Tuesday 3rd December
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SIGTARP Report Says 70% Denied for HAMP Loan Modifications – What’s Going On Here?
Written on 10 Sep, 2015 at 5:18
It’s unconscionable that the loan modification process be allowed to go on as is. The latest SIGTARP Report to Congress makes it clear that servicers need to be made better, or it is likely that HAMP will be with... (Continue reading)
OCC Clamps Down on 6Â Banks for Noncompliance with 2011 Consent Orders
Written on 17 Jun, 2015 at 23:09
Servicers were cited for failing to respond to borrower requests for loan modifications, not making a good-faith effort to prevent foreclosures and not having systems in place to track progress.... (Continue reading)
Court Rules Against the Robinson’s in Quiet Title Case  (You can’t file for quiet title and not invite MERS to the party.)
Written on 22 Sep, 2014 at 9:58
Or, let’s be honest about this… a more accurate way to describe what happened here, would be to say that the Robinsons didn’t want to notify MERS, because they wanted the default judgment that was likely to result from only... (Continue reading)
RealtyTrac’s Blomquist: The Foreclosure Crisis is Well Behind Us. Mandelman: Oh, Shut-up Daren.Â
Written on 20 Sep, 2014 at 16:04
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)
Patience is more than just a virtue… it could save your home from foreclosure.
Written on 8 Sep, 2014 at 16:30
Here are my 12 RULES for Contacting Servicers... Getting your loan modified is easier today than its ever been… that’s a fact. But coming to the table with the baggage of whatever happened last time will only increase the... (Continue reading)
Loan Modification Misinformation or Lies… I Just Can’t Take Much More of ThisÂ
Written on 3 Sep, 2014 at 18:50
It’s been six years since this crisis began, and it’s shocking how far we haven’t come as far as loan modifications are concerned. But, at this point it’s not the servicers that are causing most of the problems… it’s... (Continue reading)
Mortgage Originations Are Down by 60-70% Year-Over-Year… But Everything’s Okay
Written on 20 Aug, 2014 at 5:13
So, the mortgage industry has seen originations fall in a single year by 60-70 percent, but the housing markets are okay, in fact they’re recovering all around us every day, and prices are up. ... (Continue reading)
Was it worth it? Â Yeah, to me it definitely was. (For you maybe the reverse is true.)
Written on 8 Aug, 2014 at 5:47
If you switch your traditional mortgage to a reverse mortgage and you miss a payment, no one cares… if you miss three payments, no one cares… want to take the whole year off and make no mortgage payments… perfectly fine…... (Continue reading)
I Don’t Care What the Media Says, Housing Market is Horrible, and Homeowners Still Suffering through the Loan Mod Process
Written on 5 Aug, 2014 at 19:51
I know what sorts of headlines run rampant through the media these days. It’s nothing new… it’s been going on non-stop since at least 2008. It’s also utter and complete nonsense.... (Continue reading)
U.S. News & World Report Presents 4 Alternatives to a Reverse Mortgage
Written on 30 Jul, 2014 at 10:42
If a company was misinforming seniors about reverse mortgages with deceptive advertising in order to sell them on reverse mortgages, everyone would be disgusted and demand that it stop. So, why would anyone be any less outraged with U.S.... (Continue reading)
The 2 Attorneys that Won $16 million Jury Verdict Against PHH Mortgage – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 28 Jul, 2014 at 18:20
This is not the first decision that punished a servicer for mistreating a homeowner in the loan modification process, in fact this past year there have been a dozen or more around the country. I think it's safe to... (Continue reading)
Helping a Homeowner Succeed with Bank of America/SPS Loan Mod is Like Mardi Gras in June!
Written on 1 Jul, 2014 at 0:15
The homeowner below who wrote to me a couple of days ago to thank me for helping her get her Bank of America/SPS loan modified, is one of the homeowners that I hope I know forever. Because Margaret Saizan... (Continue reading)
Even on Some of the Most Progressive Porches in America, Foreclosures Not Well Understood
Written on 30 Jun, 2014 at 20:03
Okay, so I decided that I would do it… I’d bring up the topic of the ongoing foreclosure crisis. These were my peeps and it’s not like I don’t know a thing or two about the subject matter… maybe... (Continue reading)
We All Agree: We want to keep people in their homes if possible… sort of.
