Tag Archives: Mediation

What Homeowners Must Know About Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program

30 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Judicial States, Loan Modification, Mortgage mediation, Non-Judicial States, Your Legal Rights

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

What is Mediation?
Mediation is a dispute resolution process in which an impartial person, a mediator, helps parties negotiatea mutually acceptable settlement. Mediation is non-binding, guided negotiations. Mediators do notdecide matters; rather they rely on the ability of the parties to reach a voluntary agreement without coercion.

What is the Mediator’s Role?
Mediators are non-judgmental, who listen to the parties and assist and guide the parties toward their own solution by helping them delineate and focus on the important issues and understand each other’s interests. Mediators may suggest creative and innovative solutions for the parties to consider. Mediators have no authority to impose an outcome or decide the outcome of a foreclosure action.Mediators are not permitted to give you legal or financial advice. Mediators’ focus settlement discussions, relaymessages, clarifications, questions, proposals and offers and counteroffers back and forth between theparties.

Who are the Mediators?
Mediators participating in the foreclosure mediation program are screened to ensure they have foreclosuremediation training in addition to basic mediation training.

Why Foreclosure Mediation?
Mortgage lenders do not generally want to own houses (especially in th
e current environment). Lenders are willing to talk with homeowner-borrowers aboutreasonable, practical solutions to bring aboutmortgage delinquency resolutions.

How Does Foreclosure Mediation Work?
Upon receipt of this Request for Foreclosure Mediation and Financial Worksheet by the Office ofForeclosure, the material will be distributed to court staff in the local courthouse and to the lender’s attorney. Local court staff will assign a mediator to your case and set a date for the mediation when the lender and homeowner-borrower must appear. Note. A request for mediation does not stay or otherwise delay the foreclosure action.

What Happens at a Foreclosure Mediation Session?
At the mediation session, you will meet with the mediator, the lender’s attorney and a representative of the lender (this person may appear by phone). The mediator will explain his or her role and will organize discussions about what arrangements you and the lender can agree upon that will allow you to keep your home. Commonly, mediators hold private caucuseswith each party to (1) focuses each party on thecrucial factors necessary for a successful resolution and (2) help each party analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their positions. If the mediation is successful, a foreclosure mediation settlement memorandum will be prepared by the mediator and signed by all parties.

What Are Some Possible Outcomes?
There are a number of possible solutions that you and the lender can explore. The solution will depend upon what you can afford (based on what your income and expenses are), what other resources you have, what type of loan you have, the amount you owe in arrearage and other factors that will be discussed during the mediation. Each lender has a slightly different loss mitigation program. However, every lender will require that you exhibit a reasonable ability to repay the modified monthly mortgage loan payment. If you cannot show ability to pay, then your lender has no incentive to do a workout. The following are some possible solutions:

Reinstatement: Your lender agrees that all amounts required to bring your loan current can be paid (including late fees, attorney fees, taxes, insurance, et cetera) and once these amounts are paid, the foreclosure will be dismissed and you will be back on your regular payment plan.

Repayment Plan: An agreement to resume making your regular monthly payments, plus a portion of the past due payments each month until you are caught up (i.e., the lender raises the monthly payment for a set period of time until the arrears amount is caught up).

Forbearance Agreement: Forbearance agreements are plans that allow borrowers to repay a loan delinquency over time. Regular monthly payments are made according to your loan agreement, and an additional monthly payment is made each month that is applied to the delinquent amount.
Once the delinquent amount is paid in full, the normal payment amount resumes. It fully reinstates the loan. A forbearance plan may include one or more of the following features: (a) suspension or reduction of payments for a period sufficient to allow the borrower to recover from the cause of default; (b) a period during which the borrower is only required to make his/her regular monthly mortgage payment before beginning to repay the arrearage; (c) a repayment period of at least six months and (d) allow reasonable foreclosure costs and late fees accrued prior to the execution of the forbearance agreement to be included as part of the repayment schedule. However, they frequently may only be collected after the loan has been reinstated through payment of all principal, interest and escrow advances.

