Loss Mitigation

What Is Loss Mitigation

Many home buyers who start out purchasing a home never dream there could come a day when financial disruptions can put their home in jeopardy. Unfortunately, "Life Happens" and homeowners can lose their jobs, experience serious medical issues, or some other significant financial crises. The concept of Loss Mitigation is really simple. It is a series of Opportunities that HUD has in place that assist home buyers in curing defaults that have resulted from nonpayment of their mortgage.

In 2004, 54% of FHA Insured home owners who were in the Foreclosure process avoided the loss of their home as a result of one of HUD's Loss Mitigation programs. Of that total, an astounding 93% (78,525) were able to keep their homes. As more and more homeowners are educated to the options available, this number is sure to only increase.

The programs offered by HUD for Loss Mitigation fall into two categories.

Home Retention Options: Special Forbearance, Mortgage Modification and Partial Claim and are designed to assist home owners in curing the default.

• • Special Forbearance: A Lender can arrange for a revised payment plan that may include the temporary reduction, or the suspension, of payments.

  • Mortgage Modification: Your Lender may allow the refinance of debts and/or extend the terms of you mortgage loan, which will reduce your monthly mortgage payment.

  • Partial Claim: A Lender may be able to assist you in obtaining an Interest Free Loan from HUD to bring your Mortgage Current. Typically, these loans require no repayment until your 1st Mortgage is paid in Full.

Non-Retention Options: Pre-Foreclosure Sale and Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure Sale, are designed to minimize loss to both the home owner and the FHA Program. Both of these options require the homeowner to relinquish possession of the home.

• • Pre-Foreclosure Sale: Allows you to sell your home on the market to pay off your mortgage and avoid foreclosure, even if the proceeds are less than the amount owed.

  • Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure: Let you voluntarily "give back" your property to the Lender in exchange for a release from all obligations under the mortgage. This saves You and the Lender the potential costs and losses associated with the foreclosure process.

HUD's Loss Mitigation program is really a unique approach to mortgage default. Many, Many home owners receive the benefit of staying in their homes, limiting damage to their credit ratings and the reduction of stress that can distract many from resolving the financial issues that created the default. Both HUD and Lenders benefit in avoiding the cost and losses that can result from foreclosing on properties in default. A real Win/Win for everyone.

Given all of the options available to the average home buyer seeking to finance their home with a traditional mortgage product, the FHA Loan Program is, without exception, the best investment a homebuyer can make to the long term security of home retention in today's market and the many tomorrow's that will follow.

To learn more about HUD's Home Retention Programs, contact your local HUD-approved housing counseling agency @ 1-800-483-2209.