Posts Tagged ‘jpmorgan chase’

Thank You Specialized Loan Servicing (SLS) for Helping Mrs. Presterl Keep Her Home

Thank You Specialized Loan Servicing (SLS) for Helping Mrs. Presterl Keep Her Home

Specialized Loan Servicing (SLS) has agreed to provide Mrs. Presterl with a loan modification so she will not lose her home after all!... (Continue reading)

OCC Clamps Down on 6 Banks for Noncompliance with 2011 Consent Orders

OCC Clamps Down on 6 Banks for Noncompliance with 2011 Consent Orders

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.)

Court Rules Against the Robinson’s in Quiet Title Case  (You can’t file for quiet title and not invite MERS to the party.)

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. 

RealtyTrac's Blomquist: The Foreclosure Crisis is Well Behind Us.  Mandelman: Oh, Shut-up Daren. 

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)

University Professors Research Reverse Mortgages, Set Record Straight – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

University Professors Research Reverse Mortgages, Set Record Straight - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Professor Johnson was actually primarily motivated to study and write about reverse mortgages by the the media's horribly slanted and generally inaccurate coverage of reverse mortgages, and he shares some examples that will make you cringe. A GREAT INTERVIEW FOR... (Continue reading)

Patience is more than just a virtue… it could save your home from foreclosure.

Patience is more than just a virtue… it could save your home from foreclosure.

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 This 

Loan Modification Misinformation or Lies… I Just Can’t Take Much More of This 

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)

Why Doesn’t Every Realtor in the Country Know About This?

Why Doesn’t Every Realtor in the Country Know About This?

Now, you tell me… why doesn’t every single Realtor in the country know about this older-buyer assistance program from HUD? I know it’s relatively new… since 2009… but that’s still five years ago. How long should it take... (Continue reading)

And Here’s to You Mr. & Mrs. Robinson – Will Quiet Title Hold Up in California?

And Here’s to You Mr. & Mrs. Robinson – Will Quiet Title Hold Up in California?

I just want to point out that California homeowners should not be in any sort of hurry to follow in the footsteps of Robinson v. MERS. While I understand why many homeowners would describe this case in positive terms…... (Continue reading)

IF YOU’RE  62+ AND STILL PAYING A MORTGAGE… Here are 7 Reasons You Can End Up in Foreclosure and How to Protect Your Home Now

IF YOU'RE  62+ AND STILL PAYING A MORTGAGE... Here are 7 Reasons You Can End Up in Foreclosure and How to Protect Your Home Now

Now, I’m not saying that anyone should have known about any of this. The fact is that his article, and others I’ve written in the recent past, appear to be the first in the country to propose switching to... (Continue reading)

Mortgage Originations Are Down by 60-70% Year-Over-Year… But Everything’s Okay

Mortgage Originations Are Down by 60-70% Year-Over-Year… But Everything’s Okay

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)

Use a Reverse Mortgage to Prevent Foreclosure and to Leave Your Home to the Kids Free and Clear

Use a Reverse Mortgage to Prevent Foreclosure and to Leave Your Home to the Kids Free and Clear

In fact, by doing it with a HECM mortgage, you increase your chances of being able to leave your home to your kids free and clear because you’ve eliminated the risk that you’ll end up in foreclosure because you couldn't... (Continue reading)

Finally, Florida & Connecticut AGs Shut Down Mass Joinder Lawsuit Scams

Finally, Florida & Connecticut AGs Shut Down Mass Joinder Lawsuit Scams

The real danger of mass joinder lawsuit scams is that the homeowners wouldn’t find out for several years that they’d been scammed, when finally a court dismissed their suits, and they were harder for authorities to police and shut down... (Continue reading)

Was it worth it?  Yeah, to me it definitely was. (For you maybe the reverse is true.)

Was it worth it?  Yeah, to me it definitely was. (For you maybe the reverse is true.)

