Q: How do I
know if I qualify for the refinancing plan?
A: Only homeowners in good standing whose loans are held
by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac qualify.
The property must be owner-occupied and the borrower
must have enough income to make payments on the new
mortgage debt.
Borrowers can't owe more than 105 percent of their
home's current value on their first mortgage. For
example, if your home is worth $200,000, your first
mortgage can't exceed $210,000. Borrowers with a second
mortgage still can qualify as long as their first
mortgage isn't more than 105 percent of their home's
value.
Homeowners can't take cash out during the refinancing to
pay other debt. Borrowers have until June 2010 to apply
for the program.
Q: How do I know if my mortgage is owned by Fannie
Mae or Freddie Mac?
A: Call your current lender or mortgage servicer. You
can find the phone number on your monthly mortgage
statement or coupon book.
You can also contact Fannie Mae at 1-800-7FANNIE and
Freddie Mac at 1-800-FREDDIE from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.
Or, go to
www.fanniemae.com/homeaffordable or
www.freddiemac..com/avoidforeclosure
and fill out the online request forms.
Q: What borrowers qualify for the modification
program?
A: You don't have to be behind on your mortgage payments
to qualify. Delinquent borrowers and current borrowers
who are at risk of imminent default are both eligible.
The program applies to mortgages made on Jan. 1 or
earlier. The mortgage payment including taxes, insurance
and homeowners association dues must exceed 31 percent
of the borrowers' gross monthly income.
The property must be the homeowner's primary residence.
It can't be investor-owned, vacant or condemned. Home
loans for single-family properties that are worth more
than $759,750 don't qualify.
The program is voluntary, relying on a $75 billion
subsidy to encourage mortgage companies to participate.
Lenders must agree to reduce the loan payments to 38
percent of a borrower's monthly income. After that, the
government and lender split the cost of bringing the
payment down to 31 percent.
Eligible borrowers will have to provide their most
recent tax return and two pay stubs, as well as an
"affidavit of financial hardship" to qualify for the
loan modification program. In the affidavit, applicants
will have to cite the reasons behind their financial
woes, such as job loss or a drop in income. The
government will then take steps to verify the
information.
Borrowers are only allowed to have their loans modified
once. The program runs through Dec. 31, 2012.
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Q: How
can FCLhelp.com help me?
A: For the
modification program, call your lender or mortgage servicer to
see if you're eligible. For the refinance program, first find
out if your mortgage is held by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Then
contact your lender, mortgage servicer or a mortgage broker for
refinancing options.
Q: What if I'm
in bankruptcy or in active litigation over my mortgage?
A: That doesn't necessarily keep you from qualifying for the
modification program. And borrowers in active litigation can
modify their home loans without waiving their legal rights.
Q:
How soon can I get help?
A: Both
the modification and refinancing programs start immediately.
Q:
What if I don't qualify for either program — is there any other
way to get help with a mortgage?
A: we
contact your lender or mortgage servicer regarding other
modification programs or refinance options. Alternatively, we
contact a local housing counselor to negotiate with your lender
or servicer, to help locate other local resources like rescue
grants or loans, or to facilitate a short sale or deed-in-lieu
of foreclosure if staying in the home isn't possible.
A short
sale is where homeowners sell houses for less than the amount
owed on them, and the lender then considers the debt paid off. A
deed-in-lieu of foreclosure is where the borrower gives the
property to the lender to satisfy a delinquent loan and to avoid
foreclosure proceedings

See more at:
www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/
Some of this content was first reported in the
Associated
Press website.
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