Can You Handle The Perfect Financial Storm?

Do you remember a couple of years ago, when you got caught up in the real estate frenzy? You watched your starter home go from "affordable" to "I couldn't qualify to buy my own house anymore". We all took money out of our homes to pay off our credit card debt or buy that new car, a swimming pool or pay for a vacation we could never have taken before. Some of us even moved up to that brand new development. It was great. Well, in order to afford the payments, most of us got into a short term fixed rate loan (hybrid). These loans are a great way to traverse a period of time when we know the future will be brighter. Well everyone, the future is now. I want to know if your future is brighter. If it is, great! But if it isn't, what's your plan? Well let me tell you something hope is not a strategy.

The one thing that always happens in times like these is that people wait too long to make a decision. Some of you reading this article have already seen your payments increase. How's that working for you? Not great I'm sure. For the rest of you, what do you intend to do when the reaper comes calling? Do you have a plan? If not, listen up because you may only have a few weeks to get things in order.

As an example of what might be in store for you let me introduce you to some people I know. I will call them Jane and John Doe so that we can all relate. Jane and John moved into a home in San Ramon, California back in 2003. They had decent credit and a small down payment so they were able to secure a reasonable loan that would allow them to scrape by for a couple of years until things got better. After all, John was climbing the ladder at his job and Jane had been at the same company for almost 6 years now.

Everything was going along fine; they even added a new member to the family. John got his raise and Jane took a little extra time off for the baby. Then one day Jane was looking through their paperwork from when they bought the house. She remembered that the loan they got would adjust at some time in the future and then she saw it. In less than 1 month, their rate was going to change but how much? John and Jane both knew that rates had gone up but they had no idea how this would impact them. With the expense of the new baby and daycare how could they afford this radical change? That's when I entered the picture.

John and I were introduced at a recent business mixer. He had my card and called me the next day. After reviewing his note, I explained that his interest rate was about to adjust upward by 3%, but that's not all. His rate would go up an additional 1% every 6 months thereafter for another 2 years unless we saw a dramatic reduction in interest rates. John and Jane had to refinance but now was not exactly the best time. So we devised a plan for them that looked beyond just today and on to the future.

There are estimates in the industry that say $330 Billion worth of these types of loans will adjust upward this year alone. This included John and Jane. Its a common problem right now and one that can be avoided. Even if you are in a tight spot, this is the time to seek out professional advice about your specific situation. Mortgage defaults are on the rise because people are unprepared for what is happening. The days of harvesting our equity to consolidate the debt we just ran up over the previous years is coming to a grinding halt. Property values are flattening out and homes are on the market now for 3-6 months before they get sold. Times are different and we must change with them or we will be run over.

Here are a few steps you should take to get a handle on your situation.

1)Read your home loan paperwork. Specifically, you want to read your "Note" and your "Adjustable Rate Rider". These two items should be about 3-10 pages in length.

2)Call your lender and ask them how your loan works. The customer service number on your statement should direct you to a "knowledgeable" person who can tell you your new payment after your rate changes, when that change will occur and what options you have if any.

3)Get some referrals to a mortgage lender in your local area. Call your Realtor, ask your friends at work, check the local paper for people who write articles and or are featured in some way, not just the advertisers.

4)Call an Expert in Mortgage Lending and get their advice. This is more difficult than you may think. The industry is full of unqualified hacks who do mortgage loans in their spare time. Go onto www.Narlo.com and www.Cambweb.org to search for the person who was referred to you in their member directory. If you can't locate them in either of these two sites, then go on to the next name on your list. If you can't find anyone on your list who is a member of either of these organizations, well then you have a bad list of lenders and I would choose a different lender off the NARLO site, who is in your area.

5)Decide what the best course of action is. It defies logic to bury your head in the sand and think this situation will resolve itself. You must act on the information you have or the inevitable will happen to you. There is a lion waiting in the tall grass for you to meander along and he will pounce on you when your time is up.

We have corrections in the real estate industry all the time. This particular time looks a little different than before. In '97 we had the Dot Bomb to help us. In '94 the Fed called the economy "impressive". Today we have the makings of the perfect storm. These loans didn't exist in '94 or '97 for that matter. This year, rising mortgage payments are coming at a time when homeowners are getting slammed by rising energy costs, gas prices at over $3/gallon and credit card payments at double the rate they were just 1 year ago. The stage is set for a real jolt to our financial lives. Without preparation, we could be diving head first into the perfect storm. It is time to prepare ourselves to ride out this storm and the first place you should look is right at your mortgage.

Your biggest expense can also be one of your biggest allies. Make your next loan a financial instrument to help you get to where you want to be. That may mean debt consolidation or taking money out to buy a passive income producing investment. Whatever it means, you must match your plan with the multitude of opportunities that exist in the lending industry now. Once you have done this, you can sit back and appreciate the fruits of your labor without the worry of financial devastation.

Ed Jeffry and Luke Currier are experts in mortgage lending. They specialize in helping homeowners who have had a bankruptcy or other credit challenge find payment relief, achieve financial security, restore their credit and receive peace of mind. They are also founding members of the National Association of Responsible Mortgage Lenders. Visit their website at http://www.BayAreaLoanAdvisor.com for more information or call them direct at 925-983-3127.

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