Foreclosures, Mortgages

New requirements, interpretations and issues have been raised in 2015 as to federal mortgage servicing requirements. These are all covered in the updated online version of Chapter 3 of NCLC’s Foreclosures and Mortgage Servicing (5th ed. 2014). Click on highlight updates to see the new changes added since the print edition: Section 3.2.2: this new section addresses the question of whether RESPA...

This article provides tips and explains new protections for homeowners having difficulty making mortgage payments. Included are federal and state forbearance programs and moratoria on foreclosures. Just as important, the article explains how to apply for forbearance, how forbearance prevents foreclosure, and what mortgage repayment options are available once the forbearance period expires.

The Talent-Nelson Military Lending Act (MLA), 10 U.S.C. § 987, enacted in 2006, imposes a 36% interest rate cap, bans mandatory arbitration, and imposes other restrictions on “consumer credit” extended to service members and their dependents. The MLA thus applies to more than 5 million Americans. The MLA though applies only to an individual who, at the time he or she becomes obligated on a...

HUD created a March 21st deadline for reverse mortgage servicers to assign the reverse mortgage to HUD without financial penalty in order to protect certain surviving non-borrower spouses from foreclosure. This article explains the meaning of the deadline and what actions non-borrowing surviving spouses should take so that they can remain in their homes. For a certain category of surviving spouses, it is important to act before March 21.

This article lists a growing number of actions Congress, governors, federal and state agencies, and companies are taking to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic: suspensions on foreclosures, evictions, and terminations on telecommunications and utility service, elimination of interest and forbearance on student loan payments and home mortgages, and more.

This article highlights steps to take to prepare for the end of HAMP and other Making Home Affordable programs that sunset at the end of 2016. Reference can also be made to Treasury Supplemental Directive 16-02 and 16-03.

This article sets out homeowner rights when homeowners get behind on their mortgage payments after a natural disaster. The article includes the new FHA policy and an overview of options for Fannie, Freddie, FHA, VA, and RHS loans, plus steps the homeowner should take to obtain relief.

With the phasing out of HAMP, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have created a new home loan modification program that is now in effect, as detailed in this article.

As explained in this article, an August federal court decision finds that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are state actors, meaning their foreclosures must meet constitutional due process standards. This ruling thus has the potential to reshape most foreclosures in the majority of states that allow nonjudicial foreclosures.

Critical CFPB rules governing mortgage servicing are now in effect as of October 19. As described in this article, the rules provide essential protections for homeowners applying for loan modifications to avoid foreclosure or otherwise dealing with mortgage servicers.