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04/25/09
Mortgage modifications elusive
Filed under: General, Mortgages
Posted by: Lillian Wong @ 4:31 pm

Cori Bradley and Cecil Baird are among many Valley homeowners who are finding it tough to qualify for mortgage modifications as they face declining home values, diminished income and the looming shadow of foreclosure.

Homeowners, real estate agents and mortgage experts say President Barack Obama’s mortgage modification plan is not working in housing markets such as Phoenix, because in many instances home values have dropped too much for the owners to qualify.

To qualify for a principal modification under the plan, a borrower’s mortgage balance cannot be more than 105 percent of the current value of the home. For example, a suburban Phoenix home that has a mortgage of $400,000, but now is worth $300,000 because of the market drop, will not qualify for a principal reduction.

“The real killer here is the 105 percent stipulation,” said Joseph Maggiore, a Realtor with Realty Executives in Scottsdale. “Most people who are upside down and need to refinance are considerably more than 5 percent under.”

Adjustable-rate mortgage holders in trouble may qualify for temporary rate reductions for five years, but then will see their rates go back up. That could reintroduce the same problem of suddenly rising payments now faced by subprime borrowers, said Dean Wegner, a mortgage banker and principal with American Financial Lending in Phoenix.

Wegner said conventional mortgage holders who are current on their loans, but have seen values dive often do not qualify for either aspect of the rescue plan.

Baird is in that nonqualifying group. He has seen his income drop and his Queen Creek home’s value plummet, and he’s behind in his mortgage payments — but he’s not qualifying for mortgage adjustments from his lender, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Baird’s wife decided to stay home after the birth of their daughter because she didn’t make enough money to offset child care costs. They have not been able to keep up with their $1,850 mortgage payments. He’s in the last month of a forbearance period and faces higher payments next month.

“I have tried several times to remodify the loan. However, since I am in the red … Chase (representatives) say they are unable to assist me until I at least break even,” said Baird, who received a conventional mortgage in 2006. “I paid $211,000, owe $206,000 and have seen comparable houses posted for $76,000.”

In the North Valley, Bradley and her husband are looking for a loan modification or refinance to help pay the mortgage on their home near Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road. But they face the underwater problem.

“We are terribly underwater. We owe $291,000-ish and the property is now worth $190,000, maybe,” she said.

The Bradleys also are suffering in the economic downturn. Both were laid off from their jobs in the mortgage and commercial real estate industries and had to deal with unexpected medical and tax bills. They have found new jobs and are current on their mortgage, but it is an adjustable-rate loan, which puts the couple in peril.

“I know that everyone is going through tough times and that my story is just another story, but I am hopeful my lenders will reach out and help us in this time of crisis,” Bradley said.

NO REAL OPTIONS

Stacy Pingree, president of Radiant Financial Group in Glendale, and Craig Johnson, a loan modification manager with sister company Radiant Financial Services, said many Valley homeowners are not qualifying for loan modifications because home values are down as much as 40 percent. They said the process is confusing and drawn-out, and lenders’ openness to modifications and refinancing varies greatly. In some cases, that includes a borrower having to prove distress or financial viability, Johnson said.

Mortgage and real estate professionals also said the federal modification plans are not working well in other hard-hit housing markets, such as Las Vegas, Southern California and South Florida — which, like Phoenix, have seen marked value drops and high foreclosure rates.

“It seems like there is no real option that addresses the most common scenarios out there: people who are significantly upside down on their value and either have adjusting loans or fixed rates that are just too high to be manageable,” said Maggiore, who would like to see the underwater rule lifted from modifications.

MORE HELP NEEDED

Chase spokeswoman Mary Jane Rogers said it has been difficult for the bank to qualify borrowers under the refinance plan because loans often total more than 105 percent of a home’s current appraised value.

Rogers said the part of the plan that would lower mortgage rates temporarily could benefit consumers in the Valley. Qualifying borrowers may have their mortgage payments temporarily decreased to 31 percent of their monthly income.

Late last month, Chase opened a loan service center in north Phoenix designed to help borrowers at least 30 days behind on their mortgage payments.

“We’re seeing an increase in people talking to our bankers about their options,” Rogers said.

There also are mortgage brokers, modification firms, attorneys and rescue companies offering their services to struggling homeowners.

Dan Mercer, senior partner with Title Management Agency of Arizona, said consumers should make sure mortgage consultants are licensed and be aware their fees can run between $1,500 and $3,500. He said there are refinancing options, but those can be subject to the underwater rule.

Mortgage and real estate experts expect the Obama administration to revisit the modification rules because they aren’t helping markets such as Phoenix. Until then, many Valley homeowners are left without assistance.

“They’re probably just going to have to wait it out,” said Brandon Hinson, an agent with Keller Williams Realty in the East Valley.

Staff reporter Chris Casacchia contributed to this story.

Get Connected

Radiant Financial Group: www.radiantfg.com

Title Management Agency of Arizona: www.tmaaz.com

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.: www.fdic.gov/consumers/loans

Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks - Friday, April 24, 2009


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