Bankruptcy and Home Loan Refinance Options

Nazimabee Woozeer asked:




Home loan refinance opportunities may be difficult to find if you have filed for bankruptcy. The loaning company may not be helpful in providing an adapted financial security for you case. You may need to look in to all available options in order to find a programme that will suit your financial status.

If the loaning company can help you out with your refinance programme, and there are no hidden clauses that may create financial obstacles, then this could be a solution for you. It is however, important you investigate all your options and if they are not favourable, avoid engaging in the refinance programme suggested by any given loaning company. Avoid all loaning companies that tend to be pushy; there may be some hidden clause that can create more problems than you already have. Why not consider changing the company, if the relationship with your previous one has gone stale.

There are many other options for refinancing, you will just have to do some research work amongst possible financing companies, which may be able to offer a more favourable plan for your particular case of bankruptcy. Financing companies usually offer better deals as far as interest rates are concerned, but it is still important to research all possibilities before choosing your bankruptcy home loan refinance program.

Whereas some refinancing programmes may seem ideal, for they may offer to lower your payments by extending the period of refund, giving you some breathing space, this is not always a good idea. By choosing this option you will stretch out your payments for a longer period, so it will probably take you another thirty or forty years to pay your loan off. This might not be the best solution, if you have been paying for more than five years already.

Do not let a bankruptcy disrupt your future for a refinancing home loan. Although many loaning companies can make it hard for you, by proposing exorbitant fees and interests, you can find an adapted home loan refinance option for your case. To help you make the right choice, it might be a good idea to contact a bankruptcy attorney, who can help you choose between the available home loan refinance options and even suggest others. It is always best to seek professional bankruptcy counseling, it can save you a lot of time and money and will secure you an easier future for the refund of your loan.

Francisco

Refinance Home Loan - House Refinancing Do’s and Don’ts Tips

Julian Lim asked:




Once you’ve made the decision to refinance home loan on your property, there are still some things that you should be aware of before signing on the dotted line. These simple steps can help save hundreds or even thousands on the final house refinancing loan that you obtain. Most of these tips are common sense ideas that apply to many financial transactions, but extra caution is appropriate when you are dealing with what too many borrowers may be one of the largest financial deals of the lifetime. The refinance in some instances is larger than the original mortgage loan on the home.

Do: Read the fine print

When you want to refinance home loan, just as with any loan, you should make certain that you read and understand the impact of the fine print in the loan documents. If you didn’t realize that you have agreed that the lender can adjust the mortgage upward after two years to match the price index, you could lose your home. If you are agreeing to a balloon payment and refinance yet again in 3 years, make certain that you know about it up front, not after the papers are signed or worse yet, when the balloon payment is due.

Do: Shop for the best rates

When you are looking to house refinancing loan, don’t assume that every lender will have the same rates and costs associated with those rates. It is important to look at the entire package. One lender may have lower rates, but require a balloon payment in six months or two years. Another lender may charge points or added closing costs to obtain the loan. You may not qualify for some programs when you apply at a lender. It is important though, that you don’t apply at numerous lenders at the same time, as this can work against you with bad marks on your credit score.

Don’t: Borrow more than you can afford

Especially in times of uncertain economy, getting a loan with variable or adjustable rates because you want a larger house or a better location is not a smart move. The same thing is true when you refinance home loan. Don’t borrow extra money, just because you can, thinking you will put it back for an emergency. Borrow only what you need with a goal of paying off debt rather than incurring new debt especially if you have nothing to show for the loan later.

Don’t: ignore the fees and closing costs

To refinance home loan can be a daunting process. It is important that you understand your obligations and benefits at each step of the process. Many borrowers are surprised when they find out how much obtaining the housing refinancing loan is costing them and that is before considering the cost of interest on the loan. Fees such as title insurance, document preparation, points, loan origination fees and other costs will inflate the cost of the loan significantly. Don’t spend the proceeds of cash out on your home loan until you have determined without a doubt what the proceeds will be.