Extension Agreement: This is an agreement in which you pay a portion of the amount of your delinquency, and the remaining portion of the delinquent amount is added on the end of your loan.

Loan Modification: An agreement that permanently changes one or more terms of your mortgage. For example, (1) extend amortization (i.e., extending the number of years you have to repay the loan, such as, converting a 30-year loan to a 40-year loan), (2) converting a sub-prime 2-, 3- 5-, 7-year ARM loan into a fixed rate loan, (3) reducing the mortgage interest rate, (4) adding missed payments to the existing loan balance.

Loan Guarantee Partial Claim: If your mortgage is insured, your lender might help you with a one-time interest-free loan from your mortgage guarantor to bring your account current. You may be allowed to wait several years before repaying this loan.

Time to Refinance: Provided you have a reasonable prospect of arranging to refinance the loan, your lender may agree to some period during which it will not schedule a sheriff’s sale.

HOPE for Homeowners Program is a program for borrowers at risk of default and foreclosure and provides new, 30-year, fixed rate mortgages that are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Refinancing without the benefit of a government program may be impractical for most homeowners. In today’s falling market, home values are often less than the amount of the original loan and refinancing lenders generally will loan no more than 70-80% of the value of the home.

Reverse Mortgage: Reverse mortgages, or home equity conversion mortgage (HECM) loans, are commonly used to help senior citizens tap into their home equity for retirement. As a foreclosure prevention device, you generally need to be age 62 or older and have adequate accumulated home equity.

Principal Reduction: Loan principal is reduced.
This may be possible if you have a negative amortization loan (you are paying less than is necessary to full amortize (payoff) the loan during the loan’s term) and the lender is willing to reduce principal to the original loan amount. A principal reduction program may be agreed upon in exchange for a shared appreciation mortgage (SAM). A SAM is a fixed rate, fixed term loan. In exchange for a lower interest rate, you agree to give up a portion of the home’s future value — the difference between what it is worth now and what it will be worth in the future.

Principal Forbearance: Forbearance of the repayment of part of the principal interest-free. The actual principal amount due and payable at maturity of the loan (or sale of the property) is the original unmodified principal amount, less any and all periodic principal payments that you make until maturity or sale. The loan payments only partially, not fully, amortize the loan. Contrast with Principal Reduction.

Mortgage Loan Assumption: Most mortgage loans include a “due on transfer” provision. If this provision is waived by the lender, it allows a qualified individual or entity to assume the loan’s payment obligations. This is often used to facilitate the sale of the property to a third party. The original lender may or may not release you from personal liability on the note if the individual or entity assuming the loan’s payment obligation defaults.

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure: With a deed in lieu of foreclosure, you voluntarily execute a deed conveying your property to the lender in exchange for the lender canceling, in full or partial satisfaction, the debt owed on the loan. The lender often will agree to forgive any deficiency (the amount of the loan that isn’t covered by the sale proceeds) that remains after the house is sold. The lender will also agree not to initiate foreclosure proceedings or to terminate any initiatedforeclosure action.

Short sale: A sale for less than what you owe on the mortgage loan. Lenders may allow a home to be sold at a loss (consequently, the term short sale), because a short sale is nonetheless preferable to foreclosure. Foreclosure exposes lenders to potential substantial loss for litigation costs, carrying costs, including real estate taxes and insurance, and low forced sale bids or low resale prices. A short sale may be beneficial when a lender agrees to relieve you of liability for any deficiency (waive suing for a deficiency).

Voluntary Surrender/ Cash for Keys: Lenders may offer homeowners money to leave the home voluntarily without a post-foreclosure judgment eviction, if the house is in relatively good condition and undamaged.

What Happens If a Settlement Is Not Reached?
If mediation is unsuccessful, the foreclosure action will continue, ultimately leading to a sheriff’s sale, unless of course, YOU COMMENCE LITIGATION OR BANKRUPCTY IMMEDIATELY!