Written on 10 May, 2014 at 21:33
So, if Wells Fargo was now willing to allow Arthur to sell the home he’d built and lived in since 1988 for $375,000… why not sell the home to Arthur for $375,000, and Arthur would use a reverse mortgage for... (Continue reading)
Why Does Ocwen Want to Modify Loans? Answer: Because they profit by doing so.
Written on 10 May, 2014 at 2:08
The thing is that no one wants to think that the horror show we’ve all witnessed these last five years hasn’t been part of a nefarious plot to steal homes and take over the world somehow. That would at... (Continue reading)
Mortgage Resolution Partners’ Chairman, Steven Gluckstern Says Eminent Domain Plan will Go Forward – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 24 Apr, 2014 at 22:14
Steven Gluckstern is the Executive Chairman of Mortgage Resolution Partners ("MRP"), the company that has been advising cities and municipalities all over the country, and most notably Richmond, California, in their use of eminent domain to take over underwater loans... (Continue reading)
Tom Deutsch of the ASF on Eminent Domain & Loan Modifications – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 15 Apr, 2014 at 12:34
If Professor Robert Hockett is the man behind the plan to use eminent domain to take over underwater loans and write them down for homeowners, Tom Deutsch is his arch nemesis. This is an opportunity to hear how the... (Continue reading)
Dear Fellow Travelers… a letter from a Mandelman Matters reader.
Written on 12 Apr, 2014 at 1:18
I was not involved in her foreclosure battle. She wrote to me because she wanted to tell other homeowners what she came to discover about Mandelman Matters after going through the same sort of journey that far to many... (Continue reading)
Apparently White House is PLEASED with HAMP and Housing?
Written on 8 Apr, 2014 at 6:05
I’m actually relieved that the White House knows about the millions of delinquencies, underwater and effectively underwater loans… that sales have been “slowing†since last July, but slowing even more so since the first of the year. I’m so... (Continue reading)
Following in the Rich Tradition of Appraisal Fraud, Servicers Using Zillow® for Home Values
Written on 26 Mar, 2014 at 6:31
Using a Zestimate to determine a home’s value is almost like trying to make your mortgage payment using Monopoly money. And yet, homeowners and others involved in loan modifications from around the country have confirmed being told by Chase,... (Continue reading)
Dave Dayen Does Great Job Describing “Government Cowardice†and Donovan’s Complicity “Selling†the National Mortgage Settlement
Written on 23 Mar, 2014 at 21:24
Dayen’s article is still an outstanding piece of work that I very much appreciated. It saved me from having to read Smith’s final report, and he wrote it in such a way that I think it represents the perfect... (Continue reading)
What I Know About Loan Modifications – 2014
Written on 4 Mar, 2014 at 3:11
I see loans get modified every day, and the people I see haven’t paid anyone for anything, or if they did, it was hundreds, not thousands of dollars. At the same time, I’ve seen people who absolutely needed someone... (Continue reading)
GUEST POST: Mortgages, now in the hands of specialty servicers, means trouble for homeowners and investors.
Written on 27 Feb, 2014 at 23:06
During the past 12 months, the rights to service millions of home loans have been shifted from large banks like Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Chase to specialty loan servicers like Ocwen Home Loan Servicing, Nationstar and SPS,... (Continue reading)
FDIC Shared Loss Agreements Did NOT Pay Off Your Loan (No Matter What AZ Court Seems to Think)
Written on 25 Feb, 2014 at 22:19
It’s remarkable, if you think about it, how many people are supposedly trying to pay off your underwater mortgage once you’ve stopped making your mortgage payments. It’s like there’s a rush to pay off your mortgage once you default on... (Continue reading)
Uncertainty in the Loan Mod Process is Barrier to U.S. Economic Growth
Written on 21 Feb, 2014 at 4:03
Once a mortgage is underwater… should you get hit with a life event such as a divorce, illness, injury, job loss or income reduction… you can’t sell your home… and you can’t borrow against it to help you get through... (Continue reading)
Eminent Domain Part 3 with Cornell Law’s Professor Robert Hockett – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 18 Feb, 2014 at 3:37
Eminent domain means taking over underwater loans and writing them down for homeowners. Professor Robert Hockett authored the plan, and is consulting with cities all over the country now considering using eminent domain to save their cities from becoming...... (Continue reading)
Why Can’t We FIX Something About the Loan Modification Process?
