HAMP
By Carrie Bay | 02/07/2012
An estimated 1.05 million homeowners received permanent loan modifications from mortgage servicers in 2011, according to year-end data released Tuesday by HOPE NOW. That tally includes both proprietary and government-program mods, and represents a 40 percent decline from the 1.76 million modifications granted in 2010. At the same time, HOPE NOW reports loan modifications outpaced foreclosure sales for the fourth consecutive year. In 2011, there were approximately 843,000 foreclosure sales completed, down from 1.07 million in 2010.
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By Carrie Bay | 02/06/2012
More than 930,000 homeowners have received a permanent modification through the government's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), saving an estimated $10.5 billion in monthly mortgage payments, according to Treasury. While this tally - nearly three years after the program's launch - falls well short of the results initially promised by President Obama of helping 3 to 4 million homeowners restructure their loans, federal officials continue to tout a key success of HAMP as improving standards and processes within the industry.
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By Krista Franks | 02/06/2012
A New York housing counselor has been sentenced to 72 months in jail and three years supervision by a U.S. District Court judge after defrauding 136 homeowners who reached out for help as they attempted to avoid foreclosure. The judge also ordered Lori J. Macakanja to pay $298,639 in restitution to the homeowners affected. Macakanja reportedly required upfront fees from homeowners and promised in return to help them achieve mortgage modifications in order to stave off foreclosure.
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By Carrie Bay | 01/27/2012
Changes announced Friday to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) are expected to extend relief to a larger share of struggling homeowners as well as renters. One of the key adjustments centers around principal reductions. To encourage investors to agree to the principal reducing modification currently available through HAMP, Treasury is tripling incentives for such restructurings, paying from 18 to 63 cents on the dollar, and extending this same incentive to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who have previously opted not to participate in HAMP's principal writedown option.
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By Carrie Bay | 01/19/2012
Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler and Wells Fargo have reached an agreement to settle allegations that two companies Wells acquired in 2008 - Wachovia and Golden West - used deceptive practices to market adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). In addition to loan modifications for certain consumers, Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $940,056 to the attorney general's office for restitution to affected borrowers who lost their homes in foreclosure.
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By Krista Franks | 01/19/2012
After a net loss of $2.2 billion in 2010, Bank of America reported net income of $1.4 billion, $0.01 per diluted share, for the year in 2011, according to the company's earnings report released Thursday. On a fully taxable-equivalent basis, net interest expense declined 15 percent for the year arriving at $94.4 billion.
BofA's mortgage servicing portfolio is on the decline. The $1.8 trillion portfolio reported at the end of the year is down from $1.9 trillion in the previous quarter and $2.1 trillion a year ago.
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By Krista Franks | 01/17/2012
Wells Fargo & Company ended the year with record earnings in the fourth quarter, reporting a net income of $4.1 billion, up from $3.4 billion in the third quarter. The San Francisco-based bank reported year-end profits of $15.9 billion, demonstrating a 28 percent increase from yearly earnings in 2010. Wells Fargo holds a residential mortgage servicing portfolio totaling $1.8 trillion in value. As of year-end, the balance of loans 90-plus days delinquent stood at $22.4 billion.
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By Krista Franks | 01/11/2012
With a common goal of economic recovery, Congress and the Federal Reserve diverge on the best means to that end. Should the housing sector finance the government's economic policies, or should the government help boost the housing sector? Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke submitted a white paper to Congress last week as a framework for policymakers to help the housing market, but that move has drawn the ire of at least one senator.
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By Krista Franks | 01/10/2012
The number of mortgage modifications completed during the month of November rose 5 percent from October, bringing the year-to-date total to about 969,000, according to data released Tuesday by HOPE NOW, a voluntary private sector alliance of mortgage industry participants. While completed modifications rose over the month, 60-plus day delinquencies also increased. After reporting 2.65 million 60-plus day delinquencies in October, HOPE NOW reported 2.77 million in November.
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By Carrie Bay | 01/09/2012
Treasury released a new report Monday highlighting results from the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). Nearly 910,000 homeowners have received a permanent HAMP modification, saving $9.9 billion in monthly mortgage payments. Officials say they will continue to press servicers to assist underwater borrowers and address second-lien issues. A total of 38,243 principal-reducing permanent HAMP mods have been granted, and 54,828 second-lien mods have been started under the federal program.
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