Miami Foreclosure Lawyer Blog

If it wasn't already abundantly clear, the major banks in this country and the government have a special bond. Government officials have done much more to help banks survive than the very public who voted them into office. Struggling homeowners in Miami who are fighting foreclosure need to take note.

As Miami foreclosure defense lawyers reported in August as part of a three-part series, banks got $1.2 trillion in loans that were never released to the public.

Bloomberg, which first reported the secret loans, recently detailed the fact that banks made $13 billion on the loans that the public didn't know about. The Federal Reserve never disclosed that it loaned out the astronomical amount of money or that the banks were in such bad shape that they had no choice but to make the loans.

At a time when so many people are struggling with foreclosure in Miami, banks are still making money hand over fist. First, they used robo-signing tactics and filed fraudulent paperwork. Then, the government loaned $1.2 trillion in taxpayer dollars to the very banks that have tried -- and in many instances were quite successful -- in taking away people's homes.

At a time when the foreclosure crisis was as noticeable as ever in the United States, the Fed was doling out billions in cash -- enough to buy out every foreclosed home in America. As Bloomberg points out, the country's central bank says there were no losses, but it allowed the banks to grow stronger and more powerful at a time when homeowners are growing less powerful.

But the average homeowner doesn't have to cower and lose his or her home without a fight. A strong defense to a Miami foreclosure is as good as a bank's offense. Being able to show that banks created documents to support a foreclosure, used robo-signing procedures or aren't able to show who actually owns the house are all strong defenses in a foreclosure.

Bloomberg previously reported that banks got $1.2 trillion in loans and they netted $13 billion from it. But most recently, the news service reported that between guarantees and lending limits, the Fed committed $7.77 trillion as of March 2009, more than half the value of everything produced in the country that year.

While there was public outcry about TARP funds totaling $700 billion to product bailouts to big companies (whose CEOs got major bonuses), the public didn't know about these loans.

Six banks -- Bank of America, JPMorgan, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley -- received $160 billion in TARP funds and another $460 billion from the Fed. The 2010 Dodd-Frank law mandated that certain details of Fed borrowing be released to the public, which should stop these secretive practices in the future.

While the government comes up with failed foreclosure programs in the future, Miami homeowners should be wary of relying on it to help. These stories should serve as a warning and a call to action. Fighting back with a Miami foreclosure defense lawyer is the only way to save your home from greedy banks.

Continue reading "Secret Fed Loans Netted Banks $13 Million And They're Still Going After Miami Foreclosures" »

The New York Times recently wrote about a Buffalo, New York, law firm that holds an annual Halloween party where its employees dress up and work in their costumes.

Amazingly, pictures allegedly from last year's party submitted anonymously to the newspaper show the lack of compassion on behalf of the lawyers that represent banks and lending institutions in foreclosure cases. In one picture, two women "dressed" as homeless people with one holding a handmade sign mocking homeowners whose houses were taken away.

If this indeed true, these examples make it clear that some lawyers hired to work for big banks apparently don't care about homeowners stuck in foreclosure. We are hopeful we do not see this cavalier attitude in a Miami foreclosure or other South Florida foreclosure situation.

As Miami foreclosure defense lawyers know, there are banking institutions that appear not to care whether a homeowner will keep his or her home or go homeless after a foreclosure.

Banks have found it more profitable to proceed with foreclosure, spend money to put the house up for auction, take the amount they get at auction and attempt to go after homeowners for a deficiency judgment -- the difference between the auction price and the original loan.

Deficiency judgments can put homeowners in an even more difficult spot. That makes it even more important that they consider challenging the banks on the authenticity of their loan documents and whether they can prove who owns the note on the house after it has been sold time and time again.

The article goes on to report on the contents of the photos provided to the newspaper, including a mock homeless camp of foreclosure victims, a mock "estate" of the law firm's victories in foreclosure cases, and other shots at homeowners who are struggling with foreclosure.

