Losing your San Diego home can be devastating to your credit, not to mention your psyche, but you can buy again within as few as three years after a foreclosure or short sale.

It's not surprising when you lose your home you also lose some self-esteem, especially if your were raised in a culture that sees homeownership as a status symbol, as a sign that you've finally arrived.

Some lost self-esteem also comes from the belief you've lost your shot at the American Dream. Others will tell you seven to ten years must pass before you can buy again. At that time, uninformed people say, you'll have to buy at high interest rates.

That's not always true.

If you file for bankruptcy in San Diego, and make the right credit and financial moves, you can buy a home again as soon as two years after your bankruptcy is discharged.

What's more, if you rebuild your credit and maintain a healthy, on-time credit profile, you can take advantage of San Diego low down payment and low interest rate loans. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) allows you to buy a home with as little as 3.5 percent down and take advantage of some of the best interest rates on the market.

FHA loans literally replaced the subprime brand, but came with federal backing.

You also may be eligible for San Diego first-time homebuyer programs that assist you with your down payment and closing costs. First-time homebuyer programs are not just for those who have never owned a home, but allow you to qualify if you have not owned a home in the past three years.

Some private lenders, San Diego home owners and investors also may allow you to buy a home even sooner than the two- to three-year period, but it will cost you a higher interest rate and require a large down payment.

With the housing market flat in San Diego and many local markets still expected to see prices fall more, it is not a bad idea to spend the next several years cleaning up and re-establishing your credit. Good credit will allow you to buy a home with a minimal down payment and the lowest interest rates.

If you lost your home to foreclosure or a short sale, don't lose hope. Don't hesitate. Begin today putting yourself in a good position to buy.

Fix your credit

• Rebuild your credit by making your monthly debt payments on time. Don't ignore your remaining credit obligations during foreclosure or after losing your home. Your credit score gets a boost, in part, based on the number of positive accounts in your credit report. The more you have, within reason, the faster your credit score rises, even after losing a home.

• Pay down your credit cards but not to a zero balance. Your credit score gets a boost if you maintain a balance that is about 30 percent or lower than your credit limit. Keeping a balance reveals you can borrow money and pay it back on time. Don't close out your credit cards because the longer your positive credit history, the more your credit score and your ability to buy a home will improve.

Save money

• Most of today's homebuyer programs require a down payment. FHA loans require 3.5 percent down -- $3,500 for every $100,000 you borrow. You likely will have to pay closing costs, another 2 percent to 3 percent of the sales price. This is another $2,000 to $3,000 per $100,000. Do the math to determine how much you need to save each month, over the next two or three years, to have enough to cover your down payment and closing costs.

Don't be pressured

• Buy only when you are ready. You didn't lose your credit overnight. Likewise, it will take time to rebuild your credit and save for a down payment. Home buying deals will be available for years to come.

• Avoid adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) and consider a 15- or 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) that is a fully amortized loan so your payment and interest rate are fixed for the duration of the loan. Full amortization means each payment helps pay down the principal. When your loan term ends, so does the loan balance.

• Buy based on what you can afford, rather than a higher amount approved by the lender. You already know the risk of biting off more than you can chew. Lenders will pre-approve you based on your gross monthly income, but that does not consider taxes subtracted from your paycheck, food, clothing, utilities and other monthly obligations.

Know your comfort zone. Don't over-extend yourself.

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The Treasury Department released a new report Monday highlighting the results of its flagship Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). Nearly 910,000 homeowners have received a permanent HAMP modification to date, saving an estimated $9.9 billion in monthly mortgage payments.

Treasury says borrowers now entering HAMP have a better chance of earning a permanent modification and realizing long-term success. Eighty-three percent of eligible homeowners that signed on to HAMP since June 2010 have received a permanent modification, with an average trial period of 3.5 months.

Treasury’s Making Home Affordable Unemployment Program (UP) provides a temporary forbearance to homeowners who’ve lost their jobs. Under Treasury guidelines, unemployed homeowners must be considered for a minimum of 12 months’ forbearance. So far, servicers have initiated 16,633 UP forbearance plans.

The government’s Second Lien Modification Program (2MP) was also prominently featured in this month’s report. Treasury says 47 percent of eligible second liens have received a 2MP modification, with many of the remaining second liens still in the evaluation process, awaiting homeowner response to the 2MP offer, or awaiting conversion of the first lien HAMP trial to permanent status.

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Data released by Lender Processing Services (LPS) Thursday shows mortgage delinquencies are continuing to decline, now nearly 30 percent below their January 2010 peak.