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

I Don’t Care What the Media Says, Housing Market is Horrible, and Homeowners Still Suffering through the Loan Mod Process

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

U.S. News & World Report Presents 4 Alternatives to a Reverse Mortgage

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

The 2 Attorneys that Won $16 million Jury Verdict Against PHH Mortgage - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

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)

Meet the Lawyers who Won $16 Million for CA Homeowner – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Meet the Lawyers who Won $16 Million for CA Homeowner - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

The last thing I wanted to do, however, was write about the decision as being some sort of major victory for homeowners, only to find out that the decision was overturned on appeal next year, because frankly...... (Continue reading)

Helping a Homeowner Succeed with Bank of America/SPS Loan Mod is Like Mardi Gras in June!

Helping a Homeowner Succeed with Bank of America/SPS Loan Mod is Like Mardi Gras in June!

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

Even on Some of the Most Progressive Porches in America, Foreclosures Not Well Understood

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)

New York Launches New Foreclosure Avoidance Program… Hundreds Could be Saved?

New York Launches New Foreclosure Avoidance Program… Hundreds Could be Saved?

The NYS MAP program will be available in Long Island only starting on September 15th, and elsewhere in the State of New York as of October 15th. Loans made under the program can, among other things, be used to... (Continue reading)

BREAKING NEWS: Newark Votes, Approves Use of Eminent Domain to Fight Foreclosures–First Domino Falls

BREAKING NEWS: Newark Votes, Approves Use of Eminent Domain to Fight Foreclosures–First Domino Falls

The program would allow homeowners trapped in certain type of mortgage, known as a Private Label Security or PLS Loans, to voluntarily participate in a program where the City purchases these mortgages from investors and repackages them at terms homeowners... (Continue reading)

Here Come the Happy Housing Numbers, but Foreclosures Up Year-Over-Year

Here Come the Happy Housing Numbers, but Foreclosures Up Year-Over-Year

In other words, the housing market hasn’t recovered, and won’t recover because it can’t recover until the underlying fundamentals change, and that won’t happen for a long, long time. It certainly won’t happen as long as we refuse to... (Continue reading)

The blogger, lawyer, banker and borrower: A letter from home thanks to Bank of America.

The blogger, lawyer, banker and borrower: A letter from home thanks to Bank of America.

All we ever wanted was a fixed loan. Between Martin and Nathan Fransen's time and dedication to my family we received a loan modification. The part that to this day will bring tears to my eyes is... (Continue reading)

What Loan Modifications Have to Do with Leaving Money on the Table and Knowing the Value of a Dollar

What Loan Modifications Have to Do with Leaving Money on the Table and Knowing the Value of a Dollar

We need programs that stop foreclosures and provide reasonable resolutions for borrowers faster than one at a time. I don’t want to see another optimistic forecast, like the ones I’ve been shown every single year since the crisis began,... (Continue reading)

Motley Fooled by Reverse Mortgages – New York Times No Better

Motley Fooled by Reverse Mortgages - New York Times No Better

If you’ve seen one article about the “risks" or "perils" or "nightmares," associated with reverse mortgages, you’ve quite literally seen them all. It feels almost like one writer started a chain letter on the subject, and the rest of... (Continue reading)

CNBC’s Diana Olick makes sure no one understands reverse mortgages, I make sure they do.

CNBC's Diana Olick makes sure no one understands reverse mortgages, I make sure they do.

I’m constantly amazed at the negative press and misconceptions surrounding reverse mortgages, because the bottom-line is they are an absolutely wonderful product that almost everyone over 62 years old should have, and yet in a year of talking to seniors... (Continue reading)

We All Agree: We want to keep people in their homes if possible… sort of.

We All Agree: We want to keep people in their homes if possible… sort of.

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.

Why Does Ocwen Want to Modify Loans?  Answer: Because they profit by doing so.

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

Mortgage Resolution Partners' Chairman, Steven Gluckstern Says Eminent Domain Plan will Go Forward - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

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

Tom Deutsch of the ASF on Eminent Domain & Loan Modifications - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

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)

It was an honor to help him get his loan modified…

It was an honor to help him get his loan modified...

