Tag: underwater

Options for Florida Homeowners with Homes that are “Underwater”

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

What are your Options if your House is Underwater? More and more Floridians are coming to the unsettling realization that their homes are now worth less than they owe on their mortgage(s). This unfortunate scenario is commonly referred to as your house being “underwater.”
One of the most common questions that clients ask is “What are my options if my house is underwater?” Generally, the answer is that you have 6 options and their descriptions are below.

I. Continue Paying

If you can afford the payments and are more comfortable paying an over-priced loan than walking away from it, you may decide to keep paying.

  1. Pros – The pros of continuing to pay on the loan as it stands include
    1. protection of your credit score
    2. predictability of future payments
    3. household stability
  2. Cons – The cons of continuing to pay on the loan as it stands are
    1. substantially inflated housing payments
    2. compromised standard of living due to high cost of housing
    3. little or no chance of building equity in under 20 years

II. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

If you want nothing more to do with the property and are ready to “walk away,” then offering the bank a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure (“Deed in Lieu”) may be the choice for you. A Deed in Lieu describes a situation in which the borrower agrees to vacate the property. And, abandon any claim or rights to the property. Banks like this option because it saves them the expenses and delays associated with judicial foreclosure. In return, most banks are willing to waive any deficiency claims that may result after the subsequent sale.

  1. Pros – The pros of offering the bank a Deed in Lieu include…
    1. An instant solution to the problem, allowing you to move on right away and start rebuilding your credit
    2. Potential waiver of any deficiency judgment
  2. Cons – The cons of offering the bank a Deed in Lieu include…
    1. It will have nearly the same effect on your credit score as a foreclosure. However, you will save your credit score from the damage that having successive late mortgage payments would cause.
    2. There are tax implications when any debt is forgiven. This results in a cancellation of debt that the IRS considers to be taxable income. However, exceptions to this rule include Insolvency (your total secured debts were higher than the Fair Market Value of your assets at the time of foreclosure sale). And, Bankruptcy (filing for Ch. 7 Bankruptcy would discharge this liability).
    3. A Deed in Lieu is only possible if there are no junior liens on the property (i.e., home equity loans or 2nd mortgages)

III. Short Sale

A short sale is a type of pre-sale in which the bank agrees to let you sell the property for less than the full amount owed. And, to accept the proceeds of the sale as full satisfaction of the debt.

  1. Pros – The pros of Short Selling the property include…
    1. Potential waiver of any deficiency judgment
    2. Slightly less negative impact on the your credit score
  2. Cons – The cons of Short Selling the property include …
    1. There are tax implications when any debt is forgiven. This results in a cancellation of debt that the IRS considers to be taxable income. However, exceptions to this rule include Insolvency (your total secured debts were higher than the Fair Market Value of your assets at the time of foreclosure sale); Bankruptcy (filing for Ch. 7 Bankruptcy would discharge this liability); and the Mortgage Debt Relief Forgiveness Act which has been recently extended through December 31, 2013.
    2. While a Short Sale may be slightly better for your credit than a full foreclosure, it still has a substantial negative impact. However, for those unable or unwilling to file for Bankruptcy, a Short Sale may be the best option in avoiding facing a deficiency judgment later on.

IV. Loan Modification

The intent of a modification is to eliminate the arrearage and reduce monthly mortgage payments for homeowners who have recovered from financial distress but whose net income has been reduced to a level lower than it was before the default, such that they can no longer afford the original loan.

  1. Pros – The pros of modifying your loan include…
    1. You can stay in the home at a payment that is affordable based on the income information you provided to the bank to get the modification.
    2. No dramatic negative impact to your credit score
  2. Cons – The cons of modifying your loan include if you:
    1. Suffer a reduction in income you will no longer be able to afford the payments and will have to start the process over.
    2. Are “upside down” on your mortgage after the modification, you will still be paying substantially inflated housing payments
    3. Are “upside down” on your mortgage after the modification, you may still be compromising your standard of living due to high cost of housing
    4. And, if you are “upside down” on your mortgage after the modification, you may still have little or no chance of building equity in less than 20 years.

V. Litigation / Foreclosure Defense

If none of the above choices are acceptable to you, then you may be interested in pursuing a Foreclosure Defense strategy. In short, a foreclosure defense strategy affords you the opportunity to stop making payments on the mortgage, property tax, and property insurance while an attorney defends your legal rights against the foreclosure action.

