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)
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)
'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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
So, please... accept this invitation from me and from Bank of America... click the link below and make a reservation to attend one of the upcoming homeowner events. Come and meet me and the loan resolution team specialists at... (Continue reading)
No matter, the more important conclusion reached by the report is that, "Nearly four years later, the problem shows no signs of abating." And isn't that just a lovely thought that made me throw up in my mouth a... (Continue reading)
I wrote this to you and other homeowners because I've been a witness to what Martin's help can lead to and what a homeowner can accomplish even when that homeowner has stopped believing that anything can work. Just because... (Continue reading)
Or do we only judge a loan to be "bad" after it defaults, and because it defaults? Assuming there are NOT predatory practices involved, is a loan "good" until it defaults and then it becomes "bad." And is... (Continue reading)
There is one mortgage banker that did it right for their shareholders and borrowers. They didn't take TARP funds or any sort of tax-payer funded bailout... instead they took their losses, restructured the company, and protected their shareholders... ... (Continue reading)
I wish we'd stop with the false bottoms and imaged recovery stories so we could actually concentrate on making some much needed improvements in how we're handling our economic malaise, because that's the only way we're going to see any... (Continue reading)
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)
David takes us through concise and easy to understand explanations of most of the major events since the meltdown began on July 10, 2007... the day the credit markets went into a deep freeze that continues to this day. ... (Continue reading)
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)
Take the test yourself right now and see how you do. It only takes a minute or two. The question is... How many times does the team in white shirts pass the ball?... (Continue reading)
If you make a mistake and cause harm on a scale of the Great Depression, what happens to you? Don't you even get fired? Reprimanded? A stern talking to?... (Continue reading)
I don't know what we'd do without the FOMC... except maybe... be forced to make real progress in some substantive way. ... (Continue reading)
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)
I'm just so relieved that none of this dismal economic news was caused by the respective economies being in deep recession led by unreported worsening unemployment and pretend housing market recoveries. Because if those things were the cause, why... (Continue reading)
They call it a "mass torte," but it can also go by the name "mass joinder," or "multi-plaintif," or whatever other term d'art it might be using tomorrow, but no matter what it's called, the person calling to tell you... (Continue reading)
It's foreign policy night but although each question starts out overseas, it ends up buried in our flaccid economy somewhere near Cleveland. Romney points out that Obama can't seem to buy jobs let alone create them. ... (Continue reading)
By understanding the truth of what happened and why at these two pivotal moments in time, everything else will fall into place, for it was these two moments that set the course for a global economic downturn that, if history... (Continue reading)
Once you're underwater, however, as at least half of homeowners are today, you can't borrow against your home's equity, nor can you sell your home, so any of those life events are likely to hit you where you live. ... (Continue reading)
why would Smith publish a report whose only meaningful certainty was to scare even more homeowners away from paying attention to Bank of America's borrower outreach efforts? BOA and its peers were already having a hard time reaching... (Continue reading)
They actually believe that too much regulation is the problem facing our financial institutions... that foreclosures are a good thing for the housing market... that tax cuts for the rich will create prosperity... that people on food stamps won't get... (Continue reading)
Settle in and get ready to hear the real inside scoop on how Washington works and too often doesn't. It may cause vomiting and probably shouldn't be listened to if you have a heart condition... I'm really not sure.... (Continue reading)
The recent passage of California's Homeowner Bill of Rights (53-25, 25-13) is the most conclusive example that what I spoke of at that conference in 2010, has come to pass. The financial services industry lobbied heavily against the passage... (Continue reading)
If you want my advice... don't read this post, or watch it... just skip this page and head for the sports section or something. I'm sorry I'm even posting it... seriously... click away... while you still can.... (Continue reading)