Written on 16 Jan, 2014 at 7:28
I’ve seen my government fail at lots of things over the years, but this failure is too important and too costly to allow it to continue. We’ve lost more than five million homes to-date… and recent forecasts show we’re... (Continue reading)
Testimony to Martin Andelman from Homeowner with Bank of America Loan
Written on 7 Jan, 2014 at 9:12
Martin’s blog is the place to go for the hard cold facts surrounding the housing crisis. He does not sugar coat reality, which sometimes make his articles hard to swallow. Even so, his blog is a vast well of... (Continue reading)
I have the best readers in the world… I am humbled by their words.
Written on 7 Jan, 2014 at 8:32
Mr. Martin Andelman is providing a much -needed function to humanity with his unfailing actions and skills as a media spokesman and intermediary to the banking/loan-servicing agencies. He needs to be acknowledged and compensated in kind for the work he... (Continue reading)
The Year is New… But the Housing Hype is the Same Old Thing
Written on 2 Jan, 2014 at 17:22
Is the foreclosure crisis coming to an end... not a chance. RealtyTrac latest report is utter nonsense. The year may be new, but the B.S. is all too familiar.... (Continue reading)
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – 2013
Written on 25 Dec, 2013 at 6:49
'Twas the Night Before Christmas 2013 is an Annual Political and Economic Year in Review I write every year... I've been doing it since 2007, so this year makes it seven years in a row. If you want to... (Continue reading)
Borrowers Facing Foreclosure Should be Dancing in the Streets Over ‘X’ and ‘Z’ and Here’s Why
Written on 12 Dec, 2013 at 1:38
So, there you have it… a solid check mark in the “WIN†column for consumers over the interests of the banking industry. And I don’t think Realtors, mortgage brokers, or even the banks themselves have come to fully understand... (Continue reading)
I’m Betting We Get Extended Tax Relief on Forgiven Mortgage Debt for Christmas This Year
Written on 11 Dec, 2013 at 14:30
Some are starting to worry about what is likely to happen if they let the Act’s tax relief provisions related to foreclosure avoidance expire. I simply don’t think there’s any real chance they won’t extend the Act for at... (Continue reading)
We’re Not Stopping the Foreclosure Crisis because it Affects Mostly Brown People
Written on 5 Dec, 2013 at 8:59
This is not a tragedy that discriminates. The race diminished as a result of what is being allowed to transpire will be “humanâ€. ... (Continue reading)
NOW YOU CAN KNOW… How Much Your Investor is Losing by Foreclosing on Your Home.
Written on 30 Nov, 2013 at 5:06
I think the entire country is under the impression that servicers foreclose because it’s in the best financial interests of the investors, and perhaps sometimes they do… but data from this trust and others I’ve looked at, to my way... (Continue reading)
Thanksgiving Day Memories and What I Want for the Holidays this Year
Written on 28 Nov, 2013 at 19:06
How about if everyone who knows how to postpone a sale date, volunteers to help anyone who needs to postpone a sale date in December or at least for the first two weeks of January… in other words help postponing... (Continue reading)
The Rush for Rentals by Investors Turns Into a Run for the Exit
Written on 26 Nov, 2013 at 23:55
In addition, spurned on by the Fed’s QE and zero-interest-rate policy, Lord knows how many smaller companies and individual investors also jumped on the bandwagon, and as it has the tendency to do, the insanity drove up home prices at... (Continue reading)
I SAY GIVE HIM TWO – Ernie Banks Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Written on 21 Nov, 2013 at 7:34
Today, Ernie Banks was at the White House being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. It is the highest civilian honor that this country bestows, and this year was the 50th anniversary of the award,... (Continue reading)
NOW AVAILABLE: The RMBS Trust/Modification Analysis Report for Homeowners
Written on 15 Nov, 2013 at 21:11
With this report, when your servicer says they can’t do something… you’ll know whether what they’ve said is accurate or not. Imagine the power of being able to show a mediator exactly what’s been done to modify the other... (Continue reading)
GUEST POST: Don’t Be Concerned Martin Is Dead Wrong, by Michael Pines
Written on 14 Nov, 2013 at 8:53
My article was nonsense, according to Michael Pines? Well, that would certainly be disappointing, I wasn't aware that I had ever written an article that was considered nonsense by anyone. I'm not saying that everyone likes what I... (Continue reading)
Realtors & Mortgage Brokers: Toughest Year for Housing Markets Since 2010 Ahead
