Upside Down Mortgage

Archive for October, 2007

Mortgage Fraud Scams

Question: How can I find information on the men and companies that commit mortgage fraud ?

My home was taken from me by mortgage fraud, I can not afford an attorney. I have legal aid. They have now given me two attorney's. They have informed me , I definently have been scammed. But because it is so detailed and so much involved , Because they are a free service only so much time can be invested into my case. If I can help by finding information out about these preditors , It will help me . as of now I'm basically screwed unless I can see if they have done this before. I do I search online for information on who has commited mortgage fraud. I've tried FBI files and many others please help me stop them from doing this to another family with children. They took advantage of me at my low time.

Answer: Post it all over sites on the Internet, people will read it and be aware. Other than that, I have no idea.

Alleged Mortgage Fraud Scam

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American Home Mortgage Default Services

On July 9th, the Department of Finance moved to tighten Canada's mortgages markets by announcing changes to the requirements for federally-backed mortgage insurance. The changes set minimum credit scores that home purchasers must meet to qualify for mortgage insurance on so-called 'high-ratio mortgages'' while restricting amortization terms to 35 years and requiring a minimum 5% down payment on mortgages insured through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) or other government-backed private mortgage insurers.

The tightening of Canada's mortgage insurance rules, which will take effect on October 15th, is widely seen as a measure to further tighten Canadian mortgages market and forestall the credit problems that have crippled the U.S housing market. In announcing the changes, the Department of Finance characterized them as "a responsible and measured approach by the government to ensure Canada's housing market remains strong and to reduce the risk of a U. S.-style housing bubble developing in Canada."

Under the Bank Act, mortgages from federally-regulated lenders, including banks, credit unions, and caisses depots, must be insured where the value of the mortgage exceeds 80% of the value of the property or home being purchased or financed. Such high-ratio mortgages are insured primarily through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a federal Crown Corporation, but also through a handful of private mortgage insurers - Genworth Financial Canada, AIG and PMI Mortgage Insurance. The federal government guarantees the obligations of these mortgage insurers to lenders in the event of their not covering the costs of defaulted mortgages.

Effective October 15th, new federal rules will require that the loan-to-value ratios for federally-backed mortgages not exceed 95%, that amortization periods not exceed 35 years and that prospective borrowers have a minimum credit score of 620 and a debt service ratio (the percentage of income that goes to servicing existing debts and housing costs) of no more than 45%. The new rules will also require evidence of the reasonableness of the mortgaged property's value and of the borrower's source and level of income.

The new rule changes come at a time when Canadian real estate markets are already cooling off. Growth in housing prices showed a very moderate 1.1% year-over-year gain in May, according to the latest numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association, as Canadian markets and consumer expectations have adjusted in response to the constant barrage of bad news about the worst U.S. housing market slump since the Great Depression and sobering forecasts about the state of a Canadian economy that is coming to grips with escalating energy and commodity prices.

The tightening of amortization periods and loan-to-value ratios will likely have a further dampening effect on Canadian housing markets, which already have sharply increased levels of resale and new home listings. However, this dampening effect may not be felt until after October 15th when the new rules come into effect. In the short term, the move to tighten mortgage lending standards could have the opposite effect - providing an impetus for Canadians to take the plunge into highly leveraged, no-money-down mortgages before the October 15th deadline.

(An October 15th implementation date was chosen to give home purchasers with mortgage pre-approvals the opportunity to exercise their options before the pre-approvals expire at the end of their usual 90-day term. Note, also, that the mortgages of existing home owners with high-ratio mortgages, amortization periods in excess of 35 years and substandard credit scores will be grandfathered under the new rules so that they will not be precluded from obtaining mortgage insurance when it comes time to refinance their homes.)

Industry feelings have been mixed about this latest move to ensure the solidity of Canada's mortgages and housing markets. Most industry analysts applaud the move to ensure that Canadian home purchasers do not get sucked into the same speculative frenzy that fueled the meltdown of U.S housing prices when the sub-prime mortgage market unraveled. Other analysts seem to be expressing the view that this is a case of too-little-too-late or mere window dressing.