Killing this bill facilitates lying to the American people. And short of something that's kept secret in order to protect our national defense, there is never a reason we should tolerate anyone or anything that does that.... (Continue reading)
But, I'm now posting the speech from last February, at which the president announced the conclusion of the AG investigations/negotiations because I think it was his best speech ever in many ways. It's the only speech he's ever given... (Continue reading)
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)
Don't have time right now? MAKE TIME RIGHT NOW. Read this and DO SOMETHING.... (Continue reading)
Let's let C.A.R. know that even though many of us may be losing homes today, that doesn't make us deadbeats... it makes us strong... it makes us focused... and it makes us remember who was and who wasn't on our... (Continue reading)
Anyway, so that's the deal... $500 to $125,000... PLUS EQUITY! It makes it sound like the worst you can do, assuming you get past the qualifying round, is the $500, right? Five hundred's not bad, I suppose. ... (Continue reading)
The real point is that we don't deserve someone like Elizabeth Warren and likely won't get her or anyone like her until we can answer her question about being ready with a resounding YES! and really mean it, as in... (Continue reading)
When I saw the very first state make a grab for the settlement cash allegedly headed the state's way, I laughed and vowed not to let it get to me. Mandelman Matters, after all, only writes about things that... (Continue reading)
So, have you ever wondered what Goldman Sachs CEO is saying when the cameras aren't on, own what goes on under that highly polished dome of his? Well, I sure have. ... (Continue reading)
There's no reason to wait another day to begin building your Whislteblowing Futures Empire. It requires the smallest if investments, and the leverage involved can turn out to be off the charts... I mean, we're talking tens of thousands... (Continue reading)
Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke communicates more than any of his predecessors, but have you found yourself increasingly wondering what in the world the man is thinking behind that shiny dome and professorial facial hair?... (Continue reading)
Homeowners should take great care when hiring a lawyer for any reason. And I HATE it when anyone gets ripped off for anything, especially when their home is on the line. But this article is a blatant attempt... (Continue reading)
Now, as we're facing a crisis of unprecedented proportion, we're learning the hard way that our rights as borrowers are almost non-existent. In California and around the country, foreclosure defense lawyers saw that mortgage servicers could far too often... (Continue reading)
Praise the Lord, and please pass the foreclosures, right? We need to get through the foreclosures... clear the market... let it hit bottom... isn't that what Mitt Romney, Rick Santelli, House Republicans, quite a few Democrats too... and a... (Continue reading)
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)
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)
For one thing, filing quiet title did work out well for Denise Saluto, and since I would never have predicted it happening in her case, I'm certainly not going to tell you it won't happen again in yours, because as... (Continue reading)
Iceland's mortgage write-down program happened as a result of thousands of its citizens taking to the streets demanding that something be done about the debts the people had incurred buying homes during the bubble at what turned out to be... (Continue reading)
If you're a lawyer or real estate licensee that has been involved in helping homeowners save their homes from foreclosure over the last few years, or a homeowner struggling to understand the crisis at hand... I PROMISE... YOU DO NOT... (Continue reading)
In 2012, the road to the White House runs directly through the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, most notably Ohio and Florida, but also Michigan, Nevada, and North Carolina, et al. For the Obama campaign, I would... (Continue reading)
This week on 30 MINUTES OF TALKING I'm looking at the contradictions that are being thrown at us almost every day now... this past week it was the housing market that hit bottom, according to quite a few. But... (Continue reading)
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)
I can tell you that I receive more complaints about Wells Fargo refusing to approve loan modifications than any three other mortgage servicers combined. But then, Wells did modify one of the homeowners I wrote about a few months... (Continue reading)
Decisions made by Larry Summers have been disastrous for this nation... that much is abundantly clear. Tim Geithner's been no peach either. Together their folly has cost our country incalculable amounts of money, but further, they have caused... (Continue reading)
I write to identify a policy change that would add trillions of dollars of liquidity to the housing market overnight. It would stimulate home sales, stabilize home prices, and reduce the number of home foreclosures.... (Continue reading)
