Sunday 15th December
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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – 2014 (A Political & Social Year-in-Review)
Written on 19 Jan, 2015 at 4:29
Yes... usually, I post my annual political and social year-in-review poem (read to "Twas the Night Before Christmas") on the actual night before Christmas, but although I wrote it on December 24th... here I am posting it on January 18th.... (Continue reading)
Top 10 Most Extreme Sports (that haven’t been invented yet.)
Written on 18 Nov, 2014 at 5:22
Type "extreme sports" into YouTube's search bar today and you may not even believe what you see. There's no question that extreme sports have gotten way more extreme than they've ever been in the past. In fact, some of what... (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.
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)
University Professors Research Reverse Mortgages, Set Record Straight – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 11 Sep, 2014 at 7:09
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.
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 This
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)
Why Doesn’t Every Realtor in the Country Know About This?
Written on 31 Aug, 2014 at 19:49
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?
Written on 29 Aug, 2014 at 20:33
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
Written on 26 Aug, 2014 at 18:22
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
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)
Use a Reverse Mortgage to Prevent Foreclosure and to Leave Your Home to the Kids Free and Clear
Written on 19 Aug, 2014 at 19:09
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)
Why the Media Misinforming Seniors on Reverse Mortgages is Wrong and Even Dangerous
Written on 14 Aug, 2014 at 8:28
And reverse mortgages keep homes safe from foreclosure, and millions of seniors have lost homes from foreclosure over the last five years. Many were denied loan modifications because they had equity in their homes. I can't help but... (Continue reading)
Finally, Florida & Connecticut AGs Shut Down Mass Joinder Lawsuit Scams
Written on 12 Aug, 2014 at 9:15
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)
Gifts From My Father… And Mom Let Him Live.
Written on 8 Aug, 2014 at 6:59
But, make no mistake about it... that evening back in the late 60's... Mom let him live. She let him off with a song about a Kenmore dishwasher from Sears... a song that sounded a lot like "Home on... (Continue reading)
Was it worth it? 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)
Even with $2 million in the bank, you should still have a reverse mortgage
Written on 5 Aug, 2014 at 4:17
Having saved $2 million in your retirement nest egg is a wonderful accomplishment, and if you've done so, you are to be commended. But, it does not mean that you have nothing to worry about when facing what could... (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)
Meet the Lawyers who Won $16 Million for CA Homeowner – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 26 Jul, 2014 at 8:53
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!
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)
A San Clemente Homeowner Writes to Say Thank You for help with Bank of America Mortgage
Written on 29 Jun, 2014 at 8:43
Thank you Martin in helping us to secure a favorable home loan modification with Bank of America by qualifying our intentions, commitment and ability to meet the new loan obligations as well as assist us to elevate our application to... (Continue reading)
New York Launches New Foreclosure Avoidance Program… Hundreds Could be Saved?
Written on 29 Jun, 2014 at 8:03
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)
Tampa Bay Times: Stop Lying to My 78 Year-Old Mother!
Written on 4 Jun, 2014 at 15:12
Doesn't anyone think it's bad form to misinform senior citizens... to scare older Americans away from a source of money that could easily be a couple hundred thousand dollars or more by feeding them inaccurate and misleading garbage disguised as... (Continue reading)
Hartford Beats Out Newark for Most Underwater Mortgages… What to Do, What to Do?
Written on 3 Jun, 2014 at 19:20
However, as it turns out, Newark's housing market isn't in the worst shape of any U.S. city. To visit the city with that distinction, you need to head north from Newark about 125 miles... and when you get to... (Continue reading)
BREAKING NEWS: Newark Votes, Approves Use of Eminent Domain to Fight Foreclosures”“First Domino Falls
Written on 30 May, 2014 at 20:17
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)
Anyone Care to Bet? We’re in a Recession Now or Will Be Soon.
Written on 29 May, 2014 at 19:45
Can we connect these dots? Housing market takes a dive, consumer spending craters causing retail earnings to collapse, with underlying employment numbers somewhere south of ghastly.... (Continue reading)
Forced Into Foreclosure ““ Want to See How it Happens?
