Hard Money Loans

A $12 million settlement was reached in a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission against National Foreclosure Relief Inc. A $60 million lawsuit was filed in October by California’s attorney general against US Loan Auditors. In Florida, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Peter James Porcelli II was sentenced to prison and hit with a $1.8 million judgment.

View full post on Mortgage Stories

There are a number of places that have been substantially damaged by the slumping economy in the United States. These are all places that have been impacted in that home values are going down and unemployment levels are going up. These are places where people are less likely to be able to handle their loans. This is why more loan modifications are being offered. Loan modifications from agencies like 1st Foreclosure Mortgage can work to get anyone to stop a foreclosure and save a home.

The Unites States Department of Housing and Urban Development has created new services through its Neighborhood Stabilization Program. This is used to help with giving out grants to local governments that can help to assist homeowners who are at risk of having their homes foreclosed upon. The services that are being offered are working to handle loan concerns that people who are at risk of foreclosure can have.

It is estimated that six billion dollars has been handled through the NSP for handling services. Every state government got a base support payment of $19.6 million. Some of the money that has not been handled yet will be doled out to areas that have to deal with higher foreclosure and unemployment rates. These include places like Michigan, California and Arizona.

This is an important service for people in states that have been impacted severely by foreclosures to see. Many loan modification specialists like the ones with 1st Foreclosure Mortgage will be working to see that clients are going to be able to work with this money. This is needed because of how this money can work to make a better loan modification easier for one to handle. It can also be used as an incentive for lenders to work with loan modification services in a number of hard hit areas.

Another beneficial thing to see is that the government is working to support counseling for people who need services. Loan modification agencies like 1st Foreclosure Mortgage are receiving $150 million in funds to use for housing counseling services. This is used to get people to learn how to handle different services and how to deal with funds that will be used for paying off a mortgage after it has been modified. These funds are needed as a means of making sure that loans can be properly modified.

Many local agencies that can work with loan modifications can work with the standards that have been imposed by the government. This is provided that they work to handle agreements with HUD and to work with a guarantee. Failing to work with a good guarantee will cause an agency to lose money through a series of penalties.

Loan modifications can be great to see in areas that have been impacted substantially by the economy. HUD is working to handle different types of services and is offering funds in grants and counseling services to local governments and to loan modification specialists. These funds are being used to ensure that loan modifications can be easily handled.

The United States needs loan modifications.

March 01, 2009

By: Peter Shu

Orange County, California – According to a recent Gallup Poll, over 50% of Americans feel that offering government aide(mortgage bailout) to homeowners in distress is unfair1. My fellow Americans, it seems as if in this hard time we are hard-pressed to find support from others in more fortunate situations. In fact the same source also outlined that according to America, only 6% of Americans feel that the government’s aide will even have a substantial effect on the mortgage crisis2.  The fact of the matter is that often times hardworking citizens find themselves in times of hardship. You may be one of the homeowners with children, dreams and lives that revolve around your precious home. You may also be a multiple home owner, homes that you have earned through years of hard work. With Americans weary of government assistance, what can homeowners do?

Homeowners have the right to defend themselves against lenders, often times in order to stay in one’s home an individual must take the initiative. During any crisis those who act proactively have historically been the most successful. This is true for any financial investment as well. Albeit, the home for many homeowners is much more then an investment. The reality of the situation is that in order to keep your property, homeowners should not sit and wait for help. Homeowners are now turning to loan modifications as a means of survival. A loan modification is by far the most effective and economically sound decision a homeowner can make. What is a loan modification? A loan modification is a relatively new option that many homeowners are using to keep their properties. As other options are less effective and can cost homeowners much more money. In this current economy smart decisions need to be deciphered and executed in an expedited manner.

The main objective of a loan modification is to offer a homeowner payment relief, this comes in the form of a lowered monthly payment as well as, and not limited to; a lowered interest-rate, reduced principle balance and deferred payments. A loan modification will also recapitalize the arrears; what this means for you as a homeowner is that a successful loan modification will take what ever past due(s) you owe and put it back into the principle. Ultimately the goal of a loan modification is to keep what you own, to further ensure that you keep your property a loan modification will also typically offer an interest only option or fix and fully amortize your loan. Other benefits of a loan modification include; no credit score requirements, will stops foreclosures and will bring a homeowner completely current.