It was an honor to help Arlie Matthews get his loan modified with Bank of America. At the times when I sit and wonder why I've done what I've done, and how I can possibly continue doing it for... (Continue reading)

Dear Fellow Travelers… a letter from a Mandelman Matters reader.

Dear Fellow Travelers... a letter from a Mandelman Matters reader.

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?

Apparently White House is PLEASED with HAMP and Housing?

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)

Christopher Whalen Quotes Me on HousingWire, Then Tom Cox Slams Me and Whalen on HousingWire

Christopher Whalen Quotes Me on HousingWire, Then Tom Cox Slams Me and Whalen on HousingWire

Tweet   So, here’s how my day went today… It started with Christopher Whalen quoting me in his article on HousingWire.  Chris had told me yesterday that he was planning on quoting me in an article, but I didn’t know... (Continue reading)

Following in the Rich Tradition of Appraisal Fraud, Servicers Using Zillow® for Home Values

Following in the Rich Tradition of Appraisal Fraud, Servicers Using Zillow® for Home Values

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

Dave Dayen Does Great Job Describing “Government Cowardice” and Donovan’s Complicity “Selling” the National Mortgage Settlement

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)

8 Powerful Reasons Why NOW is a GREAT Time to BUY a Home

8 Powerful Reasons Why NOW is a GREAT Time to BUY a Home

Today was a BIG day for Frank and Brian over at the National Real Estate Post... they have officially proclaimed that the mortgage lending industry HAS CHANGED. Not IS changing, but HAS changed... they were shocked, by the way.... (Continue reading)

Is Eminent Domain for Underwater Loans Good for Homeowners? A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Is Eminent Domain for Underwater Loans Good for Homeowners?  A Mandelman Matters Podcast

The man who wrote the plan to use eminent domain to take over underwater loans and write them down for homeowners that started in Richmond in earnest, but is now being considered in one form or another by something... (Continue reading)

Effectiveness of Government Plan to Create Foreclosures to Increase as Rates Rise

Effectiveness of Government Plan to Create Foreclosures to Increase as Rates Rise

HAMP modifications are about to start seeing rates reset higher, and Treasury says more foreclosures will be the result. ... (Continue reading)

POWER TOOLS for Investor Denials, the NPV Discussion, and Pushing a Servicer to Modify a Loan

POWER TOOLS for Investor Denials, the NPV Discussion, and Pushing a Servicer to Modify a Loan

Unfortunately, as so many homeowners have learned the hard way, it’s not easy to figure out what’s right and what’s not about your loan modification application, and so many homeowners fail when they could have succeeded had they known what... (Continue reading)

Is Eminent Domain to Write Down Mortgages Unconstitutional? A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Is Eminent Domain to Write Down Mortgages Unconstitutional?  A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Is the use of eminent domain to take over underwater loans and write them down for homeowners unconstitutional? Will the financial services industry tie up the plan to use eminent domain in the courts for years? Find out... (Continue reading)

Demand for Mortgages Plummets, But It’s Not a Winter Storm, It’s More of an Ice Age

Demand for Mortgages Plummets, But It’s Not a Winter Storm, It’s More of an Ice Age

Do the math and it’s easy to conclude that the number of homeowners unable or unwilling to move is high. If 30 percent are actually underwater, after adding sales commissions, moving expenses, and the need for a 20 percent... (Continue reading)

What I Know About Loan Modifications – 2014

What I Know About Loan Modifications - 2014

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.

GUEST POST: Mortgages, now in the hands of specialty servicers, means trouble for homeowners and investors.

