Frankly, I’m both tired of being proven right and shocked that it hasn't happened sooner and by someone with even more intellectual prominence. Derwood Blomquist just assured the nation that the foreclosure crisis was… what were the exact words... (Continue reading)
It’s easy to misinterpret something about this crisis. But, it’s important that we try to guard against that happening whenever possible for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is that being wrong means wasting time that... (Continue reading)
No matter, the more important conclusion reached by the report is that, “Nearly four years later, the problem shows no signs of abating.†And isn’t that just a lovely thought that made me throw up in my mouth a... (Continue reading)
I wrote this to you and other homeowners because I’ve been a witness to what Martin’s help can lead to and what a homeowner can accomplish even when that homeowner has stopped believing that anything can work. Just because... (Continue reading)
So... for California homeowners facing foreclosure... who know the facts and have been unable to get a resolution to their situation... there's the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. Other states are considering adopting the same sort of legislation and... (Continue reading)
So, I know... you want to read about how a homeowner won some major victory in the courts somewhere... or how someone filed and got quiet title to their property... or how a bank couldn't figure out who owned a... (Continue reading)
Understand... I’m not telling you which path you should choose, but I am saying that you should choose one and then do everything in your power to achieve the goals that lie at the end of that path. Just... (Continue reading)
I think Impac has proven that it has the capability and desire to be a meaningful part of the solution to the foreclosure crisis... they successfully modified tens of thousands of loans, and in general, they got loans modified in... (Continue reading)
There is one mortgage banker that did it right for their shareholders and borrowers. They didn’t take TARP funds or any sort of tax-payer funded bailout... instead they took their losses, restructured the company, and protected their shareholders... ... (Continue reading)
I know many have been wondering where I’ve been for the last two months from the slew of emails I’ve received, I thought I’d explain what I didn’t want to explain at the time... and let everyone know that not... (Continue reading)
The problem is that when we start believing things that aren’t true... even though do so might make us feel better for the moment... that’s when we lose all of our power. No one is powerful when they’ve got... (Continue reading)
You can't blame everything on Ben Bernanke. He's only one man who got 1600 on his SATs. He can only do so much. It's not he's got ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD to play with... Oh,... (Continue reading)
David takes us through concise and easy to understand explanations of most of the major events since the meltdown began on July 10, 2007... the day the credit markets went into a deep freeze that continues to this day. ... (Continue reading)
If you make a mistake and cause harm on a scale of the Great Depression, what happens to you? Don’t you even get fired? Reprimanded? A stern talking to?... (Continue reading)
It’s perfectly understandable that many people don’t know what to believe anymore, after all, what we’ve seen happen all around us could drive anyone a little batty. But, understand that holding onto something that’s not true isn’t going to... (Continue reading)
Either we could sell the space to the highest bidder... I bet McDonald’s would pay a pretty penny, no pun intended, to put "Ronald the Clown" on the new coin for example. Or, how about we engrave it to commemorate... (Continue reading)
Here's your first chance to listen to Phillip Swagel on a Mandelman Matters Podcast... he'll be back again... but you don't want to miss this one because we won't be going backward in time, so click PLAY below and listen... (Continue reading)
It my annual political year-in-review, read to the poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Read it yourself, or click 'PLAY' and I'll read it for you.... (Continue reading)
Over time, I hoped, as people came to understand what had actually happened, they would let themselves off the proverbial hook, and once not bound by shame, they would speak out and when in great enough number, our leaders would... (Continue reading)
I pray for the parents of the children that were senselessly taken away on Friday... I pray that those that have other children at home find some way to go on. For a parent who lost their only child... (Continue reading)
Please take this chance to make your voice heard, and tell everyone you know whose home is underwater they should do the same. We screamed our heads off about AIG bonuses, both in the streets and in the tens... (Continue reading)
The mortgage market is not just dominated by the government, the mortgage market is the government, and that’s not just here in the US, it’s everywhere. Governments are the lenders of ONLY resort. ... (Continue reading)
I’m not the least bit worried that the Republicans and the Democrats won’t come together right before the holidays to forge some ill-conceived, witless, and entirely cowardly compromise that only kicks the proverbial can down the road even further... it... (Continue reading)
According to Moody’s Analytics, FHA's actions prevented home prices from dropping an additional 25%, which in turn saved 3 million jobs and half a trillion dollars in economic output. But now FHA is broke. Now what?... (Continue reading)
What could Mr. Bernanke and others have done differently? Addressed the real cause of the crisis, the lost trust part... by announcing that the U.S. government would be stepping into the bond market and guaranteeing the investment grade bonds…... (Continue reading)