Brenda

Foreclosure in California?

yuri asked:


foreclosure in the State of: California

Like most people in California, I own a distressed home. Here are the facts:

>> I bought my condo in 2006 for $440K, paid 10% down. 80% mortgage, 10% HELOC
>> I later paid the original HELOC back, refinanced the home for a lower rate then got another 10% HELOC. Right now my Heloc is frozen and I have $28K balance on it that I am paying on interest-only basis.
>> Now the home value is around $300K

My wife and I just had a baby and we wanted to move to a bigger house with a better school district taking advantage of the market. I figured if I lost $140K on this condo and I can get a house for $200K discount, I would do cost averaging. Our loan broker told us that we can show that we can get rental income on our condo and qualify for a 600K loan which would allow us to get our house. All was well.

However, one day I did a what-if scenario and found out that if we are being conservative and not depending on the rental income, we can only afford a $500K home. In bay area, even with the current market, that does not buy you much.

Before giving up completely, I decided to see if I have other options. One thing is clear, the condo has to go. The question is how?

1. If I buy the second house and then walk away from the condo to let it foreclose, what happens? I have been reading about deficiency judgment. Does that allow the lenders to go after the new home or other assets? Is there any online resource you guys found valuable regarding these procedures?

2. If I pay back the 28K I owe on the HELOC, what are my chances of negotiating a deed in lieu of foreclosure with HSBC (my primary lender)?

3. Related to number 2, I had this idea of going to HSBC and laying out my entire plan to them. Currently, they are being pretty aggressive to attract some good mortgages. They are giving out 4.5% APR to conforming loans with LTV <= 80%. I could tell them about what I am planning to buy (an REO actually). Since my new house would be a bigger asset to them, I thought I could negotiate a deal with them to accept my condo as a burden to keep me as a customer. Does this sound crazy?

Any other options I have other than waiting for my income to come to a level that I can manage both properties OR waiting for the condo to increase in value so I can sell it (both of which are unlikely for the near future).

Thanks all!

Jeffery

Refinance Home Loan - Benefits You Do Not Know

Alan Lim asked:




When the borrower on a home mortgage has come to a position where the terms of the original loan are unacceptable, or more expensive than they need be, given the current economic condition, the borrower sometimes chooses to refinance home loan. In this situation, the original loan is paid off and the loan is replaced with a new loan the terms of which can be similar or can be quite different. In many ways, a refinance loan is like a brand new loan obtained from scratch since the loan equity, appraised value and capacity to repay must be approved by the lender.

Smaller payments

When you decided to refinance home loan, you may be able to structure the loan in such a way as to receive payments that are smaller. This can be very beneficial if your goal is to tighten your belt due to a reduction in income. Sometimes those who are entering retirement years will desire to stay in the same home, but will be living on reduced income, so prefer to reduce expenses to match. Smaller payments on a refinance may be due to a better interest rate that can be gained. If interest rates have dropped enough to offset the refinance loan fees added to a new loan, you may be smart to refinance.

Longer repayment time

One of the benefits that can be arranged when you refinance home loan is taking longer to repay the debt. This is desirable if you want to obtain a larger loan in order to pull out some cash at the time of closing. It may be for the purpose of lowering your monthly payment. Spreading out the same size loan over more years means that the interest paid will be greater, but the payment made will be more manageable in size for the homeowner.

Fixed payment

Another benefit that many borrowers find when refinance home loan with a fixed rate option is that the repayment amount remains the same from month to month. If the proceeds from the home loan have been used to get cash out, it is likely to be cheaper than obtaining personal loans, or maxing out the balances on the credit cards. Once the loan is set, the payment amount remains the same from month to month throughout the course of the loan.

Pay off debts

When you receive cash out amount as part of the home loan refinance, there are many uses for the lump sum cash. You can pay off troublesome debts, particularly those with large interest rates. This will free up available cash for your living expenses or that you can apply to pay down other debts. A refinance can allow you to pay for future expenses as well, such as covering college tuition costs for yourself or for family members. You can use the funds to renovate or do major repairs on the home that you live in. You may even use the funds to take a long desired vacation or holiday trip.

Stacey

Bad Credit Home Loan Refinancing - A Hope For People With Poor Credit

Alan Lim asked:




It is an undeniable fact that a person might face financial difficulties and need to look for financing for his home. It is something that is common nowadays when most of the people are suffering from the ill effects of recession. You can always go for any loan company and can get the loan easily to end all your troubles. After all, even the loan companies want to have customers. As a result, you can expect to get loan easily.

