If You Are in Financial Hardship, Loan Modification is for You

If you are a homeowner facing foreclosure due to financial hardship, loan modification may be the only option for you to be able to stay in your home.

Loan modification hasn't been a viable option to avoid foreclosure for very long. Prior to March, 2009, even refinancing was easier to receive for most (those with good credit), but as the housing crisis hit its peak the government needed to step in and make strides to save millions of homes. The Obama Administration enacted the Home Affordable Modification Program to help homeowners just like yourself steer clear of possible foreclosure.

Essentially modifying your mortgage entails lowering your interest rate and spreading the mortgage out over anywhere from a five to thirty year period. Some lenders offer programs that also wipe away part of the principal, but it is not available everywhere.

With property values at their lowest in years and people across the country losing their jobs or being demoted, modification is meant to be an assistance to those who are having financial hardship. Financial hardship is when your debt to income ratio has made it difficult to afford anything but your week to week expenses. For those in financial hardship, loan modification is an option for you and only you.

When looking at an application for modification, lenders look at a variety of factors to determine whether you're eligible or not. It's worth calling your lender before filling out an application online or requesting one so you know what they are looking for. Knowing exactly what they are looking for will greatly increase the likelihood that you will be approved.

It is possible to get assistance from a loan modification company if you are not confident about your application or whether you fit into the required criteria. Loan modification companies will walk you through the steps -- from consultation to a successful modification agreement with your lender. However; these services are not free. Most modification companies will charge you for helping with the paperwork, as well as an additional fee if the modification has been a success. The fees can range anywhere from the hundreds to the thousands, depending on the company or the services they provided you with.

No matter your circumstances for financial hardship, loan modification is something you are eligible to apply for under the new government program. But just because you're eligible to apply doesn't mean you will be approved. Arm yourself with knowledge and possibly a professional and you will get much further than rushing in the dark.

Emma Lanier, "Loan Modification Faq", Mortgage Lending Modifications

"Loan Modifications on Your Own", Blown Mortgage