Loans in the process of foreclosure, on the other hand, are steadily rising. LPS says foreclosure inventories reached an all-time high at the end of October, making up 4.29 percent of all active mortgages.

The average days delinquent for loans in foreclosure extended as well during the month of October, setting a new record of 631 days since last payment, while the average days delinquent for loans 90 or more days past due but not yet in foreclosure decreased for the second consecutive month.

LPS says judicial vs. non-judicial foreclosure processes remain a significant factor in the reduction of foreclosure pipelines from state to state, with foreclosure inventory percentages in non-judicial less than half that of their judicial counterparts.

This is largely a result of the fact that foreclosure sale rates in non-judicial states have been proceeding at four to five times that of judicial, LPS explained.

Non-judicial foreclosure states made up the entirety of the top 10 states with the largest year-over-year decline in non-current loans percentages. Arizona led the way with a 23.9 percent annual drop in non-current mortgages. California wasn’t far behind with a 20.2 percent decline, and in Nevada, non-current loans are down 19.1 percent from a year earlier.

LPS’ October data also showed that mortgage originations are on the rise, reaching levels not seen since mid-2010. Mortgage prepayment rates have also spiked, as much of the new origination is related to borrower refinancing. LPS says loans originated in 2009 and later are the primary drivers of the increase in refinances.

While origination activity for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans is down, GSE and FHA originations still account for the vast majority of all new loans – nearly nine out of every 10 new mortgages, according to LPS.

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WASHINGTON – Dec. 2, 2011 – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced yesterday that they would suspend evictions of foreclosed single family and 2-4 unit properties from Dec. 19, 2011, through Jan. 2, 2012. While lenders will continue completing legal and administrative paperwork, no families will be thrown onto the street over the holidays.
“The holidays are meant for families to spend time together, especially if they’ve gone through the stress of financial challenges and foreclosure,” said Terry Edwards, Fannie Mae’s executive vice president of credit portfolio management. “No family should have to give up their home during this holiday season. Fannie Mae is committed to helping borrowers avoid foreclosure whenever possible and we encourage any homeowner who is having difficulty making their payment to reach out for help.”
While Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac back roughly half the mortgages in the U.S., some lenders also promised to place a moratorium on evictions over the holidays. Bank of America and Wells Fargo, for example, told CNNMoney that they had no plans to evict troubled homeowners before 2012.
Beyond altruism, the mortgage industry hopes to avoid bad publicity at a time of year when news stories focus on charity and kindness.
The eviction moratoriums apply only to owner-occupied homes.

Contact us to discuss your short sale options.

There were 6,298,000 mortgages going unpaid in the United States as of the end of October, according to Lender Processing Services (LPS).

It’s a daunting number, but the data show that it’s actually been on a fairly steady decline for nearly two years now.

At the start of 2011, the total number of non-current mortgages in the U.S. stood at 6,870,000. In January 2010, it was 8,118,000.

LPS’ more recent reports show the industry is slowly but surely chipping away at the number each and every month – the result of both loss mitigation workouts and removing loans that cannot be resolved from the inventory through foreclosure.

At September month-end, the tally of non-current mortgages was 6,373,000. It was 6,397,000 at the end of August and 6,538,000 at the end of July.

LPS’ data indicates mortgage delinquencies are declining while the nation’s foreclosure inventory is growing.

Of the 6,298,000 loans past due at the end of October, 2,329,000 were behind on their payments by 30-89 days and 1,759,000 were 90 or more days delinquent but not yet referred to foreclosure.

Combined, these tallies represent 7.93 percent of the nation’s outstanding mortgages that are delinquent but not in foreclosure. The October delinquency rate is down 2.0 percent from the previous month and is 14.6 percent lower than the rate recorded in October 2010.

The foreclosure inventory rate, on the other hand, is up by both measures. LPS says 4.29 percent of the nation’s mortgages are winding their way through the foreclosure process, a month-over-month increase of 2.5 percent and a year-over-year increase of 9.4 percent.

By LPS’ calculations, there were 2,210,000 residential mortgage loans in foreclosure at October month-end.

States with highest percentage of non-current loans – which combines foreclosures and delinquencies – include: Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, and Illinois.

Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and North Dakota have the lowest percentage of non-current loans.

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Industry data released Thursday indicates the number of borrowers in the United States behind on their mortgage payments is showing signs of improving.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported that the national delinquency rate for residential home loans fell to 7.99 percent in the third quarter.

That’s the lowest reading since the fourth quarter of 2008, and it represents a decline of 45 basis points from the second quarter of this year and a drop of 114 basis points from the third quarter of last year.