This really sounds really too good to be true but before you get the wrong impression, it is important to clear your doubts. The above case is only for those people with good credit history. The things are to some extent opposite for people with bad credit. But what about those people with bad credit who require loan refinancing? How are they going to get home financing if they urgently need it?

There is one answer to both the above mentioned questions and that is they can get help through bad credit home loan refinancing option. Unlike past, when it was almost impossible to get loan with poor credit history, today it is 100% possible. Nowadays, there are a few loan providers or financial institutions available that deal only with such loans. Through these sources, a person can get loan even if he is not having a good credit history.

However, as stated above, though there are providers or institutions available to provide bad credit loans, still there are a few complications involved in getting such loans. The biggest problem is that of the interest rates. Most of the loan providers charge extremely high rate of interest for offering such loans. This not only does not solve the problem of the borrower but makes it worst. How does a person already suffering from financial difficulties can afford loan at higher cost? After all, he is required to pay that loan as well.

The second problem is that if the person has nothing to mortgage, then few lenders even deny giving loan to them. All these circumstances force a person to think not to go for bad credit home loan refinancing option. But is that the solution? The answer is no!

The better option is to know more about bad credit loans to see how it is possible to get benefited through them in the best manner. In this regard, you can take the help of Internet to know about various websites that provide complete information on bad credit home loan refinancing option. By visiting such websites, you will know that it is possible to get refinancing with poor credit even at better interest. You can even find the option to get loan at better prices without any mortgage. So go and get benefited with such loan now.

Darrell

A Guide to Get a Home Loan Refinance

Jitesh Arora asked:




There are many advantages of a home loan refinance. Staying for a longer period of time, home owners have developed a bit of equity on their home. There can be other ways to get value appreciation for the property. Even the homeowners who have purchased a property in the area where the values have been increased to a considerable level, they could still have potential equity on their home and use it for home improvement, or use it for debt consolidation. Potential problems have to be identified earlier.

The borrower must have understood the nitty-gritty of the loans before hand. They should have a clear understanding on what to expect from the loans. A home loan refinance is no way different from getting the first mortgage loan. Borrowers will make sure that they get the loan amount for lower interests and the lenders will make sure that borrowers are credit worthy before approving the loan. An open conversation with the lender might be useful in exploring all the options. A suitable package that exactly suits the needs must be identified by both the parties.

Borrowers must explicitly express their concerns and purpose of the home loan refinance. Most of them use it to consolidate their debts. Lenders will perform a credit check on the borrowers and on the co-borrowers account history and this is a crucial part of approving the loan. They will also check for the credit history, number of delinquencies, the number of open accounts and the balances on those accounts. A general thumb rule for any lenders is that a prospective buyer should not have debt to income ration that is higher than 36%. They prefer that the total housing expenses not to exceed 28% of the total income. They inspect the salary accounts for this reason. The income to debt ratio level may increase if the buyer has got good credit history in the past.

Making a larger down payment will help you in getting the loan even with bad credit. Borrowers must understand their credit risks and potential future risks before applying the home loan refinance. There should be no discrepancies while submitting the application.

Jo

Is There a Home Loan Refinance Program That Lowers Your Principal Balance?

Charlie Kartchner asked:




They are hard to find but the answer is YES. There is a home loan refinance program that can dramatically reduce the amount a homeowner owes on the balance of their home loan(s) - as long as the homeowner meets a few criteria discussed at the end of this article. This is NOT a loan modification that simply offers a temporary reduction in the interest rate and monthly payment. Using a Note Repurchase Program or Loan Balance Reduction Program, homeowners who find themselves owing more than their home is worth can literally shave up to hundreds of thousands of dollars off their existing loan(s) balance which results in a small instant equity position and a large monthly savings from lower mortgage payments. As if this wasn’t enough good news, the homeowners credit score is NOT negatively affected by this program.

Here is how it works. The company that is handling the Loan Balance Reduction, usually a team of lawyers and real estate professionals, will group a portfolio of existing notes of their clients from a particular lender, Bank ABC, and present the bank with an all-cash, take it or leave it, offer to purchase the entire portfolio of notes at a significant discount to current market value. If accepted, and I’ll explain why the banks are often willing to do this, the investor then turns around and underwrites a loan back to the original homeowner at 95% of CURRENT APPRAISED value. The homeowner has now repurchased their home for under present market value, saving a bunch of money from a lower mortgage amount AND monthly payment!