  1. Pros – The pros of pursuing a foreclosure defense strategy include…
    1. The opportunity to save your monthly housing expenses for an indefinite period of time. This money can be later used for moving expenses, housing, or as a down payment on a subsequent home purchase.
    2. This option gives you the most time to get your affairs in order and to plan for your next step.
  2. Cons – The cons of pursuing a foreclosure defense strategy include…
    1. You will eventually lose the house unless the bank agrees to allow resumption of payments or full payment of the loan is tendered (this is also referred to as “redemption”).
    2. You will have the dramatic negative impact of a foreclosure on your credit score.
    3. The servicer may pursue a deficiency judgment for the difference between the amount of the mortgage loan and the foreclosure sale price.
    4. If the bank waives the deficiency, there may be tax implications. This results in a cancellation of debt that is considered by the IRS to be taxable income. However, exceptions to this rule include Insolvency (your total secured debts were higher than the Fair Market Value of your assets at the time of foreclosure sale) and Bankruptcy (filing for Ch. 7 Bankruptcy would discharge this liability).

VI. Bankruptcy

Filing a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy may enable you to “strip off” any fully unsecured liens on your property. If your home is worth less than what you owe on your first mortgage, then any subsequent mortgages are fully unsecured in that there is no equity in the property above the first mortgage to secure them. In this scenario, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy may enable you to discharge the debts associated with the subsequent mortgages as well as strip off the liens completely. At the end of your successful Chapter 13 payment plan, you keep the house with only the first mortgage.

  1. Pros – The pros of pursuing a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy strategy include…
    1. Discharge and strip of any 2nd mortgages or Home Equity Lines of Credit
    2. Discharge of most unsecured debt (including credit cards, medical bills, etc.)
    3. Once the Chapter 13 plan is confirmed, all creditors must abide by the terms and honor the outcome.
  2. Cons – The cons of pursuing a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy strategy include…
    1. Filing Bankruptcy will negatively impact your credit score
    2. The Chapter 13 plan will last 3 or 5 years and you only get your discharge if and when the plan is completed.
    3. Bankruptcy may not be the best option for everyone at every time and an attorney should always be consulted with prior to making a decision as to whether or not to file.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy; or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 888-886-0020. Or, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

South Florida Bankruptcy Filings Continue to Fall

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

South Florida bankruptcy filings were down substantially in the 2nd quarter, compared to last year; according to data released by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. Personal bankruptcy filings (Chapter 7 & Chapter 13) in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties totaled 7,194. This is from April through June of 2012; down 23% from 2011.

Bankruptcy filings can be linked in large part to the rate of foreclosure filings. And, foreclosure sales, both of which slowed in 2011. This is due to the banks’ robo-signing debacle and nationwide settlement with states’ attorneys general. While foreclosure filings have begun to pick up steam again, many homeowners are avoiding bankruptcy. They are doing this by obtaining loan modifications or participating in the short sale process.

Bankruptcies increased in 2007 and 2008 following the collapse of the housing market. But, they are now starting to taper off with the demand for housing in South Florida starting to make a come-back and the willingness of servicers to participate in the loan modification process improving.

A struggling homeowner tends to file for bankruptcy just before the bank is scheduled to repossess a property. The bankruptcy filing temporarily halts the foreclosure action and buys the borrower more time to negotiate with the lender. When the value of a property is less than what’s owed, the lender can go back to court after the foreclosure. Moreover, they can hold the homeowner responsible for the difference. Bankruptcies wipe out these so-called deficiency judgments. A bankruptcy also may discharge a second mortgage.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy; or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987. Or, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

Florida Grabs a Chunk of Foreclosure Settlement Money for State Budget

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

Out of $334 million in cash payments sent to Florida in a multibillion-dollar mortgage settlement with major banks, more than $33 million will help strengthen the state’s budget. In fact, Florida is one of several states taking a portion of the $2.5 billion in cash payments from banks. And, Florida is using it for programs not directly related to the foreclosure crisis. So, Florida’s total take in the $25 billion national settlement is worth about $8.4 billion.

About $334 million of that came in the form of a cash payment to the state. Furthermore, the attorney general’s office has maintained that most of the money will go to directly to help home­owners. Moreover, settlement documents indicate that Bondi negotiated the 10 percent civil penalty; resulting in a $33.4 million cash payment to the general fund. For now, Florida is only using 10 percent of the cash payment to strengthen its general budget. However, some other states are using all or a majority of their funds to plug large budget holes. A few states have clauses similar to Florida’s, directing 10 percent of the money to general revenue as a penalty.