By understanding the truth of what happened and why at these two pivotal moments in time, everything else will fall into place, for it was these two moments that set the course for a global economic downturn that, if history... (Continue reading)
Back in April of this year, they were granted 180 days to get their servicing operations ready to comply with the new standards, and as of yesterday, they'll be held to the 304 new rules for addressing the needs of... (Continue reading)
Settle in and get ready to hear the real inside scoop on how Washington works and too often doesn't. It may cause vomiting and probably shouldn't be listened to if you have a heart condition... I'm really not sure.... (Continue reading)
If no one else is going to go to jail having to do with the financial meltdown, then I don’t actually care if Bernie is in there either. I mean, if crime pays… then let’s embrace the change. ... (Continue reading)
Washington State consumer attorney Scott Stafne is running for a seat on the State Supreme Court in the State of Washington. Why is he running, and why should you care regardless of where you live... click play and listen... (Continue reading)
Catherine Austin Fitts has perspective on the housing and mortgage meltdown like no other. Under President George Herbert Walker Bush, she was Assistant Secretary of Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner at HUD, where she basically ran the Federal Housing... (Continue reading)
The NYT story also mentioned that Bernanke and other central bankers have been trying to shift some of the burden for fixing the economy to elected officials, but the politicians aren’t having any of that. Do they look stupid?... (Continue reading)
If even ten years ago, someone would have tried to tell me that in 2012, young people in Russia would be doing this, while in the U.S.A. our young people would be drowning, I NEVER would have believed it.... (Continue reading)
And I will likely never view the U.S.A. as being a great nation again. For me, that is over. For I have seen our pettiness, our insensitivity, our callous disregard to the plight of our neighbors right up... (Continue reading)
The real point is that we don't deserve someone like Elizabeth Warren and likely won't get her or anyone like her until we can answer her question about being ready with a resounding YES! and really mean it, as in... (Continue reading)
Overall, the point I’m making is that I don’t really care that the government wants to pay Scrabble-type word games with the word “recession†or “recovery.†I don’t care how they want to screw around with the unemployment rate... (Continue reading)
I’m not saying that HAMP is the best solution I could come up with, but under the circumstances, I don’t see anything better… or frankly anything close as far as keeping people in homes. I end up helping a... (Continue reading)
Edward DeMarco of the FHFA is the conservator for the GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. At this point the president, the Secretary of the Treasury, and many in congress have asked him about participating in anything... HAMP, principal... (Continue reading)
Nancy Pelosi sent a Mandelman Matters reader, Amy Sheaffer, an email. Any wrote back. Brilliant! Lord, I do love my readers.... (Continue reading)
So, have you ever wondered what Goldman Sachs CEO is saying when the cameras aren't on, own what goes on under that highly polished dome of his? Well, I sure have. ... (Continue reading)
There's no reason to wait another day to begin building your Whislteblowing Futures Empire. It requires the smallest if investments, and the leverage involved can turn out to be off the charts... I mean, we're talking tens of thousands... (Continue reading)
"While Paulson didn’t want to write down mortgages, the single biggest factor in determining whether the American middle class has any stored wealth, Paulson was willing to do so in response to pressure. Barack Obama... (Continue reading)
Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke communicates more than any of his predecessors, but have you found yourself increasingly wondering what in the world the man is thinking behind that shiny dome and professorial facial hair?... (Continue reading)
As many as 1,000 surprise guests visited the Bethesda home of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Sunday around 5:00 PM. ... (Continue reading)
You’re a liar, Wells Fargo. Either you knew you weren’t going to approve their loan modification, or you’re the most incompetent financial institution in the history of the world. And you don’t just do this sometimes, you do... (Continue reading)
Dimon was quoted as having said that just because his bank had been stupid, it didn’t mean that all the other banks would be equally stupid. But, see… it sort of does, right? That’s why the sort of... (Continue reading)
Oh, good Lord. We’re still doing this sort of thing, huh? Some guy at JPMorgan Chase in London was gambling with credit default swaps, no one was watching, and next thing you know the bank was down $2... (Continue reading)
I’m not sure why, but meeting with a “Home Save Counselor†doesn’t make me feel like I’ll be talking with a commissioned salesperson who will be potentially making up to $1,000 on my loan modification case? A “Home Save... (Continue reading)
Iceland’s mortgage write-down program happened as a result of thousands of its citizens taking to the streets demanding that something be done about the debts the people had incurred buying homes during the bubble at what turned out to be... (Continue reading)
In 2012, the road to the White House runs directly through the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, most notably Ohio and Florida, but also Michigan, Nevada, and North Carolina, et al. For the Obama campaign, I would... (Continue reading)