Now why would any bank in their right mind take so much less than what is owed to them? The answer is simple. Liquidity. Banks today need cash to lend (this is their business) and are required to have certain cash reserve levels by The Federal Reserve to stay in business. Many major banks are struggling to get Uncle Sam out of their Board Rooms and rid themselves from the shackles known as TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program). By removing a non-performing asset from their books it frees up cash that the bank can immediately turn around and use in their business activities. Rather than risk the increasing probability of having to foreclose and own these non-performing assets in a year or two, many banks are willing to take the immediate cash infusion.

Who qualifies for this program? In order to take advantage of this program a homeowner (including investment properties 1-4 units) must have a Loan-to-Value ratio of AT LEAST 125%. Meaning the total amount owed for all loans on the property must exceed the present value of the home by 25% or more. Secondly, the homeowner must have an income source and a debt-to-income ratio of 50% or less (based on the new lower mortgage payment!). The process takes approximately 2-3 months to complete and ALL credit quality qualifies, you can even be in the Notice of Default or Trustee Sale (except NV) phase and be able to take advantage of this program.

If you meet the criteria listed above and would like more information about a Loan Balance Reduction Program, please visit me online at http://www.lowermymortgagebalance.com

Raymond

Mortgage Refinance Options

Ashlee Pannell asked:




You don’t have to be looking for a house if you want to take advantage of the plenitude of government programs that are reducing mortgage payments for thousands of home owners - if you seek a condo, you may benefit as well. All varieties of housing units are being constructed in quantities at a level that hasn’t been seen since last summer; you may not get a better chance at the market than right now. The Dallas-Fort Worth area’s housing market has been surprisingly robust; not only was it relatively unaffected by the housing crash compared to more expensive areas such as Miami, but it was bolstered by the job growths in the energy sector. Even during the worst parts of the recession, prices remained fairly stable.
 
No matter what income bracket you reside in, it is recommended that you thoroughly investigate the many federal assistance initiatives for various tax credits and restructuring programs. But even if you do not qualify you may still benefit from a looser credit market if you purchase a home or condo in the next few months. This is because mortgage companies will be more willing to lend money if they are sure their investment will be returned.  

However, this may only apply for a few months more. Mortgage companies like Freddie Mac are anticipating a rise in mortgage rates, as well as housing/condominium pricing, as the economy recovers. This is especially true in Dallas-Fort Worth: according to the federal price index for the year of 2009, Dallas was one of three Top 10 US metropolitan areas that saw increases in prices. This index tracks both new homes and the appreciation of old homes. In a longitudinal study over the past five years, Dallas-Fort Worth prices rose 12% overall and there may be more growth in the future.  

Realtors and economists alike are anticipating greater levels of activity in the market this year. While last year saw lukewarm activity, the figures are less dismal than might first appear. Real estate agents have reported that while fewer people choose to follow up and post their homes and condos for sale, the level of initial activity is as high as it has ever been. This means that while market participants are still waiting for the market to stabilize, interest in buying and selling is still there. The same desires that drive the property market forward: desires for a different climate, a different job in a new location, or finding a family-friendly neighborhood for a growing number of kids-these desires are building up a kind of economic tension which will be released in a burst of market activity and increased prices once it becomes clear that the market will recover. Start looking for your new condo now, before the spike hits in force, and you could save yourself a lot of money down the line on your mortgage. The internet has many resources available to help you find the condo that fits your living needs and your budget.

Minnie

If I’m late on my mortgage can I still qualify for a remodification?

Sweet n Sour asked:


I’ve missed the past 2 payments and it’s getting harder to catch up. Would that disqualify me from getting a loan remoidification or refinance? I tried to get one before I was late but my lender was always giving me the runaround and now I don’t know what to do other than stop making payments permanently (mortgage is more than my home value anyways).

Pamela

what is the catch? home loan question?

late but worth the wait asked:


I received a call today from a lender (referred to me by a friend months ago) she calls me to tell me they have a new program coming out in october that will allow you to refinance on what your house is worth and write off the balance. When I pushed for my answers, like what happens to the write off? and why would someone allow this? what is the catch she replied she would have more answer when the program starts october 1st. Has anyone heard of this? I told her that I assumed any write off would be something we would note on our taxes as income right? she again stated she would get us more information october 1st. this sounds too fishy…

Jerry

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