Written on 11 Nov, 2013 at 16:51
This past September signified the fourth straight month of a decline in existing home sales, while mortgage interest rates hit two-year highs. The Mortgage Bankers Association index of mortgage activity is now at its lowest point since November of... (Continue reading)
The Discovery of Robo-Signing – Memorable Moments from the Foreclosure Crisis
Written on 6 Nov, 2013 at 20:24
By now the term "robo-signing" has practically become a household word. But it wasn't always that way. Just a few years ago no one had ever heard the term before. So, where did it all begin... and... (Continue reading)
The Weather In India – Memorable Moments from the Foreclosure Crisis
Written on 6 Nov, 2013 at 20:14
President Obama said that all I needed to do to avoid foreclosure was get my loan modified. He said to just call my bank directly so I did. And I had the most interesting cultural experience. That... (Continue reading)
PODCAST: Saving Homes from Foreclosure in Ohio Today… with Ohio’s Former Attorney General Marc Dann
Written on 30 Oct, 2013 at 10:28
Marc Dann Explains What Homeowners Need to Know About Foreclosure in Ohio... on this 12-Minute Documentary-style Video... When I visited with Marc this past year in his Cleveland offices, I interviewed him on camera in order to produce this 12-minute... (Continue reading)
Meet Thomas Cox, Esquire. A National Hero in Foreclosure Defense
Written on 14 Oct, 2013 at 21:38
Portland Maine attorney Thomas Cox is a national hero of the foreclosure crisis. Frankly, I thought everyone already knew that, but apparently not. So, if you aren't already familiar with what Tom has done and continues to do... (Continue reading)
SECURITIZATION: How our society changed when we learned to turn lead into gold.
Written on 30 Sep, 2013 at 13:07
Before securitization children were raised receiving fewer presents for their birthdays and holidays and I don’t need a source for that statistic. Water is wet, the sky is blue, and that’s a fact. Hotel rooms never cost $600... (Continue reading)
Loan Modifications: Selling Loans Means Being Sold Down the River
Written on 25 Sep, 2013 at 17:24
Chase sold the woman’s loan to PennyMac. Simple as that. Had her modification already been made permanent, PennyMac would have had to honor the modified payment amount, but because she was only in a trial modification, Chase is... (Continue reading)
New Abuses in the Foreclosure Process Make the Dire… Dreadful
Written on 23 Sep, 2013 at 9:09
More than any other single factor, shame has made it possible for this country to lose over six million homes to foreclosure... and relative to the number of homes lost, they’ve been lost without a peep uttered in protest. ... (Continue reading)
When Lawyers Break the Rules… The Code of Conduct for Florida Attorneys
Written on 21 Sep, 2013 at 9:00
So, what does the Florida Bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct have to say about Szymoniak’s representation of Mr. Figueroa, as viewed in light of the emails between the two, over that six month period when Szymoniak was Damian's lawyer... (Continue reading)
Data shows Nationstar Approves Loan Modifications at Much Lower Rate than Big Banks
Written on 2 Sep, 2013 at 13:35
Look, as a business person, I do understand the impetus here. Bank of America’s CEO has a fiduciary duty to maximize shareholder value, and let’s face it... servicing mortgages these days simply can’t be worth the money involved. ... (Continue reading)
Fannie, Freddie and FHA Finally Increase Homeowners’ Ability to Modify Mortgages
Written on 18 Jul, 2013 at 9:24
Ladies and Gentlemen... finally... ... after five years of sheer torture... introducing a “No-Doc†loan mod. The FHFA says modified interest rates will be FIXED... terms will extend to 40 years... and some borrowers won’t be required to pay... (Continue reading)
A Sword in a Field – Correlation is Not Causation
Written on 16 Jul, 2013 at 12:57
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)
What Happens in Nevada with Foreclosures, Ends Up on Mandelman Matters
Written on 25 Jun, 2013 at 4:03
It absolutely fascinates me, for example, that the Nevada legislature, in amending the law, took the time to write in a sentence saying: “require an affidavit containing a local or toll-free telephone number at which borrowers can obtain the current... (Continue reading)
Using the California Homeowner Bill of Rights to Fight Foreclosure
Written on 23 Jun, 2013 at 22:45
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)
PART TWO – How to Take Your Power Back When at Risk of Foreclosure
Written on 10 Jun, 2013 at 18:48
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)
Alabama Slamma’ – Not for Better, Far Worse… As Foreclosures we Chart.