$300 Million to Go

Still, some states have decided to use all of the funds for homeowners. In fact, they are citing that they were the main victims in the robo-signing scandal. The remaining $300 million in Florida’s settlement cash has not yet been allocated. Bondi asked members of the public for suggestions on how to spend the money this month. Moreover, he has stated that it would be used to provide direct relief help for homeowners. Housing groups have advocated for the money to be used for legal aid for homeowners and low-income housing programs.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy; or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987. Or, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

Lenders Prefer Short Sales to Foreclosures

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

Short sales are exceeding the number of foreclosure sales in South Florida. Broward County had 1,831 short sales in the first three months of 2012, compared with 1,476 foreclosure deals. On a quarterly basis, this is the first time short sales have outnumbered foreclosures in Broward since early 2008. Short sales also exceeded foreclosures in Palm Beach County and across Florida from January through March.

Banks are more motivated to do short sales because of the messiness and the risk of foreclosures. After a homeowner defaults on a mortgage, the bank files a foreclosure lawsuit. But, the two sides often continue to negotiate a resolution. A short sale is when the lender allows the homeowner to sell for less than what’s owed on the mortgage and absolves the homeowner from paying a deficiency. Foreclosures can be lengthy. It takes an average of 861 days to complete a foreclosure in Florida. This is one of the longest timelines in the nation. There’s a backlog of cases in Florida courts because in 2010 some bank employees admitted they had signed off on thousands of cases without proper review. As a result, some major lenders temporarily suspended foreclosures.

Time Frame of Short Sales

A short sale in Florida takes an average of 603 days. Although, many now are happening much faster sometimes within a few months. They are helping the housing market recover. That is because they more quickly put distressed homes in the hands of cash buyers or owners who can afford the mortgages. The number of Broward short sales in the first quarter of 2012 increased 30 percent from the same period a year ago. Statewide, short sales rose 18 percent from a year ago. Some of the biggest lenders, including Bank of America and Chase, now offer thousands of dollars to homeowners to complete them.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy, or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

Voluntary Dismissals and Foreclosure Paperwork Irregularities Examined

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

The Florida Supreme Court got a request. It has to do with the prevention of lenders from escaping sanctions for using fraudulent documents by filing voluntary dismissals. The issue is whether courts have the authority to reject the voluntary dismissals of the cases. And, instead impose sanctions, including dismissing the foreclosures with prejudice. Attorneys asking for dismissal with prejudice argue. They state that the current system allows every party who comes before the courts to lie, cheat, or steal; knowing if they are caught they can simply voluntarily dismiss and clear themselves of that fraud.

The banks argue that when a party has not been harmed then that party cannot seek to undo a voluntary dismissal. Moreover, they agree that sanctions are justified if a submission to the court is improper. To deter improper conduct, courts have many punishments. Lawyers and parties already face a variety of sanctions if they use fraudulent documents.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy; or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987. Or, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

This ruling could have a major effect on the state’s backlog of foreclosure cases as well as future lending practices. A change of this scale would impact general credit and lending practices. Also, the backlog of foreclosure cases in the court system. The threat of sanctions would force lenders to continue litigating unstable cases, rather than cure defects in a new proceeding.

Forced Placed Homeowners Insurance Policies

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

If you think your homeowners insurance is too expensive, then you would be interested to hear Mark Kunzelmann’s story. Mr. Kunzelmann is a 49-year-old network specialist. Just over a year ago, he let the policy on his four-bedroom, North Palm Beach home expire.

But you would not believe what the oversight, which was later remedied, cost him, approximately $10,000 for a few months’ worths of coverage. If your home is financed then you must have homeowners insurance that protects the lender’s interest in the property. If for some reason you let the policy lapse, then your bank can obtain a force-placed insurance policy. And, they can pass on the charges to you. In Mr. Kunzelmann’s case, his lender, Wells Fargo got a policy that was way above his budget.

The policy that was acquired cost him nearly $18000.00 dollars a year. And, Wells Fargo got an 11 percent commission from Assurant. Turns out many lenders have relationships with insurance companies. So, when homeowners allow their policy to lapse they will turn to that entity for a policy. Needless to say but “It left a very bad taste in my mouth,” Kunzelmann said. “I told them, ‘If you do this to me, I’m going to sue you and take my business elsewhere.’ ” Kunzelmann has followed through on his threats. He recently refinanced his mortgage with another lender. And, he has filed a federal lawsuit in order to recoup not just his loss, but the loss of the thousands of fellow Wells Fargo customers who suffered a similar fate.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy, or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

National Mortgage Settlement

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

National Mortgage Settlement seems to take some time.

As part of the national mortgage settlement signed in March of 2012, Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Ally Financial have agreed to offer at least $10 billion in loan forgiveness or principal reduction. In fact, they are offering it to an estimated 11.1 million homeowners who are in default or underwater. After three months the banks’ distribution of this relief is slow. According to housing counselors that The Huffington Post surveyed, only a few individuals got an offer of a principal reduction. That is out of dozens who applied for modifications. These institutions are not indicating how much principal they have written off. Even though a report to the government on their efforts is due in September of 2012.