The 30-day delinquency rate – typically a precursor of trends to come – reached its lowest level since the second quarter of 2007 at 3.19 percent.

The overall delinquency rate encompasses borrowers who have missed one or more payments but are not yet in foreclosure. While delinquencies fell, the number of borrowers entering the foreclosure process rose.

The percentage of loans on which foreclosure actions were started during the third quarter was 1.08 percent, up 12 basis points from the previous quarter but down 26 basis points from one year ago.

The nation’s foreclosure inventory rate, which includes all loans in foreclosure, was 4.43 percent at the end of the third quarter. That’s the same reading reported for the second quarter, and represents only a 4 basis point increase from a year earlier.

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1. Do Nothing – If a homeowner does nothing, they most likely will lose their home at foreclosure auction. Loan applications generally ask if the applicant has ever been foreclosed upon. Credit reports also disclose this damaging information. Not the best option.

2. Payoff/Refinance – Completely paying off the entire loan amount plus any default amount and fees. Usually this is accomplished through a refinance of the debt. New debt is at a normally higher interest rate and there may be a prepayment penalty because of the recent default. With this option, there should be equity in the home.

3. Reinstatement – Paying the entire default amount plus interest, attorney fees, late fees, taxes, missed payments and fees.

4. Loan Modification – Utilizing the existing mortgage company to refinance the debt or extend the terms of the loan. This may allow the homeowner to catch up at a more affordable level. To qualify, you must prove to the lender you have fixed the problem that caused the late payment.

5. Forbearance – Lender may be able to arrange a repayment plan based on the homeowner’s financial situation. The lender may even be able to provide a temporary payment reduction or suspension of payments. Information will be required from the lender to show that you are able to meet the new payment plan requirements.

6. Partial Claim – A loan from the lender for a 2nd loan to include back payments, costs and fees.

7. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure – Give the property back to the bank instead of the bank foreclosing. Banks generally require the home be well maintained, all mortgage payment and taxes must be current. Most loan applications ask if this has ever happened.

8. Bankruptcy – This option can liquidate debt and/or allow more time. I can refer you to a qualified bankruptcy attorney.

* Chapter 7 (Liquidation) To completely settle personal debt.
* Chapter 13 (Wage Earner Plan) Payments are made toward a plan to pay off debts in 3-5 years.
* Chapter 11 (Business Reorganization) A business debt solution.

9. Sale – If the property has equity (money left over after all loans and monetary encumbrances are paid). The homeowner may sell the home without lender approval through a conventional home sale. In this case, the homeowner will get cash from the sale. On the other hand, a Short Sale, also known as a pre-foreclosure sale, can be negotiated with your lender by your Real Estate Professional if what is owed is MORE than the property’s value.

Contact us to discuss ALL your options.

The industry’s four largest mortgage servicers all say they will be taking part in the revamped Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP).

Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo have each expressed their support of the program and the changes that will allow more underwater homeowners to refinance at today’s lower interest rates all throughout San Diego County.

Government officials expect the program’s revisions – particularly the GSEs’ waiver on representations and warranties – to increase competition for mortgage refinancing.

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San Diego refinance applications and appraisal complications are holding up home sale closings.

The normal timeline for a San Diego real estate closing is about 30 days. However, the recent HousingPulse survey found the timeline to be between 45 and 60 days.

The delay is exacerbated among San Diego short sales and sales of foreclosed homes – which according to HousingPulse made up 44.4 percent of the market in September, down from 45.9 percent in August.

The survey of 2,500 real estate agents found that one major source of delays among short sales is mortgage origination preapprovals, which sometimes expire before all interested parties agree.

Sales of foreclosed homes in San Diego are encountering delays when property damage complicates the appraisal process.

A new California law is further aggravating the problem by forbidding forced deficiency notes on short sales.

Under the new law, “seconds are not willing to settle,” stated one California agent, adding, “Mortgage application timelines run out for the buyers waiting to receive acceptance, counter or declination.”

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Borrowers who are current on their home loans in San Diego County may be able to refinance for lower interest rates, even if they are seriously upside down. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that it will broaden the scope of the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) by removing the current 125 percent loan-to-value cap for fixed-rate mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Other program enhancements include for San Diego, among other things, reducing certain fees, eliminating the need for a new property appraisal if the FHFA has a reliable automated valuation model (AVM) estimate, and extending HARP until the end of 2013. New federal guidelines for the HARP changes should be released to mortgage lenders and servicers by November 15.

Contact us for more information on all Government Rescue Programs.