Making Home Affordable

The Making Home Affordable Program, part of the Obama Administration’s Financial Stability Plan, began in March 2009. The program is run through the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) whose aim is to help solve the foreclosure crisis by reducing mortgage payments, making them more affordable for homeowners.

The current economic climate has cast a shadow over the housing market. Some homeowners are unable to make monthly mortgage payments, due to job loss or increased interest rates, whose payments can be up to 50% of one’s monthly income. Refinancing may not be an option due to declining home values. Experts estimate that 6 million families may face foreclosure in the next few years. The effects of foreclosure are felt, not only by the family but also the neighborhood. A foreclosure of a home can drop surrounding home values by up to 10%.

The Obama administration has dedicated $75 billion toward the Making Home Affordable Program with the goal of assisting 7-9 million homeowners. Two programs are being offered to assist with lowering monthly mortgage payments and preventing foreclosure.

The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) helps homeowners refinance to take advantage of lower mortgage rates by reducing mortgage rates to as low as 2% for five years. The program is aimed at responsible homeowners who are paying their monthly mortgage bill on time, but have not been able to refinance due to the declining value of their home. Before this plan, refinancing was not an option if families owed more than 80% of their home value. With HARP, families who owe up to 125% of their homes value may be eligible for refinancing. This program is expected to reach 4-5 million Americans and decrease their yearly payments by thousands of dollars. Approximately 75,000 Massachusetts residents qualify for HARP.

To qualify for HARP, one must meet the following criteria:

The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) helps homeowners who are struggling to make their mortgage payments and are in danger of facing foreclosure by modifying their monthly payments- extending loan terms to as long as 40 years. This program focuses on “homeowners at risk,” which the U.S. Department of Treasury defines as “those suffering serious hardships, decreases in income, increases in expenses, payment ‘shock,’ high combined mortgage debt compared to income, or those who show other indications of being at risk of default.” Ideally, the program seeks to reach homeowners before mortgage payments are missed, however those who have already defaulted, and even those in bankruptcy, may still be eligible for a modification. Those in the latter two categories are encouraged to seek advice from an HUD-approved housing counseling program (See: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm).

To qualify for HAMP, one must meet the following criteria:

Documentation must be provided to qualify for HAMP and HARP. Contact an HUD-approved counseling agency (See: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm) and your mortgage lender once the following paperwork has been collected:

(See: http://sccrealestateuncensored.com/pics/200903/FinancialHardshipAffidavit.doc)

Beginning June 1, 2010, one must provide two pay stubs to lenders and give permission to the Internal Revenue Service to allow lenders access to borrower’s most recent tax return. Borrowers had been able to state their income orally and provide documentation later. Mortgage companies, however, said many borrowers did not return the documents, sparking fears that thousands of people will be kicked out of the program this winter.

Participating mortgage companies must acknowledge they received a borrower’s application within 10 days and approve or deny the application within 30 days.

According to the Making Home Affordable Servicer Performance Report Through December 2009, one hundred percent of participants saw a interest rate reduction with a median monthly payment reduction of $516.14. Additionally, Metro-Boston is the 13 th most active participant in the HAMP.

Important websites and phone numbers

References:

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