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)

All the News that Can Confuse – Housing Market News Up and Down at the Same Time

All the News that Can Confuse – Housing Market News Up and Down at the Same Time

On any given day, the numbers of contradictory headlines about housing markets and foreclosures are enough to present a serious health risk to anyone reading them. ... (Continue reading)

Homeowner Loan Mod Success Story with JPMorgan Chase… and Mandelman Matters

Homeowner Loan Mod Success Story with JPMorgan Chase... and Mandelman Matters

And I have to admit that when I received the letter below, it brought a few tears to my eyes... and felt really good to know I had been able to help, but the credit really belongs to JPMorgan Chase... (Continue reading)

Uncertainty in the Loan Mod Process is Barrier to U.S. Economic Growth

Uncertainty in the Loan Mod Process is Barrier to U.S. Economic Growth

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

Eminent Domain Part 3 with Cornell Law's Professor Robert Hockett - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

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)

Eminent Domain to Solve the Housing Crisis – PART 2 with Prof. Robert Hockett

Eminent Domain to Solve the Housing Crisis - PART 2 with Prof. Robert Hockett

Eminent domain is not only being considered as a solution to the housing crisis by Richmond, California... there are now some TWO DOZEN CITIES across the country considering the plan authored by Professor Robert Hockett of Cornell University Law School.... (Continue reading)

Prof Robert Hockett: Need Eminent Domain to Break Securitization Suicide Pact Killing Recovery – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Prof Robert Hockett: Need Eminent Domain to Break Securitization Suicide Pact Killing Recovery – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Eminent domain to answer the problems with underwater mortgages? Well, the lines have been drawn… the battle appears eminent… pun intended. But Professor Hockett, the man behind the eminent domain plan, says it’s not going to get tied... (Continue reading)

Why Can’t We FIX Something About the Loan Modification Process?

Why Can’t We FIX Something About the Loan Modification Process?

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)

Our Housing Market’s Recovery is Eminent… Get It?

Our Housing Market’s Recovery is Eminent… Get It?

Despite some very nasty threats of retaliation from Wall Street and Washington, something like two dozen new cities are now reportedly joining the efforts to potentially head off home foreclosures by using eminent domain to seize mortgages and write them... (Continue reading)

Testimony to Martin Andelman from Homeowner with Bank of America Loan

Testimony to Martin Andelman from Homeowner with Bank of America Loan

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.

I have the best readers in the world... I am humbled by their words.

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

The Year is New… But the Housing Hype is the Same Old Thing

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

'Twas the Night Before Christmas - 2013

'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 â€X’ and â€Z’ and Here’s Why

Borrowers Facing Foreclosure Should be Dancing in the Streets Over â€X’ and â€Z’ and Here’s Why

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

I’m Betting We Get Extended Tax Relief on Forgiven Mortgage Debt for Christmas This Year

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)

Bay Area Homeowner Writes to Say Thank You to Mandelman Matters and Bank of America

Bay Area Homeowner Writes to Say Thank You to Mandelman Matters and Bank of America

Ahsan Kushkaki discovered Mandelman Matters after Bank of America denied his loan modification. He was desperately seeking someone who might be able to help him explain the situation to the bank and after finding several of the thank you... (Continue reading)

We’re Not Stopping the Foreclosure Crisis because it Affects Mostly Brown People

We’re Not Stopping the Foreclosure Crisis because it Affects Mostly Brown People

This is not a tragedy that discriminates. The race diminished as a result of what is being allowed to transpire will be “human”. ... (Continue reading)

NOW YOU CAN KNOW… How Much Your Investor is Losing by Foreclosing on Your Home.

NOW YOU CAN KNOW... How Much Your Investor is Losing by Foreclosing on Your Home.

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

Thanksgiving Day Memories and What I Want for the Holidays this Year

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

The Rush for Rentals by Investors Turns Into a Run for the Exit

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

I SAY GIVE HIM TWO – Ernie Banks Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

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

NOW AVAILABLE: The RMBS Trust/Modification Analysis Report for Homeowners

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

GUEST POST: Don’t Be Concerned Martin Is Dead Wrong, by Michael Pines

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)

GLASKI TAKES A HIT: California Court Rejects Reasoning in Glaski Decision

GLASKI TAKES A HIT: California Court Rejects Reasoning in Glaski Decision

It’s not a matter of the Diunugala case being considered “binding authority,” because it’s not. But the question is, will other California courts consider the case persuasive… and tend to follow the more established case law. If that’s... (Continue reading)

Realtors & Mortgage Brokers: Toughest Year for Housing Markets Since 2010 Ahead

Realtors & Mortgage Brokers: Toughest Year for Housing Markets Since 2010 Ahead

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)

