potential qualification chances is critical, and since banks opt to keep that secret, we are committed to making that knowledge available to you. This empowers you. You have a right to know where you stand from the get go.
For more information on how to best qualify for a loan modification, please visit