The newspaper reports that the law firm is under investigation by the New York attorney general and has recently agreed to pay $2 million to resolve a Department of Justice investigation into "misleading pleadings" and other wrongs.

Don't think this is the type of thing happens only in New York. There are big law firms right here in Florida that are unwilling to work with homeowners and in some instances treat them poorly. This is why homeowners fighting foreclosure in Miami must act aggressively. Rather than sitting back and trying to deal with the bank on their own, they must take a more forthcoming approach.

Banks and the lawyers they hire to represent them have in the past made up documents that didn't exist. This is immoral and unlawful and yet it has happened. Law firms are being investigated by state and federal authorities for this very type of offense.

Homeowners deserve to have every right upheld in a foreclosure proceeding. They shouldn't be forced out of their home unless the banks are able to prove with 100 percent certainty who owns the house, what the total amount owed is and who actually owns the note on the loan.

Continue reading "Halloween Costumes Mock Home Foreclosure Problems" »

MSNBC has published another report on the risky world of home-loan modifications, detailing instances where banks failed to live up to their end of the bargain, pushing homeowners further into debt. There are other options for those looking to stop foreclosure in Miami or elsewhere in South Florida.

The danger of home loan modification in Miami is that it won't help if you are underwater on your mortgage and it can end up costing you your home. A Miami foreclosure defense attorney can assist you with considering all of the options and determining the best course of action for your particular situation.

Meanwhile, statistics show that only about one-third of the 1.4 million homeowners who have enrolled in the government's payment reduction program have seen their mortgage payments reduced. And lawsuits have been filed, which accuse banks of breach of contract under the government's Home Affordable Modification Program. The suits contend that banks are reverting mortgage payments back to the original higher amounts, even after homeowners make all of the reduced payments during a trial period, as required for a permanent reduction.

In other cases, banks are being accused of refusing to honor loan-modification agreements to which they have already agreed.

The government reports in some instances banks were encouraged to offer trial modifications based on interviews about a homeowner's income and expenses. They then were permitted to conduct a more thorough review of the paperwork before making a final decision. In such cases, homeowners may have made trial loan payments, only to be rejected for permanent modification.

We hope it is clear to everyone at this point, that banks are not on your side. By contacting a Miami foreclosure defense lawyer, you will be negotiating from a position of strength. It is not in a homeowner's best interest to attempt to take on a bank without qualified and experienced legal help.

Continue reading "Consulting foreclosure defense lawyer best option when considering home loan modification in Miami" »

South Florida short sales, loan modification and foreclosures are having a devastating impact on consumer credit scores. A Miami foreclosure defense lawyer can not only help stop foreclosure but can advise you on the best options for protecting your credit and the long-term financial future of you and your family. We can help you avoid foreclosure, stop foreclosure sales or assist you with determining whether a short sale or loan modification is right for you.

MSNBC reports that one-fourth of consumer credit scores are 599 or below. Twenty-five percent of consumers -- or more than 43 million people -- now fall below 600. Before the Great Recession, just 15 percent of consumers, or about 25.5 million people, fell below the 600 threshold.

Your FICO credit score ranges from 300 to 850. A 700 score was once enough to qualify for the best rates on most loans. That threshold has inched toward 750 during the recession. Consumers below 600 will be unlikely to qualify for auto loans, mortgages or even credit cards under the new tighter standards put in place by lenders.

Officials cite foreclosures and unemployment as the two main drivers of plummeting credit scores. A foreclosure can chop 150 points off a credit score. That means, a consumer with a 750 credit score -- the score needed to get the best rates even under new tighter standards -- could drop below the 600-point threshold as the result of a mortgage foreclosure.

Struggling Miami homeowners who opt for loan-modification or short sales can still face significant damage to their credit scores. A South Florida foreclosure defense attorney can help determine the best course of action for protecting your finances, your credit score and your future.

Continue reading "Miami foreclosure defense lawyers can help prevent foreclosure, limit damage to credit scores" »