Written on 21 May, 2013 at 6:42
We seem to be having a national recovery in much of the media, but in the states themselves the numbers are refusing to cooperate. I guess if you can have a “jobless recovery,†then you can probably have a... (Continue reading)
Nevada Legislature Considers Passing its Own Homeowner Bill of Rights
Written on 18 May, 2013 at 12:27
Nevada’s legislature is considering adopting its own Homeowner Bill of Rights, and in fact, the bill... SB 321... has already passed the Nevada State Senate and is headed to the House.... (Continue reading)
Bill to End Foreclosure Mediation In Missouri Passes… Wake Up, Missouri
Written on 17 May, 2013 at 19:48
Unless you believe that the foreclosure picture in this country somehow magically changed dramatically over the last month or two... you don’t want to wake up one day to find out you might need mediation... only it’s no longer there.... (Continue reading)
One Bank Did Right by Homeowners & Shareholders – A Story You Haven’t Heard Before
Written on 17 May, 2013 at 17:40
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)
Illinois Latest State to Make Foreclosing Much Harder
Written on 23 Feb, 2013 at 10:22
Okay, so that’s GAME OVER for the State of Illinois. Ball four... take a hike... we’ll see you back here in 2014 or 2015. Take some time off, you deserve it. ... (Continue reading)
About foreclosures, our housing markets, and economic recovery… oh, and lying.
Written on 14 Feb, 2013 at 22:01
Then how in the world can we be "at the bottom," of housing price declines or starting to see ANY sort of "housing recovery" as the MORONS in the media are also reporting TODAY, after receiving your press releases?... (Continue reading)
OCC Foreclosure Review RIP – Anyone Care for Cheese With their Whine?
Written on 17 Jan, 2013 at 13:03
All homeowners are “responsible†people. Or, to be more accurate, 99.9 percent of homeowners are responsible people. Some minuscule percentage of any group make up the small tail of the bell curve. The simple fact, and we... (Continue reading)
Katherine Porter to Make Sure Homeowners Get What Servicers Promised – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 4 Oct, 2012 at 9:27
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)
It’s Official: Thanks to Former Citigroup CEO Sandy Weill… I Have Now Seen Everything.
Written on 26 Jul, 2012 at 9:09
So, I guess I had this dream. I was watching CNBC... which, by the way, is how I knew it was a dream because I never watch CNBC... anyway, so I was watching CNBC and on comes Sanford "Sandy"... (Continue reading)
President Obama, Bored With the Foreclosure Crisis. That Explains A Lot, Actually.
Written on 1 Jul, 2012 at 9:07
And now I'm supposed to come to terms with the idea that the administration's bored with the topic itself? I could understand it if they were bored with something they'd mastered, although I can't for the life of me... (Continue reading)
Things I think homeowners should know about loan modifications & HAMP-2
Written on 14 Jun, 2012 at 6:58
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)
Inside the Mind of JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon
Written on 6 Jun, 2012 at 22:21
What goes on in Jamie Dimon's head? He loses billions in a few weeks and then goes on Sunday morning talk shows looking like he's just written a cookbook or whatever, saying that he's getting tired of people hating... (Continue reading)
In the Words of Goldman Sachs CEO, Lord Blankcheck…
Written on 2 Jun, 2012 at 22:15
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)
My Financial Recovery Plan for the Middle Class: Whistle While You Work
Written on 2 Jun, 2012 at 11:27
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)
What is Strategic Default? A Moral Dilemma?