The video below puts you in the courtroom to watch as both sides of the debate present oral arguments related to MERS' involvement in the foreclosure process in front of the nine justices of the Washington State Supreme Court.... (Continue reading)
If you're not already familiar with Ellen Brown, then I might as well just go ahead and say: "Your welcome," because I can't imagine anyone not liking this prolific blogger, author of 11 books, attorney, and President and Chairman of... (Continue reading)
Also, I'm wondering something... when you say that, "foreclosures are a necessary ingredient to the housing market's recovery," how many do you figure we're going to need in order to "recover?" ... (Continue reading)
Who knows... trying to pick the bottom has long since proven itself to be a fool's errand anyway, right? It certainly should have by now. My advice would be to buy on the way up. Missing the... (Continue reading)
Negative public opinion could result from our actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including mortgage lending practices, servicing and foreclosure activities, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and disclosure, sharing or inadequate protection of customer... (Continue reading)
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)
Heidi Cuda, a producer from Fox 11 News in Los Angeles produced a week long series on the foreclosure crisis for the Channel 11 news and asked to interview me. I didn't like Part 1, but Part 2 was... (Continue reading)
So... housing is not, not, not at bottom, "“ check. Unemployment not improving "“ check. And does the stock market at 13,000 mean something to the economy? Nothing good "“ check.You might want to bookmark this page, so... (Continue reading)
So, why did I write this? Because it makes just as much sense as everything else that's going on in this country, and at least it made me smile. ... (Continue reading)
What follows is a podcast featuring the "whistle blower"... the anonymous independent file reviewer working for Promontory on the Wells Fargo Bank account that reached out to us because he was fed up. I verified his identity and spoke... (Continue reading)
The bottom-line is, as anyone should be able to clearly see... Patricia Martin should NOT have lost her home and Wells Fargo SHOULD help her get it back with a modified payment so she can continue to live in the... (Continue reading)
Apparently, right before you made your idiotic comments about moral hazard, saying that principal write-downs won't save homes, Credit Suisse had just won the bidding process and as a result bought $7.014 billion in face value RMBS from the Federal... (Continue reading)
Here's the deal... I wrote a year ago when the whole AG/banker political circus started that I was not going to follow it, not going to write about it, and certainly not care about it. It was a colossal... (Continue reading)
"In Arizona we don't ignore problems, nor do we pretend they aren't there," Sen. Reagan explains. "Obviously, the federal programs aren't going to address our state's needs, and that's fine. We're perfectly capable of doing what's best for... (Continue reading)
ProPublica is reporting that Freddie Mac has been placing "multi-billion dollar bets designed to only pay off when homeowners remain "trapped" in high interest rate loans, and that the government-owned mortgage monster began increasing such bets late in 2010, which... (Continue reading)
In just two days from now, on Monday, January 30, 2012, at 3:00 PM... a terrible, tragic and yet easily avoidable event is scheduled to occur... and MUST BE STOPPED. OneWest Bank is scheduled to conduct a foreclosure auction... (Continue reading)
Because I just can't believe that anyone would intentionally do this to the parents of an autistic 12 year-old girl... invite them to apply for a loan modification, and then after six months, leave them over a weekend with the... (Continue reading)
If Mickey Mouse is going to sign it, and Donald Duck is going to notarize it... THEN DON'T SIGN IT... because we don't need it signed. BUT... if we DO need it signed, then don't forge it and file... (Continue reading)
The man's wife passed away in 2006. They were married for 53 years. Your bank explained that a request for postponement went in on the 23rd of December 2011 on a loan which Bank of America agreed to... (Continue reading)
Reducing mortgage balances is a risky idea that hasn't been shown to keep borrowers who owe more than their property's worth in their homes, according to Credit Suisse Group AG. (CSGN). Suspending accounting rules is a risky idea that hasn't been... (Continue reading)
I learned about death from Martin King. I learned about peace from Martin King. I learned about hope from Martin King. I learned about struggle from Martin King. I learned about my country from Martin King. I learned to love... (Continue reading)
I don't usually do this, but with Holly's permission, I've posted the three emails I received from her today. I get a lot of very flattering emails from homeowners across the country, and I appreciate them all very much...... (Continue reading)
Doug and Holly were excellent customers of your bank for over 16 years, and then they hit a rough patch. They needed the bank's help... some guidance to get them through difficult times. You had a chance to... (Continue reading)
