What You Should Know About This Program?
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The U.S. government has created several programs aimed at helping borrowers in financial trouble avoid foreclosure, stay in their homes, and make their mortgage payments more affordable. Some use a catch-all term, “Obama mortgage” to describe one or more of these programs. What is an Obama mortgage? How does the government offer help to borrowers who are worried about their mortgage payments?
The term “Obama mortgage” has, for better or worse, been applied by some to one or more of the following. You’ll find that there’s one program that’s directly referred to as an Obama mortgage-the Making Home Affordable program.
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- Obama Mortgage Refinancing Options
- "Making Home Affordable" Options
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The official government website for Making Home Affordable has a list of options for borrowers who need mortgage help. Choosing the right program depends on your needs. Here’s a list of the programs found at the Making Home Affordable Website:
The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)
This program is described on the official site for borrowers who want to lower monthly mortgage payments, "making them more affordable and sustainable for the long-term".
The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP)
The HARP program is for homeowners who are current on mortgage payments but, “have had difficulty refinancing”. The official site says that even for borrowers who are “underwater” on their mortgages (owing more than the home is currently worth on the housing market), if mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, HARP could be of assistance.
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA)
According to the official website, HAFA “provides homeowners the opportunity to exit their homes and be relieved of their remaining mortgage debt through a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (DIL). It also provides homeowners with $10,000 in relocation assistance”.
Home Affordable Unemployment Program (UP)
This program is designed to temporarily lower or suspend a qualifying borrower’s monthly mortgage payment, “giving you some much needed breathing room while you search for your next job” according to the official site.
Each of these programs has specific criteria borrowers will need to meet in order to qualify. Some programs require you to be current on your mortgage and apply before missing payments, etc. Othes may be available for those who have fallen behind on mortgage payments. Some of these programs will help borrowers keep their homes and stay in them, while at least one is designed as a short sale/foreclosure avoidance plan.
You can view specific details of these programs and more at the Making Home Affordable official site.
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FAQs
Your mortgage servicer or a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency can help at no cost to you.
What is the presidents mortgage relief program? ›
Mortgage Relief Credit.
This is the equivalent of reducing the mortgage rate by more than 1.5 percentage points for two years on the median home, and will help more than 3.5 million middle-class families purchase their first home over the next two years.
What is the homeowner affordability and stability plan? ›
Understanding the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan (HASP) The HASP was a program that intended to prevent the housing values in entire neighborhoods from deteriorating by preventing foreclosures. During the Great Recession, the housing market and the economy suffered greatly.
What actions has the government undertaken to help homeowners after the 2007 2010 subprime mortgage crisis? ›
Passing Wall Street reform and establishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: President Obama signed into law Wall Street Reform that reins in big banks and mortgage lenders by preventing the excessive risk-taking that lead to the housing crisis, requiring lenders to verify that borrowers have the ability to ...
How does a mortgage hardship work? ›
Forbearance is a process that can help if you're struggling to pay your mortgage. Your servicer or lender arranges for you to temporarily pause mortgage payments or make smaller payments. You still owe the full amount, and you pay back the difference later. Forbearance can help you deal with a financial hardship.
How to get a mortgage if you are poor? ›
California doesn't have a set minimum income to obtain a mortgage. Agencies such as CalHFA offer mortgage loans designed for low-to-moderate-income borrowers. CalHFA does not directly approve individuals for mortgages. Instead, a CalHFA-approved lender like New American Funding will service the loan.
What is the mortgage Debt Relief Act? ›
Updated September 5, 2019 — The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 generally allows taxpayers to exclude income from the discharge of debt on their principal residence. Debt reduced through mortgage restructuring, as well as mortgage debt forgiven in connection with a foreclosure, qualify for this relief.
What is Joe Biden's net worth in 2024? ›
Forbes estimates Joe and Jill Biden's fortune still stands at $10 million, the same as in August when the couple's net worth was last calculated.
What is the government enhanced relief program? ›
FMERR lets you refinance with a high loan-to-value
Under the Freddie Mac Enhanced Relief Refinance, you can refinance your home loan at current interest rates if you have little to no equity. So if you don't qualify for standard mortgage refinance programs, lower rates are still an option for you.
What is the affordability rule? ›
The 28/36 rule dictates that you spend no more than 28 percent of your gross monthly income on housing costs and no more than 36 percent on all of your debt combined, including those housing costs.
To really understand home affordability, you need to look at the combination of three important factors: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.
What is the general rule for mortgage affordability? ›
The 28% mortgage rule states that you should spend 28% or less of your monthly gross income on your mortgage payment (e.g., principal, interest, taxes and insurance). To determine how much you can afford using this rule, multiply your monthly gross income by 28%.
What happens to my mortgage if the economy collapses? ›
What Happens To Your Mortgage Rates & Payments? If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, then your monthly payments will remain the same, which can be beneficial in a high-inflation environment. However, if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage, expect your payments to increase.
Who is to blame for the Great Recession of 2008? ›
Everybody involved with the 2007–2008 financial crisis is partly to blame for the Great Recession: the government, for a lack of oversight; consumers, for reckless borrowing; and financial institutions, for predatory lending and unscrupulous bundling and selling of mortgage-‐backed securities.
Who was at fault for the 2008 housing crisis? ›
One 2017 NBER study argued that real estate investors (i.e., those owning 2+ homes) were more to blame for the crisis than subprime borrowers: "The rise in mortgage defaults during the crisis was concentrated in the middle of the credit score distribution, and mostly attributable to real estate investors" and that " ...
Who should you contact first if you are having difficulties making your monthly payments? ›
Once you know what you can afford to pay each month, contact your creditors. Tell them what's going on—maybe you suffered a job loss, divorce, medical problems, or other financial trouble—and explain how the hardship has impacted your ability to pay your account.
What happens if a person Cannot pay their mortgage? ›
Once you're 120 days behind on your payments, the lender can start the foreclosure process if you haven't submitted a complete mortgage assistance application.
How many months can you defer a mortgage payment? ›
Mortgage payments are typically suspended for three to six months, but the time could be longer or shorter depending on your financial situation.