Written on 29 May, 2014 at 8:06
All they wanted to do was save their home, which seemed to me to be a reasonable thing for them to want since there was no question that they had enough income to make their mortgage payment. They never... (Continue reading)
Here Come the Happy Housing Numbers, but Foreclosures Up Year-Over-Year
Written on 26 May, 2014 at 1:43
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)
House committee votes to prohibit FHA from financing homes taken using eminent domain
Written on 25 May, 2014 at 7:17
So, if you take the property legally, you cannot use FHA... but if you foreclose illegally and sell it to a bona fide third party, that buyer certainly can use FHA. And if that makes any sense whatsoever to... (Continue reading)
What’s WRONG with Richard Cordray of the CFPB? Tell Me How Can This Happen?
Written on 23 May, 2014 at 18:15
So, why does Cordray make it sound like he's describing a problem with reverse mortgages when he's actually not? Why is he scaring seniors away from a reverse mortgage, when it could transform their lives, or save their homes,... (Continue reading)
Major Media Misinforms, Scares Seniors on Reverse Mortgages
Written on 23 May, 2014 at 7:51
I can't help but wonder how many seniors have made less favorable decisions as a result of biased and wholly inaccurate reporting on reverse mortgages, but it's impossible for me to believe that it's not quite a few. How... (Continue reading)
The blogger, lawyer, banker and borrower: A letter from home thanks to Bank of America.
Written on 20 May, 2014 at 8:04
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
Written on 19 May, 2014 at 0:36
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
Written on 13 May, 2014 at 12:17
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.
Written on 12 May, 2014 at 6:52
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)
A Visit to the Front Lines: Richmond, California, Eminent Domain & Mortgage Resolution Partners
Written on 11 May, 2014 at 14:46
So, I went to visit Richmond, California, so I could see what the town looked like, and to sit and talk face to face with the CEO of Mortgage Resolution Partners. Join me below and I'll take you on... (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)
How to Handle the Increased Costs We’ll All Pay Under ObamaCare
Written on 14 Apr, 2014 at 22:42
ObamaCare's out of pocket maximums established by the IRS for 2014 are $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family... so that means that we'll all pay coinsurance, copays and deductibles up to those out-of-pocket limit amounts... $6350 for... (Continue reading)
It was an honor to help him get his loan modified…
Written on 14 Apr, 2014 at 21:18
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)
Heirs of Reverse Mortgage Holders Should be Happy, Happy and Happy
Written on 11 Apr, 2014 at 5:09
The reverse mortgage is the only vehicle that allows the flexibility of repayment terms that includes no repayment at all until after the death of the second spouse. There's nothing else like the HECM reverse mortgage... we should all... (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)
Understanding ObamaCare with Industry Expert Craig Lack – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 7 Apr, 2014 at 13:04
I asked Craig to be my guest on this Mandelman Matters Podcast not only because he knows everything about ObamaCare, but because he is exceptionally good at explaining complicated subjects, and with decades of experience in health care benefit plans,... (Continue reading)
Attorney Tom Cox on Christopher Whalen, Servicers, Loan Mods and Me – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 3 Apr, 2014 at 8:26
HousingWire posted Tom's response to Chris' piece, Chris responded with another post on HousingWire... then Tom came back with a post on Naked Capitalism, with commentary by Yves, and somewhere in there Adam Levitin responded too. Lord only knows... (Continue reading)
Christopher Whalen Quotes Me on HousingWire, Then Tom Cox Slams Me and Whalen on HousingWire
Written on 29 Mar, 2014 at 22:10
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 when... (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)
Latest Report Shows Mortgage Approval Requires HIGH FICO Scores
Written on 24 Mar, 2014 at 7:26
While demand for mortgages and homes has declined, in the years ahead the demand for credit restoration services is expected to be one of the fastest growing industries in the country. And I can't think of a better way... (Continue reading)
Frank & Brian Try to Help Salespeople Overcome Call Reluctance
Written on 24 Mar, 2014 at 3:51
Call reluctance isn't some psychological problem that you can cure by talking to yourself or by being coached to pick up the phone within 30 minutes. You know why you're not calling your prospects... it's because you have nothing... (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)
8 Powerful Reasons Why NOW is a GREAT Time to BUY a Home
Written on 21 Mar, 2014 at 16:33
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
Written on 17 Mar, 2014 at 4:28
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
Written on 13 Mar, 2014 at 18:11
HAMP modifications are about to start seeing rates reset higher, and Treasury says more foreclosures will be the result. ... (Continue reading)
THANK YOU RUSH LIMBAUGH! Rush Says Republicans Won’t Work With Black President.