So, below is a video that Marco just put together. It's dramatic... disturbing even. It includes footage of the sheriff coming to evict a family, obviously without notice... or at least without adequate notice. Marco put the... (Continue reading)
ALJAZEERA: "If you want to find out about this story of the year and years past, in all of its disgusting detail, you can't just trust major media. You have to read Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone, a music magazine,... (Continue reading)
And, since it is the holidays, it's also time for my annual year-in-review-in-rhyme, read to the famous holiday poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I started writing my 'Twas the Night year-in-review in 2007, or at least that's the year... (Continue reading)
I was a guest on the News Dissector radio show with Danny Schechter out of NYC. And I was joined by one of the Occupy Wall Street organizers and Capt. (Ret.) Ray Lewis. Check it out... given the... (Continue reading)
This letter was written today by attorney Thomas Cox of Portland Maine, and posted on several legal listservs. It was totally unexpected and more than moving. Tom is the lawyer whose work and depositions of GMAC's Jeffrey Stephan... (Continue reading)
Bank of America... stop torturing disabled American veterans, and stop torturing Arlie Matthews and I do mean immediately... and I also mean... or else. He's a brave and strong guy, but I know he's got to be scared to... (Continue reading)
I also spoke to the members of the panel about the need for the State Bar to give more careful consideration to how it can better support the legitimate and ethical attorneys that could provide representation to homeowners in need... (Continue reading)
Well, I caught up with Jeff after receiving a "friend request" from him on Facebook... I recognized the name right away and sent him a note asking him to join me for a podcast... and he said yes, of course.... (Continue reading)
In this edition you'll find: 1. Robo-signing KILLS... 2. OCC proposes credit rating duties go to banks - A real conversation with a banker-friend of mine. 3. PMI Files Bankruptcy - Regulators step in and take over yet another mortgage... (Continue reading)
What you are about to read has not been smoothed out or otherwise homogenized, it's just the news as it's coming at me... and you. Go ahead... read it and then tell me everything's just fine. ... (Continue reading)
Obviously, either Neal has the cognitive abilities of a fruit loop soaked in milk, or he's just disturbed. What do you suppose he thinks "spread" to Europe and its banks? I mean, I don't think loans can spread...... (Continue reading)
I wanted to have Matt on a podcast so both homeowners and other lawyers would have an opportunity to hear his views on the crisis today, and specifically what he's seeing in the Florida courts. And sure enough, Matt... (Continue reading)
So, whether you're a homeowner fighting to keep your home... or a lawyer who represents homeowners in foreclosure, here's an opportunity to hear what April has to say about where we've been, where we are today, and where she thinks... (Continue reading)
Why? Well, according to the Realtors, it's credit scores and appraisals coming in too low. Well shave my head and call me Baldy... what do you know about that? I certainly do declare, how can such a... (Continue reading)
MEMO TO BANK OF AMERICA... Why do you do these things to me? I was just sitting here minding my own business, perfectly content to write about Chase or Wells or anything else for that matter... but no, you... (Continue reading)
We need, as perhaps the late, great Steve Jobs might have said... to think differently, to fight differently. We need to scare them by making them realize that we are their source of power and just as we bestow... (Continue reading)
You know the stereotype... we all do... reckless and greedy people who bought homes they could never hope to afford by signing their names on nothing down, 80/20 "liar loans" with negative amortization and teaser rates of 1%. And... (Continue reading)
Two movies I really want to see, and I think you will want to see them as well. One is Bailout, and it looks funny and great. The other is Margin Call, and it look dramatic and really... (Continue reading)
Tom's going to share some things that are very disturbing... things he's discovered are going on behind closed doors in the mortgage banking industry... thinks you probably haven't heard about before... things we all need to know. Don't even... (Continue reading)
The bottom-line is that this does appear to be a chance for people who were treated unfairly as part of the foreclosure process (and Lord knows there are plenty who fall into that category) to get a shot at some... (Continue reading)
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH INVESTORS? WHO ARE THEY? ARE THEY LOSING MONEY ON FORECLOSURES? What do the investors think about all these foreclosures? What's the relationship like between investors and servicers? Do investors want to modify loans? Do... (Continue reading)