Baloon Payment

It seems that principal reductions are very rarely seen. And, banks are more likely to offer the homeowner a principal forbearance. It moves the payment of most of the debt to the end of the loan’s term. In fact, this is identified as a balloon payment. During the first few years of the housing crisis, banks and other institutions that service loans made life difficult for hundreds of thousands of homeowners. All of those who tried to obtain a loan modification and failed. Moreover, the institutions lost paperwork, failed to follow up with borrowers. And, they even pushed homeowners who were current on their payments into foreclosure.

However, there seems to be a reasonable explanation as to why there still has not been much change these last few months. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are the government-backed mortgage giants that control 60 percent of the mortgage market refused to participate in principal reduction; except for limited circumstances. These two entities hold 29.2 million mortgages, 3.3 million of these loans are underwater. According to Edward Demarco, director for the Federal Housing Finance Agency; loan write-downs are a “moral hazard” since the practice might encourage borrowers now current on their mortgages to stop making payments.

Only time can tell whether or not this new settlement will actually help the millions of homeowners across the country desperately reaching out for help.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy, or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

Lien Stripping on TBE Property in Chapter 13

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

When deciding whether to file a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy together with your spouse, there is a new interesting factor to consider. In a recent case, the next thing happened. Judge Cristol denied a Chapter 13 Debtor the ability to strip a lien off of his home. Lien stripping is a great benefit of Chapter 13. It allows an underwater property owner to knock off a second mortgage, provided it does not have full security.

However, debtors will now have to take into account how their home is owned when considering lien stripping. In this case, the filing of Chapter 13 was individual or without the Debtor’s spouse. The entirety (TBE) of the Debtor and his wife owned the home as tenants. TBE means neither spouse owns the home individually, but each spouse owns the whole or entirety.

The Judge determined that individual debtors do not have permission to strip down or off a mortgage. That is unless the other spouse is also a joint debtor in the Chapter 13 case. Unfortunately, this is a burden of TBE ownership. When a property is owned TBE, any type of ownership change requires joint action by both spouses. On the upside, Chapter 13 allows a debtor to voluntarily dismiss their case at any time, unlike Chapter 7. So if you file Chapter 13 individually and you want to strip a lien, then you may voluntarily dismiss your case. And, you may refile with your spouse included.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy; or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987. Or, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

Stripping an Unsecured 2nd Mortgage in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. Can it be?

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

Previously, lien stripping was something that could only be done in Chapter 13. However, a recent opinion from the 11th Circuit has changed that rule. Here, a Chapter 7 debtor in Georgia sought to strip off a second mortgage that was totally unsecured. The 11th Circuit reversed the Bankruptcy Court. And, they found that the lien could be stripped off pursuant to the plain language of the Bankruptcy Code.

It is an old belief that the Supreme Court’s decision in Dewsnup v. Timm precluded a Chapter 7 debtor from stripping off a lien. However, the Supreme Court only addressed stripping down in Chapter 7. Stripping down is the process of reducing a secured claim to the value of the property it secures. There is a very clear difference between the two.

While this is a Georgia case, 11th Circuit decisions are controlled in Florida; because Florida is part of the 11th Circuit. Accordingly, it will be interesting to see how bankruptcy judges in our district rule when they face this new case law.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy, or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.

Dodgers Bankruptcy Plan to Include Divorce Payments

Posted on by Emil Fleysher

The Los Angeles Dodgers have cleared up last-minute money disputes ahead of a hearing. They did this to confirm a bankruptcy reorganization plan that provides for selling the team for $2 billion. The filing of documents took place on behalf of the Dodgers that sought to convince the judge to approve the plan. They stated that the plan would provide more than sufficient capital to ensure the long-term financial success of the team. The plan is a remarkable outcome for the Dodgers. When the case began, they did not have enough cash to meet payroll. And, they ended up in a bitter dispute with Major League Baseball.

The Dodgers responded to concerns by the team owner’s ex-wife. They said that the plan failed to specify that she will get $131 million to satisfy her divorce agreement. Although the team was not a party to the divorce agreement, the Dodgers will stipulate that she receive her money.

Baseball Commissioner Allan Selig has objected to language declaring the team owes no payments to the league for its legal costs and fees. Moreover, he argued that, under the league constitution, the Dodgers are liable for $7.6 million. The league spent it on legal fees and costs associated with the bankruptcy. The MLB objections are being addressed with a mediator. Also, they are anticipated to be resolved prior to the confirmation hearing.

If you have questions about foreclosure, loan modification, bankruptcy; or other alternatives, please feel free to call my office at 954-484-9987. Or, send an e-mail to emil@fleysherlaw.com, or complete the contact form below.