This week on 30 MINUTES OF TALKING I'm looking at the contradictions that are being thrown at us almost every day now... this past week it was the housing market that hit bottom, according to quite a few. But... (Continue reading)
The European bankers are no different than is the FHFA, which is led by Ed DeMarco, the guy stopping Fannie and Freddie from reducing principal balances of mortgages. He says he won’t do it because his job is to... (Continue reading)
Doesn’t it just figure that in this country, where we have so much food we that throw away inconceivable amounts on an hourly basis and literally pay farmers millions of dollars not to grow stuff… that we’d have trendy intellectuals... (Continue reading)
This week's show focuses on the Obama Administration's handling of the foreclosure and housing crisis, by examining the statements made during the press conference the administration held to announce the settlement between the 49 state attorneys general and the five... (Continue reading)
Decisions made by Larry Summers have been disastrous for this nation… that much is abundantly clear. Tim Geithner’s been no peach either. Together their folly has cost our country incalculable amounts of money, but further, they have caused... (Continue reading)
First of all, I realize that I wasn’t there. And I understand that the guy had a beer in one hand and a gun in the other. But he was obviously thinking pretty clearly… after all, a couple... (Continue reading)
What follows below are slides from an actual presentation of a Residential Mortgage-backed Securities - RMBS/REMIC deal... but NOT the slides from a "road show" presentation to potential investors... what you're about to see are slides from an INTERNAL meeting... (Continue reading)
I write to identify a policy change that would add trillions of dollars of liquidity to the housing market overnight. It would stimulate home sales, stabilize home prices, and reduce the number of home foreclosures.... (Continue reading)
The video below puts you in the courtroom to watch as both sides of the debate present oral arguments related to MERS’ involvement in the foreclosure process in front of the nine justices of the Washington State Supreme Court.... (Continue reading)
To really understand what happens when trying to determine the present and future value of a pool of loans within a mortgage-backed security, let’s put ourselves in the place of the investors… we’ll be investors together… and we’ll want to... (Continue reading)
Clearly, today’s news from Spain shows that when it comes to protesting, Americans have lost some of our creativity and are simply not up for it as often as we once were. Frankly, many have expressed concern about... (Continue reading)
I suppose I’ll never know who was involved or what you’ve done to this nation by manipulating or withholding such information from Congress, from the president, from the American people and from the world. If you did any of... (Continue reading)
But, the structural problems we face have NOT changed, so I see no possibility that we aren't going to see some continued weakening in the housing market in the years ahead, and I don't care whether we're talking Phoenix, or... (Continue reading)
Having Nye Lavalle and Max Gardner together is a rare event. Together, they would have to be considered the founding fathers of today's foreclosure defense movement, so this is an opportunity to learn how it all began and where... (Continue reading)
With so many Americans removed from the pool of potential buyers, those who own their homes with smaller mortgages or outright cannot sell their homes for decent prices, trapping them too in place and forcing some to delay retirement. The... (Continue reading)
Also, I’m wondering something… when you say that, “foreclosures are a necessary ingredient to the housing market’s recovery,†how many do you figure we’re going to need in order to "recover?" ... (Continue reading)
Ireland journalist won't give up. Why do our journalists fail to get started?... (Continue reading)
Negative public opinion could result from our actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including mortgage lending practices, servicing and foreclosure activities, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and disclosure, sharing or inadequate protection of customer... (Continue reading)
Heidi Cuda, a producer from Fox 11 News in Los Angeles produced a week long series on the foreclosure crisis for the Channel 11 news and asked to interview me. I didn't like Part 1, but Part 2 was... (Continue reading)
So… housing is not, not, not at bottom, – check. Unemployment not improving – check. And does the stock market at 13,000 mean something to the economy? Nothing good – check.You might want to bookmark this page, so... (Continue reading)
So, why did I write this? Because it makes just as much sense as everything else that’s going on in this country, and at least it made me smile. ... (Continue reading)
The foreclosure crisis is seeping into our society everywhere. Or, at least it soon will be... ... (Continue reading)
If one million people give $70 each, that’s more than any of the GOP candidates has raised. He needs to get 15% in a national poll to get on the stage during the presidential debates so he can challenge... (Continue reading)
What follows is a podcast featuring the "whistle blower"... the anonymous independent file reviewer working for Promontory on the Wells Fargo Bank account that reached out to us because he was fed up. I verified his identity and spoke... (Continue reading)
The bottom-line is, as anyone should be able to clearly see… Patricia Martin should NOT have lost her home and Wells Fargo SHOULD help her get it back with a modified payment so she can continue to live in the... (Continue reading)