Written on 12 Mar, 2014 at 18:10
Rush Limbaugh has admitted that Republicans won't work with Obama because he's black. Remember when Barack Obama was running against Hillary Clinton for president in 2008? So, remember the question that was on everyone's mind in 2008? ... (Continue reading)
Four Million Homes Rise Above Water in Q4… Does anyone realize how stupid a headline that is?
Written on 11 Mar, 2014 at 10:19
How about if we start a contest? I'd love to promote the, "Sell your home at the Zillow price and win your mortgage payments for a year" contest. It's not like we'd need any money to do it...... (Continue reading)
POWER TOOLS for Investor Denials, the NPV Discussion, and Pushing a Servicer to Modify a Loan
Written on 11 Mar, 2014 at 9:09
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
Written on 10 Mar, 2014 at 7:37
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)
Underwater and Unsolvable ““ A Lifetime of Homeowner Mortgage Debt
Written on 8 Mar, 2014 at 0:45
There should be no question in anyone's mind that because our housing markets have not recovered neither has our economy. It's not that we need jobs to improve the housing markets, it's that we need to fix housing in... (Continue reading)
Demand for Mortgages Plummets, But It’s Not a Winter Storm, It’s More of an Ice Age
Written on 7 Mar, 2014 at 12:16
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
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)
All the News that Can Confuse ““ Housing Market News Up and Down at the Same Time
Written on 27 Feb, 2014 at 0:18
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
Written on 26 Feb, 2014 at 20:36
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)
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)
We’ve Solved a National Foreclosure Crisis Before, Why Not Now?
Written on 24 Feb, 2014 at 18:12
A large part of this protracted recession it said is due to households trying to reduce their debt levels, which in turn leads to less spending in the economy, driving the recession deeper and further.... (Continue reading)
Good News About Housing Recovery… Your Kids Will be Living With You for a Long Time
Written on 22 Feb, 2014 at 19:38
So, if you add it all up, there's only one way that U.S. housing markets are recovering... Magical thinking!... (Continue reading)
Homeowner Alert: Scammer Masquerades as Bank, Offers Fake Loan Mods
Written on 22 Feb, 2014 at 1:20
Now there are scammers masquerading as banks, offering FAKE LOAN MODIFICATIONS... and if that weren't bad enough, the fake mods require homeowners to pay thousands of dollars for nothing.... (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)
Eminent Domain to Solve the Housing Crisis – PART 2 with Prof. Robert Hockett
Written on 11 Feb, 2014 at 11:37
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
Written on 26 Jan, 2014 at 12:45
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?
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)
Our Housing Market’s Recovery is Eminent… Get It?
Written on 10 Jan, 2014 at 11:43
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)
Who Doesn’t Need a Back-Up Plan for a Secure Retirement?
Written on 7 Jan, 2014 at 14:55
Maybe the wealthiest retirees can get by without taking out a reverse mortgage as a way to protect their financial futures, but for the rest of us... not having funds from a reverse mortgage available is what's risky. And... (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)
Bay Area Homeowner Writes to Say Thank You to Mandelman Matters and Bank of America
Written on 11 Dec, 2013 at 4:38
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
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 "human". ... (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)
CNBC’s Diana Olick Has It Right, Says Housing Markets Headed for Trouble
Written on 29 Nov, 2013 at 9:39
Okay, so I'm just giving Diana a hard time... she's got a tough job being the only voice no blaming the whole housing debacle on deadbeat borrowers who all bought home they couldn't afford. Instead, Diana doesn't mention foreclosures... (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)
We’re Looking at a Retirement Crisis, Because We’re Gambling Unnecessarily
Written on 18 Nov, 2013 at 17:46
It's like we're "Risk Junkies." What could be riskier than betting on the stock market going up and future tax rates staying the same or going down? Are we nuts? The answer is... we've been lied to. ... (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)
GLASKI TAKES A HIT: California Court Rejects Reasoning in Glaski Decision
Written on 13 Nov, 2013 at 2:16
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
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)
IBANEZ & BACK: Attorney Glenn Russell Back in Front of the Mass Supreme Court – A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 9 Nov, 2013 at 5:42
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)
Estate Planning Experts Make a To-Do List for the Complete Estate Plan ““ A Mandelman Matters Podcast
Written on 8 Nov, 2013 at 19:30
Survey after survey has shown that at least half of American adults will pass away without a will. In 2007, a study conducted by Harris Interactive®for Martindale-Hubbell® found that, looking back three years, 55% of all adult Americans did... (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)