How can a homeowner obtain a loan modification? In order to obtain a loan modification a homeowner must know exactly what to do and/or say to their lender. As many unexperienced homeowners will tell you, a loan modification is not a very easy or simple task. It takes hours upon hours of work as well as a fundamental understanding of what lenders are looking for when approving loan modification. Thus, a homeowners best opportunities lie with an experienced loan modification company. Because of the large number of unscrupulous loan modification companies currently operating, a homeowner’s best shot at a loan modification is through a law firm. This is the case because a lawyer must actually put their license on the line; this ensures legitimacy.  A law firm will offer legal expertise as well as the modification experience required to successfully negotiator a loan modification.

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – Rep. John Boehner said Wednesday he plans to use the new political power he would gain as Speaker of the House to continue tax cuts for middle-income and wealthy Americans.

Boehner spoke at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol to update the news media on how the House of Representatives is transitioning to a Republican majority.

“Extending all of the current tax rates and making them permanent will reduce the uncertainty” about the economy, Boehner said.

Tax cuts instituted by the Bush Administration are set to expire at the end of this year.

President Barack Obama said he agrees the tax cuts should be extended for middle-income Americans but is reluctant to extend them for the wealthy.

A permanent extension of the tax cuts is “the most important thing we can do,” said Boehner, an Ohio Republican.

He is set to become the new Speaker of the House after the midterm elections gave Republicans the House majority they need to replace Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Boehner plans to meet with Obama next week to discuss the tax cuts and other transition issues.

The cuts lowered taxes for individuals earning less than $200,000 a year and families earning less than $250,000. The two categories include 98 percent of Americans.

Obama said recently in a “60 Minutes” television interview the U.S. Treasury would lose $700 billion over the next decade if tax cuts for Americans earning more than $250,000 per year remain in effect.

Boehner took a jab at Pelosi during his press conference in the Capitol when he said he would continue to commute between Washington, D.C., and his home district in Ohio by commercial aircraft.

Pelosi uses military aircraft to fly home to California.

Meanwhile, Boehner’s Republican colleagues are pressuring him to abandon the traditional seniority system in assigning leaders to House committees.

Committee leaders are appointed by the Speaker of the House. Traditionally, the most senior members of committees are given the chairmanships.

Republican congressmen Jerry Lewis of California and Hal Rogers of Kentucky said recently that Arizona Republican Jeff Flake should be given a prominent role on the House Appropriations Committee.

Lewis and Rogers both have seniority over Flake on the Appropriations Committee.

However, Flake is known as a conservative budget-cutter and tax break advocate.

The Appropriations Committee designates how tax revenue is allocated among House committees.

The American Conservative Union is circulating a petition on Capitol Hill that urges Boehner to search for new talent in committee leadership rather than relying on seniority.

Appointing committee chairmen based on seniority “would be a signal to the millions of independents and members of the Tea Party movement who took a chance on Republicans in the election, that you have ignored their message of change, and that instead it will be business as usual in Washington,” the petition says.

Any decisions on how Boehner will choose Republican Party leaders in Congress is likely to come out of the transition team meetings that continued Wednesday.

The 22-member transition team is meeting to set rules they will follow during the move into a new Republican majority in Congress.

“Our goal is to look at how we can make the U.S. House of Representatives more open, more transparent, more accessible to the American people … in terms of how to improve legislative policy, how we can get to job number one, which is creating jobs, and how we can get at reducing deficit spending,” Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chairman of the transition team, said during a press conference.

View full post on Economy, Business And Finance Stories

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (AHN) – Ericsson won on Friday its bid for Nortel Networks’ Multi Service Switch business globally with an offer of $65 million.

The bid includes all assets of the MSS business worldwide, including the associated Data Packet Network, Services Edge Router product groups, all customer contracts and some intellectual property related to Nortel’s MSS business.

Ericsson beat Adam Chowaniec and Pat DiPietro, which had a bid of $39 million. Their bid was backed by a California private equity investor, who promised to hire 95 percent of Nortel’s MSS employees.

The MSS has 66 Canadian workers and 180 overseas, plus 80 contract staff. All of them have the option of continuing their employment with Ericsson.

The sale is subject to approval of Canadian and U.S. courts.

John Luszczek, general manager of Nortel’s MSS business, said in a statement, “Today’s announcement is welcome news for so many stakeholders – our customers, partners, suppliers and employees. It is yet another proof-point of Nortel’s ongoing commitment to preserve innovation and customer relationships that we have nurtured and grown over the past two decades.”

