Saturday, April 11, 2009

Understanding the Loan Modification Program

By Keith Ronson

Times are hard and many people need to refinance their homes because they are having problems keeping up with the payments and may even be facing foreclosure. Fortunately, now there is help available through a loan modification program. These programs are designed for borrowers who are already in default 30 days or more and for those who are not able to get refinanced because of a lowered house value or because they are self employed.

The state of the economy has hit hard and in the process has taken businesses and jobs with it. Home values have fallen, paychecks don't go as far, and all of this has lead to homeowners not being able to pay their mortgages. As a result, many are now facing foreclosure.

Many homeowners owe more money on their home than it is actually worth. To make matters worse, a lot of these people can no longer afford their payments are forced to sell their homes below the appraised value just to get out from under the mortgage.

Some claim that a loan modification is the answer, but this information can be confusing. To make it easier, there are companies that you can consult who can help with the loan modification process. Homeowners can obtain a free consultation from a modification specialist who will be able to determine the modification program that is best for their needs, without all the confusion.

There is a catch to the loan modification program: simply that there can only be one modification during the life of the loan. So it needs to be handled in the right way. For homeowners more than a month behind, quick action is needed in order to complete the modification process.

Essentially, the program gets your mortgage payment, including insurance, interest, taxes, insurance and association fees, reduced to no more than 31 percent of your gross monthly income. This is accomplished by adjusting the mortgage interest rate, the loan term and principal amount, in collaboration with your lender.

With interest rates as low as 2% per year and terms as long as 40 years, principal reductions come by a delay in a portion of the principal or by forgiveness of part of it. But the reduced principal amount cannot be lower than the value of the home.

Though lenders are encouraged to work with modification companies to adjust the loans, they are not required to do so. To increase lender participation, the government gives a lender incentive of $1,000 per year for up to 3 years if the borrowers remain in the program. Borrowers can also earn $1,000 per year in principal reduction for up to five years if they keep the payments current.

Borrowers currently in foreclosure or bankruptcy may be eligible under this new plan. In fact, those who have been forced to declare bankruptcy may be required by the courts to do a loan modification.

There is fantastic opportunity for eligible borrowers in the loan modification programs. If you are in one of these, then you should seek a consultation with a professional who can help you into the program that is right for you.

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