Obama’s Administration Announced New Loan Modification Program

Q.I am now unemployed. What sort of mortgage payment reduction can I qualify for?</strong>

A. You would be entitled to at least three, and up to six, months of reduced payments. All you have to pay during this times is not more than 31 percent of your monthly income.

– This home should be your primary home and not one where you are the landlord. Also, it should not exceed more than $729,750. If one person in the household works and one is unemployed, you will not be eligible if the loan payment is under 31 percent of your current total household income.

– You must show that you are receiving unemployment benefits.

The lowered payments would revert to the regular amounts once you got a job, if you became employed before the three to six-month period ended.

Homes Underwater
Q.I’m underwater, since my mortgage is for more than my home is worth. What sort of help might I get from my mortgage company?

A.The company that controls your mortgage might cut your principal. Again, it is between you and the servicer. There is no government regulations for this purpose. The government is offering more incentives for companies to do so.

– Your property will need to be worth at least 15 percent less than the value of your first mortgage for you to qualify. If your mortgage has already been modified to lower your interest and monthly payments, you may still be eligible.

– Any principal forgiveness will take place in three equal amounts over the course of three years but only if you make your mortgage payments on time.

Banks are not required to take part.

Q.What about the new refinancing option with another lender for people who are underwater?

A.If you’re current on your payments with your existing mortgage provider, you may be able to refinance into a loan through the federal government’s Federal Housing Administration program and have some of your principal forgiven. You need to be primary homeowner and not a landlord in some sense.

– Your current mortgage holder is not required to write down any principal, but if it does decide to take part, it will have to agree to write down at least 10 percent of the value of your first mortgage. And your current loan cannot itself be an F.H.A. mortgage.

– Also, your payment under any new F.H.A. loan must be less than 31 percent of your gross monthly income, and your total household debt can’t be more than about 50 percent of your income unless you have an excellent credit history.

Value of your Home
Q.Who decides how much my home is worth and how?

A.There will be a reappraisal. Here, however, the lower the value of your home the more likely you are to be underwater enough to qualify for help.

Second Mortgage
Q.What if there is a second mortgage on my home?

A.There are now more incentives in place to write down amounts on second mortgages to help people become eligible for the F.H.A. refinancings. You may be eligible for help with a second mortgage even if you’ve already qualified for help with a first mortgage.

Q.Is there someplace I can go to get more details?

A.More information is available on the Treasury Department’s Web site.

Q.How will a loan modification affect my credit score?

A.A loan modification may not affect your credit score.

If your mortgage holder writes down some of your principal, there’s a chance that won’t be a black mark on your credit report, but the exact impact is still unclear.

As of November, the credit reports of borrowers who had been participating in earlier mortgage modification program weren’t necessarily affected just by virtue of their participation. That’s because the Treasury Department and the Consumer Data Industry Association, which represents credit reporting agencies, created a new code for loans modified under a federal government plan. They recommended that lenders use the code but did not require it. In the near term, FICO is ignoring that code in its credit scoring formula.

Q.When should I call my mortgage servicer?

A.For unemployed borrowers, this should all start in the next couple of months. Some servicers may already have a program in place. The other programs may not begin until the fall.

Your lender is supposed to contact people who are eligible for help, but it’s probably best to call in periodically yourself for updates if you think you may be eligible.

Q.Are lenders and servicers really going to be prepared to handle the volume of inquiries?

A.Many people attempting to modify their mortgages so far have been frustrated by long hold times, conflicting information and lost paperwork. These new programs won’t make it any easier for the companies involved. Make sure to write down the names of everyone you speak to about your mortgage and save copies of all paperwork.