View full post on Economy, Business And Finance Stories

Bell City, CA, United States (AHN) – Eight former officials of Bell City were arrested Tuesday and are facing possible criminal charges for alleged theft of public funds.

Former City Manager Robert Rizzo, the central figure in the salary scandal that broke out in July, was arrested together with former Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia; Mayor Oscar Hernandez; City Council members Luis Artiga, Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal; and former City Council members George Cole and Victor Bello.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley was preparing to announce charges against the eight municipal leaders when the arrest was conducted.

The arrests followed a two-month investigation by the DA and federal authorities of the questionably high salaries of Bell officials, including those arrested.

Rizzo is also being accused of giving $1.6 million in loans to himself and 50 city officials. An audit by state Controller John Chiangity showed that funds were allegedly diverted to Rizzo’s retirement accounts in 2008 and 2009 to repay the $160,000 city loans.

California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown sued current and former Bell city leaders last week to nullify their pay contracts and get back some of their salaries and pension benefits.

Rizzo and other officials stepped down in July amid the scandal and city council officials subsequently slashed their salaries.

View full post on All Stories

Reports of short-cuts in GMAC’s foreclosure process raise ‘serious doubts’.

View full post on Finance Stories

I’m also known as the Pitbull which is a name I was given many years ago by my friends and competitors due to my tenacious business approach. Somehow the name stuck throughout the years and I accepted it as part of my persona. My business career has spanned over 30 years. In the 80′s I was an anchor on the Financial News Network. Perhaps you remember me from my nightly reports. After the network was sold to CNBC I was offered to host The Leonard Rosen Show, which was nationally syndicated. In the 90′s I became the CEO of a large medical group. We specialized in the treatment of chronic obesity. Our focus was to provide medical services to our patients and provide a hard money loan to finance their treatment. This was a huge success, and is what opened my eyes to the hard money business.

We train loan officers, mortgage professionals, Real Estate Investors and hard money lenders how to succeed in the hard money business. If you are interested in a career in mortgage lending, our hard money school is a must for every mortgage broker and industry professional. Pitbull mortgage school is much more than a loan officer school providing loan officer training. In order to compete in the competitive environment of mortgage brokering, you need to learn all the aspects of hard money lending. Pitbull mortgage school is the definitive answer to a high income career in mortgage banking. Our California based hard money seminar series has trained mortgage professionals, loan officers, and attorneys in the lucrative field of private financing.

I host the most powerful and dynamic seminar on hard money lending that has ever been taught.

I teach the secrets and techniques of the hard money mortgage business to brokers all over the country. My students learn more in the first 45 minutes than most brokers have learned after 20 years in the business. The tuition of my seminars ranges from $395 to $695 depending on the venue. If you can’t get away, you may be interested in purchasing my DVD which was filmed at our seminar at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on February 7th 2007. This seminar was a tremendous success and sold out with standing room only!

I hold nothing back, Everything is disclosed!

You will receive the actual names, phone numbers, and contacts of my preferred hard money lenders.

This seminar is a must for any loan professional who desires to earn $500,000 or more in the hard money business. I know no other industry that affords more potential to earn in excess of $500,000 per year.

My experience tells me that most loan officers and mortgage professionals never even come close to reaching their potential in the hard money business. The reasons are simple- they spend most of their time spinning their wheels instead of converting their time into what I call revenue producing efforts. You need to know what to ask the borrower to flush out the real information. Then you need to learn how to manage and control your borrower through the process. And most importantly, you need to know where to place the loan for funding. Most brokers never get their loans funded. No funding, no commission. This seminar will teach you the specifics of how to get your hard money loans funded.

The Pitbull Mortgage School teaches you specifics not hypotheticals.

Here is a sample of what you will learn:

- How to do mezzanine and conduit loans.

- How to start a hard money mortgage company.

- How to ask the right questions of the borrower

- How to manage your borrower

- Where to place your loan scenario

- How to determine the real value of the property (the Pitbull Hard Money way)

- How to package and sell your loan to the investor

- How to do raw land deals, commercial projects, foreclosures, NOD’s and real estate development projects

- How to assess an appraisal that will lead to funding the loan

- How to earn 4 to 5 points on a first trust deed

- How to do second mortgages and make money doing them

Who knows the term hard money?

Hard money is private money lending, money you will receive from individuals that will loan you their money against your real estate, hard money lender is the bank and the bank will Loan you their money and put a lien against your real estate, the same with hard money lenders.