When Homeowner’s good faith attempts to amicably work with the Bank in order to resolve the issue fails;

Home owners should wake up TODAY! before it’s too late by mustering enough courage for “Pro Se” Litigation (Self Representation – Do it Yourself) against the Lender – for Mortgage Fraud and other State and Federal law violations using foreclosure defense package found at http://www.fightforeclosure.net “Pro Se” litigation will allow Homeowners to preserved their home equity, saves Attorneys fees by doing it “Pro Se” and pursuing a litigation for Mortgage Fraud, Unjust Enrichment, Quiet Title and Slander of Title; among other causes of action. This option allow the homeowner to stay in their home for 3-5 years for FREE without making a red cent in mortgage payment, until the “Pretender Lender” loses a fortune in litigation costs to high priced Attorneys which will force the “Pretender Lender” to early settlement in order to modify the loan; reducing principal and interest in order to arrive at a decent figure of the monthly amount the struggling homeowner could afford to pay.

If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation of losing or about to lose your home to wrongful fraudulent foreclosure, and need a complete package that will show you step-by-step litigation solutions helping you challenge these fraudsters and ultimately saving your home from foreclosure either through loan modification or “Pro Se” litigation visit: http://www.fightforeclosure.net

Advertisement

How Nevada Residents Can Effectively Use Mediation To Save Their Home

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in Affirmative Defenses, Foreclosure Defense, Non-Judicial States, Pro Se Litigation, Your Legal Rights

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The program allows homeowners and lenders to sit down with trained mediators to discuss alternatives to foreclosure. The mediations, which are confidential, are required to be conducted within 80 days of a Notice of Default and Election to Sell being recorded by the lender and served on the homeowner.

1) Only owner-occupied homes are eligible under the law

Only owner-occupied homes are eligible under the law and only if a notice of default was recorded on or after July 1, 2009. Once a homeowner elects mediation, the lender must participate. The $400 mediation fee is split equally between the two parties. The Administrative Office of the Courts is administering the program and has established a webpage with a variety of information and forms, including some information in Spanish.

2) Mediators Appointed For Foreclosure Mediation Program

The Nevada Supreme Court initially appointed the first 97 mediators for the Nevada Foreclosure Mediation Program€“ a major step that set the stage for the scheduling of the first mediations. The 97 include former Supreme Court Justice Deborah Agosti and former District Court judges Robert Gaston, Robert Estes, and Leonard Gang. Also on the list are current State Bar of Nevada President Kathy England and former Nevada Supreme Court Clerk Janette Bloom. The list of mediators has increase since then.
3). Homeowners who receive notices have 30 days from the day they received their notice to seek mediation
Homeowners who receive foreclosure notices€“ technically Notices of Default and Election to Sell have 30 days from the day they received their notice to seek mediation under the program that was created by the Nevada Legislature effective July 1, 2009.  We have seen a wave of requests for mediation and the wave is getting larger, said Verise Campbell, Foreclosure Mediation Program Manager.  This is what we expected. We knew, because of the mandated time frames, that it would take some time for the requests for mediation to come rolling in and for the program to come up to speed.
4). Once all submissions are in, cases will be assigned to mediators within 10 days
In the process, homeowners must submit their election of mediation form along with a $200 fee to their lenders within 30 days of receiving foreclosure notices. The lenders then forward the request and the homeowner’€™s funds, along with the lender’€™s $200 payment and other documents, to the Foreclosure Mediation Program. Once all submissions are in, cases will be assigned to mediators within 10 days and mediations will be scheduled within 80 days of the date the foreclosure notice was recorded.
5). Training sessions for the Nevada Foreclosure Mediation Program
The list of individuals selected to attend the first training sessions for the Nevada Foreclosure Mediation Program has been set and the participants have been notified. Those training sessions include Aug. 5 in Reno and Aug. 6-7 in Las Vegas and were designed to provide foreclosure-specific information to experienced mediators.
6). Mediation is an alternative method to help parties resolve disputes by agreement with the help of trained mediators.
The Foreclosure Mediation Program was established as a result of the Assembly Bill 149, passed during the 2009 session of the Nevada Legislature.Its purpose is to address the foreclosure crisis head-on and to help keep Nevada families in their homes. This law establishes a Foreclosure Mediation Program for owner-occupied residential properties that are subject to foreclosure notices formally known as a Notice of Default and Election to Sell€“ filed on or after July 1, 2009. Mediation is an alternative method to help parties resolve disputes by agreement with the help of trained mediators.