Derek Holt, Scotiabank's vice president of economics, acknowledged that mortgage lending rules had been "modestly tightened" but noted that, "The changes are more about optics." Meanwhile, a more pessimistic analysis came from BMO Nesbitt Burn's deputy chief economist, who observed that the rule change is "a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has already run down the road."

Canada's mortgages and housing markets have not experienced the wild speculative bubble that erupted and burst south of our border, largely due to much more conservative lending practices here at home. Canadians were not privy to such innovative and speculative mortgage products as the so-called NINJA mortgages ("no income, no job, no assets), where borrowers could qualify for mortgages without adequate proof of income or employment that would enable then to afford the requisite mortgage payments, and only a small percentage of Canadians took out the sub-prime mortgages that scuppered U.S. markets. As a result, the percentage of Canadian mortgages in arrears are at the lowest levels - 0.27 per cent - they have been at since 1990, whereas Americans are facing mortgage foreclosures at a rate not seen since the Great Depression. This tightening of Canada's mortgage insurance rules seem to be largely a pre-emptive move to reassure Canadian markets and ensure that Canadian home buyers do not go down the same path trodden by snake-bitten home buyers south of the border.

About the Author:

For more information on
mortgages
visit

http://www.CanadianMortgagesInc.ca
or call 1-888-465-1432 to speak with one of our experience broker agents.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Mortgages Rules For Canadian Home Buyers to Be Tightened

You've Realized the American Dream of Owning a Home In but Find Yourself in Default On Your Home.

Discount Mortgage Relief Fraud

Insurance may be getting more expensive but the main issue to watch would be oil. Oil has been threatened and predicted to go up to as much as $200.00 a barrel which would of course leave tons of us without fuel or businesses. Have business but no fuel situations can be the worse for that high an increase in fuel prices would be devastating to most industries that rely heavily on transportation. Oil is one of the commodities this world cannot live without and from oil comes and goes economies of countries who do have them in their soil. Be sure to keep tabs on fuel prices or you might not have a business to insure or a company to insure you due to excessive prices of gas and other oil-based products.

The drop was expected for the introduction of new packages and products to replace the ones they previously had to alleviate the problems have still to turn into profit. Their lower than expected profit comes as no surprise for many US firms are doing the same as the economy worsens. Oil prices that are soaring through the roof doesn't help at all and it further taxes on already burdened and struggling industries. The economic outlook for the US is bleak yet they are still there. The Federal government has to come up with measures that would prevent this from happening again and a way to help the millions of Americans who are now experiencing difficulty due to lack of food, housing and other basic necessities.

In the UK at least, firms like the Stuart Title Guaranty Company have offered coverage for insurance fraud in the area of mortgages. Fraud in that area of mortgages is a true risk and loss for lenders for they stand to loose a lot from fraudulent transactions. Altered deeds are one of the most problematic for lenders and unlike in the US where the bubble burst well before anyone can take action or measures to control them, the UK businesses have managed to keep one step ahead of these criminals. Insurance for mortgages would have stricter qualifications and investigations thus preventing fraud from taking lenders by surprise. Underwriters were to blame in the US for the failure of the industry due to too many loans to too many people who didn't have enough money to pay off their mortgages. Even with foreclosures, the lenders are left with properties that are not in viable form (the viable form being in liquid capital or cash) that they can directly introduce into their cash flow leading to the many bankruptcies.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, they have decided to axe the 15% tax the government levied on insurance providers that comes as a welcome relief to businesses and insurance firms alike. The move was praised and allows businesses to pay lower premiums for their businesses to get the insurance they need and at the same time allow insurance firms to earn a bit more with their trimmed down insurance packages. The tax reduction or elimination would be retroactive beginning Jan 1 this year meaning discounts and rebates would surely be a possibility. This is welcome news to all businesses and owners for they can breathe a sigh of relief with less money out of their pockets and ample protection for their businesses.

About the Author:

Jon Caldwell is a professional content manager. Much of his articles can be found at

http://basicbusinessinsurance.net

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Why Insurance Can Make Your Business Stable

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