What is the difference between the hard money lender’s programs and the bank across the street?
1. Hard money lenders can help investors with large loan amounts, while banks will make it very difficult on the borrower to loan these large amount, so the loan would probably end up with an insurance company to loan the money and the requirements are high.
2. Hard money lenders can fund any hard money loan within a week, while for the banks it will take at least a month or even more.
3. Hard money lenders will ask for very little documentation, while the banks would ask for almost everything you have, taxes, income, assets, history of the property before and plans for after the purchase, business license, basically they will definitely want to see more from you to loan you some money.
4. Hard money lenders have guidelines but they can make exceptions without processing it through a whole underwriting team- while the bank need to go through different departments and underwriters and processors just to make an exception, and then the exception will not get excepted.

As you see to get a hard money loan is much easier then to get a loan from a bank because of the whole process, the banks are big companies and big companies have many different rules inside their companies, and to get an exception for these rules is almost impossible, and that is why many investors would rather go with a hard money lender.

So now you’re probably thinking what is the catch with the hard money lenders?
OK, so let’s talk about all the reasons why you should not consider applying for a hard money loan:

1. Hard money lenders for their services will charge you 4 to 9 points on the loan- while the banks will charge you only 1 to 2 points.
Example: If you have a loan amount of $1,000,000 and your hard money lender will charge you 5 points up front then you will pay $50,000- while the bank will charge you 2% which is $20,000, that is a bit difference but under different circumstances for some people it’s still a great deal.
2. Hard money lenders because of the fact that they will loan you money without showing your credit history and your income they will set the loans interest rate 9%-15%- while the banks will set your loans interest rate to 7%- 10%, again that is a huge difference if you’re thinking about it but for these people that want the hard money loans it’s still a great deal.

You have to understand that most investors or home buyers can not qualified today with banks for any type of Loan, hard money lenders can get you the deals you want (foreclosures, reo’s) without even thinking about showing all the unnecessary documentation, all you need to have is some money in your pocket if you’re purchasing, and if you’re refinancing then you need enough equity since the hard money lenders will probably go up to 65% at the most, also to find good hard money lenders it’s not so hard, it’s actually very easy because there are many private hard money lenders that are looking for real estate properties and notes to buy so they can make their points up frond and of course the high interest rate, if you will think about it, it’s much better then put the money in the bank.

Example: If a hard money lender put $1,000,000 in the bank and the bank will pay him 5% a year- while if he will loan the money to an investor that want to purchase a property or to refinance a property, he will charge his 5 points and he will get 15% interest rate on his money, that’s a big difference.
Good luck to you all investors out there.

America is going through tough financial times; it is no secret that many Americans have fallen victim to unscrupulous lending practices and that the most important terms and conditions were not disclosed during the negotiation of a home loan.  We are going through a financial bubble and because of reforms to lending practices home owners are desperate because they no longer qualify for readjustments with their current lender.

As the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures but, that measures that most people are taking are definitely not the best ones.  A few years ago property owners counted with their home equity to bail them out of any financial problem but because of the current situation properties have partially lost value and there might not be enough equity to refinance a loan; unfortunately for home and property owners, credit card companies know that the average American no longer counts with equity in their properties so they are constantly bombarding people with ephemeral offers which later on turn into enormous headaches.

But the solution to a tight financial situation is not to turn to credit cards because their interest rate can go as high as 30% (compounded daily) and they will just add to the problem.  Hard money loans on the other hand, are better financial instruments which provide affordable interest rates and terms that will help any property owner sail through this economic recession.

Hard money loans can go as high as 70% LTV (loan-to-value) but, the best case scenario would be to keep the LTV below 65% in non-owner occupied homes, hard money loans can also be issued on an owner occupied property to relieve financial stress.  These types of loans can be amortized over a period of 30 years according to the borrower needs

Stopping Foreclosures with Hard Money Loans

Because of the banking crisis more and more home owners are losing their properties to foreclosure, the sad part is that many of those foreclosures can be stopped or avoided only if the note holder deals with a knowledgeable hard money lender.  In California alone foreclosures have been up 260%, this figure is based on market analysis performed on July, 2008 by housing authorities.

Hard money loans can be used in order to salvage a property and avoid foreclosure.  However, a property owner needs to act as fast as possible in order to avoid interest and penalties from accruing and worsening the situation.