7). Lenders must have someone at the mediation or available with the authority to modify a loan

Under the Supreme Court Rules, the homeowner must submit copies of financial records and indicate the amount of a mortgage payment that could be made if a loan modification could be reached. Lenders must submit documents indicating current appraisals of a home’€™s value and estimates of what it could sell for in a so-called short sale. Lenders must have someone at the mediation or available with the authority to modify a loan and provide the original or certified copies of the mortgage note, deed of trust, and any assignments of the mortgage note or deed of trust. The rules require that the parties to mediate in “good faith.”

8). the program will offer homeowners the opportunity to sit down with their lenders, mediation will not be the solution for everyone

In July of 2011 when the program first started, 4,205 foreclosure notices were recorded in Nevada. (15 of 17 counties reporting; That was down from the monthly average of about 7,600 and well below the more than 11,000 filed in June. In addition to the owner-occupied homes eligible for the Foreclosure Mediation Program, the foreclosure notices include commercial properties and residential housing not occupied by the owners.

9). New recording fee for Notices of Default and Election to Sell

The Nevada Foreclosure Mediation Program has also resulted in a new recording fee for Notices of Default and Election to Sell. The new fee, established by Assembly Bill 65, is $50. On this website is an information brochure announcing the new recording fee for the Notice of Default The Election/Waiver of Mediation Form to be served with the Notice of Default and Election to Sell is included along with instructions for the individuals recording the notices involved in the new foreclosure procedures.

10). If there is an agreement, the parties will execute the appropriate documents.

Within 10 days of the mediation, the mediator will prepare the necessary Statement of Agreement or Non-agreement and serve it on the parties. The original will be filed with the Foreclosure Mediation Program Administrator and the mediation will be closed. Within 10 days of the mediation, the mediator will prepare the necessary Statement of Agreement or Non-agreement and serve it on the parties. The original will be filed with the Foreclosure Mediation Program Administrator and the mediation will be closed. If there is an agreement, the parties will execute the appropriate documents. If there is no agreement, the parties will be free to pursue other legal remedies.. If there is no agreement, the parties will be free to pursue other legal remedies.

TIMELINE FOR NEVADA FORECLOSURE
DAY     EVENT
DAY 1 – –    Notice of Default and Election to sell is recorded.
An State of Nevada Election/Waiver of Mediation is sent to homeowner along with copy of Notice of Default and Election to Sell.
Within the Next 10 Days     Notice of Default and Election to Sell must sent out to the Trustor/Owner and all the Lien Holders by U.S. Post Office Certified Mail.
1st Day after Mailing the NOD  – –   A 35 day reinstatement period begins.
DAY 30 – –    Election to Mediate expires 30 days from the date of the Notice of Default and Election to sell.
DAY 35  – –   The right to reinstate expires. Not at midnight but at the end of the working day.
25 Days before Foreclosure     Lender notifies the IRS (if applicable).
DAY 91  – –   The lender has the right to send out a Notice of Trustee’s Sale. From the date of the Notice of Trustee’s Sale it’s 20 days to foreclosure, unless otherwise specified in the notice. Notice of Trustee’s Sale must be sent via U.S. Registered Mail to all parties who require notification. The notice must also be posted within the County where the sale is to be held and where the property is located.
1 Week before Foreclosure     A bid price is typically established at this point. The bid amount includes principal, interest, advances and costs.
DAY 111 – –   Day of Trustee’s Sale also known as the foreclosure day. Anyone interested in buying the property can bid on the property. Only cash or certified funds are accepted. After the sale, a new deed is provided for the new owner. The new owner may be the bank or the winning bidder.

Note: Over the last few years, we saw that many times lenders did not act this quickly in their execution of foreclosures but it is important to note that they have the right to do so.

Quick Facts

–  Judicial Foreclosure Available: Yes

–  Non-Judicial Foreclosure Available: Yes

–  Primary Security Instruments: Deed of Trust, Mortgage

–  Timeline: Typically 120 days

–  Right of Redemption: Yes

–  Deficiency Judgments Allowed: Yes

In Nevada, lenders may foreclose on deeds of trusts or mortgages in default using either a judicial or non-judicial foreclosure process.