IBANEZ & BACK: Attorney Glenn Russell Back in Front of the Mass Supreme Court – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

IBANEZ & BACK: Attorney Glenn Russell Back in Front of the Mass Supreme Court - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Well, fast forward to today and Glenn Russell is still very much on the attack on behalf of homeowners, in fact, he just finished arguing his latest case, again in front of the Massachusetts' High Court. I don't want... (Continue reading)

The Discovery of Robo-Signing – Memorable Moments from the Foreclosure Crisis

The Discovery of Robo-Signing - Memorable Moments from the Foreclosure Crisis

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

The Weather In India - Memorable Moments from the Foreclosure Crisis

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)

Re-Default Redoux… The Debate Over Loan Mods is as Stupid as Ever.

Re-Default Redoux... The Debate Over Loan Mods is as Stupid as Ever.

Another SIGTARP report shows Treasury knows nothing about loan modifications. Big surprise. Look, stop bothering Treasury... they don't want to know, so leave them alone. ... (Continue reading)

PODCAST: Saving Homes from Foreclosure in Ohio Today… with Ohio’s Former Attorney General Marc Dann

PODCAST: Saving Homes from Foreclosure in Ohio Today... with Ohio's Former Attorney General Marc Dann

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)

Straightening Out the LA Times, Fannie, Freddie, Strategic Defaults and Deficiency Judgments

Straightening Out the LA Times, Fannie, Freddie, Strategic Defaults and Deficiency Judgments

Writing about strategic defaults for the LA Times this time out was Lew Sichelman, whose ability to remain oblivious to his interweaving of unrelated facts throughout the article was truly something to behold. ... (Continue reading)

Meet Thomas Cox, Esquire. A National Hero in Foreclosure Defense

Meet Thomas Cox, Esquire. A National Hero in Foreclosure Defense

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)

3 out of 3 Dismissed WITH Prejudice! Tom Cox for the Homeowner – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

3 out of 3 Dismissed WITH Prejudice!  Tom Cox for the Homeowner - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Tweet   Stewart, Sawyer and Oathout… three Maine homeowners… three separate foreclosure cases… each dismissed with prejudice, meaning none of the servicers trying to foreclose gets another chance at foreclosure. And Maine’s foremost foreclosure defense attorney, Tom Cox, gets the... (Continue reading)

SECURITIZATION: How our society changed when we learned to turn lead into gold.

SECURITIZATION: How our society changed when we learned to turn lead into gold.

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

Loan Modifications: Selling Loans Means Being Sold Down the River

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

New Abuses in the Foreclosure Process Make the Dire... Dreadful

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

When Lawyers Break the Rules... The Code of Conduct for Florida Attorneys

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)

Kindergarten Loans from SallieMae Are Here!

Kindergarten Loans from SallieMae Are Here!

SallieMae is now offering financing for the high costs of... kindergarten? It’s even marketing loans available for pre-K, which I’m pretty sure we used to call, “nursery school.” I never thought to ask my mother how much it... (Continue reading)

Glaski Attorney Richard Antognini on the Court’s Decision and What’s Next for Mr. Glaski – A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Glaski Attorney Richard Antognini on the Court's Decision and What’s Next for Mr. Glaski - A Mandelman Matters Podcast

Not only will Richard leave listeners with a level of understanding specific to the Glaski decision that would otherwise be unavailable, he’ll talk about other recent decisions in California that he says are very important to homeowners... he’ll offer guidance... (Continue reading)

Data shows Nationstar Approves Loan Modifications at Much Lower Rate than Big Banks

Data shows Nationstar Approves Loan Modifications at Much Lower Rate than Big Banks

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)

Two -Year Housing Recovery Mirage Now Over… Bernanke Hoping to Retire Before Everyone Notices

Two -Year Housing Recovery Mirage Now Over... Bernanke Hoping to Retire Before Everyone Notices

At the end of 2010, the interest rate on a 30-year mortgage was just under 5 percent... 4.97% to be more precise. Over the next 28 months actions taken by the Fed pushed that rate down as low as... (Continue reading)

A Winning Team: Meet the Lawyers for Mr. Thomas Glaski… A Mandelman Matters Podcast

A Winning Team: Meet the Lawyers for Mr. Thomas Glaski... A Mandelman Matters Podcast

If you want to learn about what happened to Mr. Glaski... how his case went in the lower court... and how it ended up going his way in the Court of Appeal... get the to get inside scoop from... (Continue reading)

GLASKI WINS! California Court of Appeal Ruling a Landmark for Homeowners… Maybe.

