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After 10 months,  how is the effort to modify loans going?

President Obama promised that nearly 4 million homeowners would be helped through modification, but the initial efforts went slowly as lenders moved slowly.  In July, the President and his staff called lender representatives to Washington and told them to pick up the pace.  The most recent report released December 10 indicated that the program is not only on target but ahead of schedule in terms of people who are at some point in the process.

• 728,000 modifications have been made – 25,318 of them in the Washington, DC metro area
• Borrowers with modified loans are saving an average of $550 per month
• Only 31,382 borrowers have moved from the trial phase of the program to the permanent phase
• So far, most borrowers are keeping up with their payments

The Administration met with lenders and loans servicers in Washington this week to ascertain if they are doing all they can to make the trial conversions permanent.  Meanwhile, the push is on for people in their trial period to sign the paperwork to make the modification permanent.

As noted by Chief of Treasury’s Homeownership Preservation Office (HPO) Phyllis Caldwell, the report proves that “struggling homeowners across the country continue to receive immediate relief in the form of reduced monthly payments and a second chance to stay in their homes.”

These facts contradict a study by a watchdog group that came out the same day as the government report.  The study claims only 10,000 permanent modifications have been completed and echoes Treasury department fears that 40% of people with modified home loans will re-default within 5 years.

For many homeowners, loan modification is a solution that can work long term if the reduction is substantial enough and if the other expenses associated with the home fit within the budget.  For others, who have a home too pricey for them, other debt, or a faltering job, the process may only prolong the agony before they either lose the home or make the decision to move on.

If you are debating whether you should modify your loan or go another route, Express Homebuyers offers an alternative.  We will buy your home for cash and guarantee completion of the process within a couple weeks.  We tell you up front what we will pay; if you agree, you are on the way to a quick resolution.  We even offer you a $2,500 upfront advance so you can plan your fresh start.  Call us at 1-877-804-5252 or check out our Express Homebuyers website for more details.

On front porches and in bars, beauty shops, and office coffee rooms around America, people have come up with an unique solution to part of the housing problem: Let the people whose homes are foreclosed on pay rent to continue to live there.  This approach could keep the homes occupied, which would maintain neighborhood stability and housing resale value.  Banks would receive revenue instead of just another under-funded asset to put in inventory–one that might be severely damaged by the time they got ready to sell it.

Now! Common wisdom in a government program

On November 5, the FHA announced the Deed for Lease (D4L) program, which would allow qualifying owners on the brink of foreclosure to lease the property for a year or more after turning in the deed.  The program might even be available to tenants.  To qualify, the homeowner must be unable to have his loan modified and must be able to pay market value rent of no more than 31% of the household income.  Further, he must keep the property in good condition, have rental insurance if he has pets, and must live in the home as a primary residence.

A benefit for troubled homeowners

For many, it will reduce their payments to 31% of their income.  If they had other mortgages on the property, they would be released from those. The tradeoff is that they are no longer homeowners, but that financial position will disappear with less damage to the person’s credit report and less family and neighborhood disruption.  Although the program may offer only temporary relief–the lease is initially for one year–that time allows the former homeowner to get his finances back in order and perhaps plan for the future without the stress of foreclosure looming. (Read more facts about Deed for Lease here.)

For the lender, D4L eliminates many of the costs of foreclosure, provides rental income, and preserves the property’s condition.  Banks may not want to be landlords any more than they want foreclosed properties, but D4L is a reasonable solution that will pay off for them if housing prices rebound and lenders are able to sell the homes for more than the original price.

Facing possible foreclosure?

Is Deed for Lease a good idea for you?  If you want to stay in your home and can afford the new payment, D4L might be ideal.  However if you are unemployed or are living in a home too expensive for you, you will probably fail the income test.

Express Homebuyers offers another solution that might work even better for you.  We buy houses for cash, clear the liens, and wrap up the transaction within a couple weeks.  We will even provide you with a cash advance to help you get settled in a new place.

Our motto is We Sell Your Home Fast. You can put this motto into action today by contacting Express Homebuyers at 1-877-804-5252.  Want more information on the process before you make the call? Read this list of frequently asked questions to prepare you to make the decision that gives you a fresh start.