Lately, Gretchen has been really going strong on foreclosure-related topics... the fraudulent document scandal, the Fannie report, DocX, the AG settlement, so I thought now would be a good time to have her on a Mandelman Matters Podcast.... (Continue reading)
Dear Greece... The Dracma will be fine and so will the people, but not if you wait too long, or if you continue with a prime minister who is an ex-central banker. Toss him out, re-shuffle the deck and... (Continue reading)
The settlement agreement is supposed to help one million households by reducing their loan balance reduced. There’s no way is there enough money in this settlement to do all that much for anyone. But Obama has said it’s... (Continue reading)
Here's the deal... I wrote a year ago when the whole AG/banker political circus started that I was not going to follow it, not going to write about it, and certainly not care about it. It was a colossal... (Continue reading)
I haven’t actually seen any of them, but I’ve gone ahead and described them, so you can see the candidates through my somewhat jaded perspective… and my list is likely a little different than the others you’ll run across… I... (Continue reading)
Arizona's hundreds of thousands of hopelessly underwater homeowners are having the best day they've had since the "days of equity" back in 2006. The bill not only passed, but it passed unanimously... '6' Ayes to '0' Nays. ... (Continue reading)
Plus, in Massachusetts, do you know how they do it? They auction the home off right on the soon to be ex-homeowner's front lawn, for all to see. I'll tell you what... that is some 17th century nonsense... (Continue reading)
This is one Mandelman Matters Podcast that you definitely don't want to miss. Nathan sets it up in the beginning, then you hear the audio of the actual courtroom arguments, both his and the lawyer for US Bank... and... (Continue reading)
This Mandelman Matters Podcast with Professor David Coates is not the same thing you've heard before, as he covers the foreclosure crisis both here in the U.S and in the UK. He also talks about the global financial crisis... (Continue reading)
Ooops, you did it again! Yes, it's true... Wells Fargo contacted Tom and Jeneane up in Granite Bay, California mid-day today to let them know that their SALE DATE of February 3, 2012 HAS BEEN POSTPONED. ... (Continue reading)
ProPublica is reporting that Freddie Mac has been placing “multi-billion dollar bets designed to only pay off when homeowners remain “trapped†in high interest rate loans, and that the government-owned mortgage monster began increasing such bets late in 2010, which... (Continue reading)
DOERS... you did it again. That's 7 out of 7 DOERS... we really are DOING it and making a real and very meaningful difference not only for the homeowners whose homes we've saved by helping them get sustainable loan... (Continue reading)
In just two days from now, on Monday, January 30, 2012, at 3:00 PM… a terrible, tragic and yet easily avoidable event is scheduled to occur… and MUST BE STOPPED. OneWest Bank is scheduled to conduct a foreclosure auction... (Continue reading)
Because I just can’t believe that anyone would intentionally do this to the parents of an autistic 12 year-old girl… invite them to apply for a loan modification, and then after six months, leave them over a weekend with the... (Continue reading)
By mid-day on Tuesday, Bank of America had responded to say they were looking into it... and by 4:30 PM that same day Bank of America DID THE WRIGHT THING, and gave Mr. Dale Wright his home back... from a... (Continue reading)
If Mickey Mouse is going to sign it, and Donald Duck is going to notarize it... THEN DON'T SIGN IT... because we don't need it signed. BUT... if we DO need it signed, then don't forge it and file... (Continue reading)
The man's wife passed away in 2006. They were married for 53 years. Your bank explained that a request for postponement went in on the 23rd of December 2011 on a loan which Bank of America agreed to... (Continue reading)
Reducing mortgage balances is a risky idea that hasn’t been shown to keep borrowers who owe more than their property’s worth in their homes, according to Credit Suisse Group AG. (CSGN). Suspending accounting rules is a risky idea that hasn’t been... (Continue reading)
Consider this... bankers say that they've been overwhelmed by the millions of homeowners unexpectedly seeking loan modifications and that's why applying for a loan modification has been such a nightmare. But, what about the number of foreclosures occurring in... (Continue reading)
How does the Fed write a white paper and present it to the United State Congress that is packed with proof positive of an entirely inadequate level of knowledge, understanding… education, even? Am I going to find out that... (Continue reading)
Look… are you feeling me here? Do you see what I’m saying? What’s the deal? Are they lying or are they stupid, because there’s no way in the world we should be talking about whether the FOMC... (Continue reading)
If that is going to be allowed to happen, we… and I mean WE, as in ALL OF US… should demand that we stop signing such things altogether. If a Linda Green look-a-like is going to sign a fraudulent... (Continue reading)
I don't usually do this, but with Holly's permission, I've posted the three emails I received from her today. I get a lot of very flattering emails from homeowners across the country, and I appreciate them all very much...... (Continue reading)
Russ truly likes helping people with financial struggles. “I view my practice as a way to level the playing field between ordinary citizens—the voters—and Corporate America—the vote buyers. I’m unapologetically on the side of the little guy.†And you... (Continue reading)
Doug and Holly were excellent customers of your bank for over 16 years, and then they hit a rough patch. They needed the bank’s help… some guidance to get them through difficult times. You had a chance to... (Continue reading)