Written on 21 May, 2012 at 7:06
What is a strategic default? These days, it occurs to me, there would be even less morality involved in the decision to walk away from a mortgage. I can’t believe anyone actually feels morally obligated to a bank today.... (Continue reading)
UTAH Foreclosure Help from Mandelman Matters – START HERE
Written on 12 May, 2012 at 0:17
I decided that I had to do more to help stop homeowners from getting ripped off, by providing the state specific information homeowners need to make the right decisions for their individual goals and circumstances. Moving forward on the... (Continue reading)
Attention Homeowners & Lawyers: AG Mortgage Settlement Launches Online Complaint Sites
Written on 11 May, 2012 at 7:02
I for one am glad to see that this country is finally taking the foreclosure crisis seriously and that my tax dollars are being put to good use, and I really do hope that everyone take advantage of the new... (Continue reading)
Finally, Jamie Dimon and I Agree on Something
Written on 11 May, 2012 at 3:03
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)
Former NACA Home Save Counselor Says Commissions Create Complaints
Written on 9 May, 2012 at 15:51
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)
White Powder in Envelopes Mailed to Wells Fargo in NYC – Idiots happy it’s not toxic
Written on 1 May, 2012 at 10:21
AP reported that the powder in the envelopes caused evacuations at bank branches, but no injuries, as if that last part mattered in the least. Idiots appear to be happy that the powder was found to be cornstarch… as... (Continue reading)
Thinking Out Loud… Über-Trendy Rich New Yorkers & Ethiopian Cuisine
Written on 22 Apr, 2012 at 9:34
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)
Introducing 30 MINUTES OF TALKING – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 20 Apr, 2012 at 19:46
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)
Crimes of Hubris, Ineptitude & Folly: Geithner, Summers and Obama
Written on 18 Apr, 2012 at 11:15
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)
Hawaii Court rules: No valid assignment means Deutsche has no standing to foreclose
Written on 5 Apr, 2012 at 21:59
Last week, Hawaii homeowners at risk of foreclosure had reason to be pleased. Not ecstatic… not jubilant… and certainly not electrified, as other bloggers have intimated might be appropriate. The decision is not cause for any of those emotions… there’s... (Continue reading)
MUST SEE TV: WA State Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Case Against MERS
Written on 29 Mar, 2012 at 11:07
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)
You’ve got to give it up for the Spaniards… unless they’re bankers.
Written on 26 Mar, 2012 at 19:11
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)
Max Gardner & Nye Lavalle Together in Concert – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 22 Mar, 2012 at 21:04
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)
Bringing Up the REAR – Charles Gasparino, Fox Business Network
Written on 21 Mar, 2012 at 10:14
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)
Watch this! Ireland wants the same answers we do.
Written on 9 Mar, 2012 at 11:52
Ireland journalist won't give up. Why do our journalists fail to get started?... (Continue reading)
New Jersey Supreme Court’s Guillaume decision meaningless – Should foreclosure defense rethink its strategy?
Written on 1 Mar, 2012 at 11:02
Why is there no effort to hold the administration and member of Congress accountable for what has clearly been their failure related to the federal government’s loan modification initiative? Why are we accepting such utter failure and holding them... (Continue reading)
Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris ASKS Fannie and Freddie to Stop Foreclosing
Written on 29 Feb, 2012 at 8:16
Actually, I don’t even know if she can pull off that angry black woman thing, but that’s exactly what we need at a time like this. You think Weezy Jefferson would be putting up with some nerdy pasty white... (Continue reading)
Mandelman on “Saving the California Dream” on Fox 11 News KTTV Los Angeles
Written on 29 Feb, 2012 at 4:13
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)
Economy Recovering? No, it’s not. Housing? NO. Unemployment? NO. Stock Market? NO.
Written on 27 Feb, 2012 at 15:18
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)
Bank sues itself, wins, and then forces itself into bankruptcy to satisfy judgment
Written on 27 Feb, 2012 at 13:54
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)
Best Picture Nominees Meet the Foreclosure Crisis at the 84th Annual Academy Awards
Written on 26 Feb, 2012 at 22:02
The foreclosure crisis is seeping into our society everywhere. Or, at least it soon will be... ... (Continue reading)
Insider Says Wells Fargo’s Independent Foreclosure Review for OCC is “a Sham”
Written on 24 Feb, 2012 at 0:11
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)
It’s Gretchen Morgenson from The New York Times – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 21 Feb, 2012 at 7:47
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)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in the Mortgage Settlement
Written on 12 Feb, 2012 at 17:37
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)
The Top Twelve Reasons Why You Should Hate the Mortgage Settlement – Yves Smith
Written on 9 Feb, 2012 at 12:09
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)
Foreclosing on Oscar… Mandelman’s List of Best Picture nominees
Written on 9 Feb, 2012 at 9:16
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)
Foreclosure Politics Here and Across the Pond – Professor David Coates on a Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 3 Feb, 2012 at 19:06
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)
Thank You Wells Fargo… Signed the DOERS of Mandelman & Field
Written on 31 Jan, 2012 at 19:28
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)
Freddie Mac’s Crimes Against Homeowners are NOT an Isolated Incident
Written on 30 Jan, 2012 at 18:35
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)
Bank of America Does the Wright Thing – DOERS Did It Again. JOIN US, BE A DOER!
Written on 26 Jan, 2012 at 6:23
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)
Look, this just isn’t that hard… The Solutions to Pressing Problems.
Written on 24 Jan, 2012 at 12:28
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)