GLASKI WINS!  California Court of Appeal Ruling a Landmark for Homeowners... Maybe.

So, as a result of this now published decision by California’s Court of Appeal, Mr. Glaski will now be allowed to return to state court to allege that his foreclosure was wrongful based on a challenge to the validity of... (Continue reading)

The National Debate Over Loan Modification Re-defaults is Stupid

The National Debate Over Loan Modification Re-defaults is Stupid

Not surprisingly, the combined effect of the three high-profile reports on borrower performance after having their loans modified, made headlines that have sparked a national debate... yet again. It was a stupid debate back in 2009, and it’s an even... (Continue reading)

Hawaii Homeowner Writes to Thank Mandelman for Helping with Bank of America Loan Modification

Hawaii Homeowner Writes to Thank Mandelman for Helping with Bank of America Loan Modification

Diane and John Bobek, homeowners in Hawaii that I was able to help with their Bank of America mortgage, writes to thank me. ... (Continue reading)

Why I haven’t written about the declarations by ex-Bank of America employees.

Why I haven't written about the declarations by ex-Bank of America employees.

I’m watching a fight for millions in cash that involves banks, pissed off ex-bank employees, and class action lawyers... and I’m supposed to be able to pick out which one is telling the most truth? Isn’t that like asking... (Continue reading)

Homeowner Nancy Frost Says Mandelman Made Loan Modification at Bank of America Work For Her

Homeowner Nancy Frost Says Mandelman Made Loan Modification at Bank of America Work For Her

It's far from being the only time I've seen Bank of America do something like this when no one is watching. I truly believe that they made the decision to buy back the Frost's loan from Fannie, because they... (Continue reading)

Fannie, Freddie and FHA Finally Increase Homeowners’ Ability to Modify Mortgages

Fannie, Freddie and FHA Finally Increase Homeowners' Ability to Modify Mortgages

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

A Sword in a Field - Correlation is Not Causation

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)

I’ve Seen More for Homeowners from Bank of America than Any Other Servicer By Far

I’ve Seen More for Homeowners from Bank of America than Any Other Servicer By Far

One homeowner that I contacted Bank of America about, a disabled vet, ended up with a fixed interest rate of one tenth of one percent for forty years. And on more than one occasion, I saw the bank buy... (Continue reading)

What people NEED to know about the foreclosure crisis in 2013 & 2014

What people NEED to know about the foreclosure crisis in 2013 & 2014

My point is that the increasing sales volume of non-performing loans means the unthinkable... that it’s going to get even worse for homeowners who are seriously delinquent and need to get their loans modified in order to keep their homes.... (Continue reading)

What Happens in Nevada with Foreclosures, Ends Up on Mandelman Matters

What Happens in Nevada with Foreclosures, Ends Up on Mandelman Matters

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

Using the California Homeowner Bill of Rights to Fight Foreclosure

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

PART TWO - How to Take Your Power Back When at Risk of Foreclosure

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)

Discussing Foreclosure Crisis Solutions with Impac Mortgage CEO Joe Tomkinson

Discussing Foreclosure Crisis Solutions with Impac Mortgage CEO Joe Tomkinson

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)

Foreclosure Surprise! Stomping on Maryland Homeowners

Foreclosure Surprise!  Stomping on Maryland Homeowners

So, how do I know where the other undiscovered and unreported stockpiles of foreclosures are hiding as the banks wait until they feel like recognizing losses, having fixed the document problem to the degree that they can start booting people... (Continue reading)


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