Judicial Foreclosure

The judicial process of foreclosure, which involves filing a lawsuit to obtain a court order to foreclose, is used when no power of sale is present in the mortgage or deed of trust. Generally, after the court declares a foreclosure, your home will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

The borrower has one year (12 months) after the foreclosure sale to redeem the property if the judicial foreclosure process is used.

Non-Judicial Foreclosure

The non-judicial process of foreclosure is used when a power of sale clause exists in a mortgage or deed of trust. A “power of sale” clause is the clause in a deed of trust or mortgage, in which the borrower pre-authorizes the sale of property to pay off the balance on a loan in the event of the their default. In deeds of trust or mortgages where a power of sale exists, the power given to the lender to sell the property may be executed by the lender or their representative, typically referred to as the trustee. Regulations for this type of foreclosure process are outlined below in the “Power of Sale Foreclosure Guidelines”.

Power of Sale Foreclosure Guidelines

If the deed of trust or mortgage contains a power of sale clause and specifies the time, place and terms of sale, then the specified procedure must be followed. Otherwise, the non-judicial power of sale foreclosure is carried out as follows:

  1. A copy of the notice of default and election to sell must be mailed certified, return receipt requested, to the borrower, at their last known address, on the date the notice is recorded in the county where the property is located. Any additional postings and advertisements must be done in the same manner as for an execution sale in Nevada.

    Beginning on the day after the notice of default and election was recorded with the county and mailed to the borrower, the borrower has anywhere from fifteen (15) to thirty five (35) days to cure the default by paying the delinquent amount on the loan. The actual amount of time given is dependent on the date of the original deed of trust.

  2. The owner of the property may stop the foreclosure proceedings by filing an “Intent to Cure” with the Public Trustee’s office at least fifteen (15) days prior to the foreclosure sale and then paying the necessary amount to bring the loan current by noon the day before the foreclosure sale is scheduled.
  3. The foreclosure sale itself will be held at the place, the time and on the date stated in the notice of default and election and must be conducted in the same manner as for an execution sale of real property.

Lenders have three (3) months after the sale to try and obtain a deficiency judgment. Borrowers have no rights of redemption.

NEVADA FORECLOSURE TIMELINE

DAY EVENT
DAY 1 Notice of Default and Election to sell is recorded.
An State of Nevada Election/Waiver of Mediation is sent to homeowner along with copy of Notice of Default and Election to Sell.
Within the Next 10 Days Notice of Default and Election to Sell must sent out to the Trustor/Owner and all the Lien Holders by U.S. Post Office Certified Mail.
1st Day after Mailing the NOD A 35 day reinstatement period begins.
DAY 30 Election to Mediate expires 30 days from the date of the Notice of Default and Election to sell.
DAY 35 The right to reinstate expires. Not at midnight but at the end of the working day.
25 Days before Foreclosure Lender notifies the IRS (if applicable).
DAY 91 The lender has the right to send out a Notice of Trustee’s Sale. From the date of the Notice of Trustee’s Sale it’s 20 days to foreclosure, unless otherwise specified in the notice. Notice of Trustee’s Sale must be sent via U.S. Registered Mail to all parties who require notification. The notice must also be posted within the County where the sale is to be held and where the property is located.
1 Week before Foreclosure A bid price is typically established at this point. The bid amount includes principal, interest, advances and costs.
DAY 111 Day of Trustee’s Sale also known as the foreclosure day. Anyone interested in buying the property can bid on the property. Only cash or certified funds are accepted. After the sale, a new deed is provided for the new owner. The new owner may be the bank or the winning bidder.

Over the last few years, we saw that many times lenders did not act this quickly in their execution of foreclosures but it is important to note that they have the right to do so.

– See more at: http://michaelsrealestate.com/nevada-foreclosure-law/#sthash.CfhtdkBI.dpuf

For more information about foreclosure defense please visit: http://www.fightforeclosure.net