HARP 2.0 Refinance - Some Relief for Underwater Homeowners

The Revised HARP (Home Affordable Refinance Program) guidelines appear to be a god-send for homeowners who are under water on their mortgage.

If like many homeowners you have been responsible, paid your mortgage on time even though it is higher than market rate, all the while watching those around you buy and refinance at lower and lower rates. Well, good news if finally here. A program you can use to lower your interest rate has come along and you are ready to refinance. That is, the new HARP 2.0 Refinance program, which is intended for homeowners whose loans are owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and who owe more than the property is worth, who are under water on their mortgage.

But as the program is set to roll out, it's funny. The question often then arises: "Should I refinance? How many years will it take to pay this mortgage down to what my home is worth now?" And at that point some homeowners consider the real option of doing a short sale.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with a short sale. Lots of people are selling their homes for less than it is currently worth, and the lender is playing along and taking the loss.

But, if you plan to be in the home long term, that is, for a number of years to come, then the HARP 2 refinance may be just the option that helps you keep the home, greatly increase cash flow on the property, and wait it out as your neighborhood increases in value again over the next few years.

Time is one your side, so long as you don't have to move. If you feel secure in your job, and kids are doing well in their schools and with their circle of friends, then you will do well over the long haul to stay in your home, and take advantage of this HARP Refinance and enjoy an increased household cash flow, while also enjoying your home. The home that you have made for your family, where your memories are and have been created. You can now feel very content in staying put in your home, with this new refinance option.

Oh, and here is another consideration about the HARP 2.0 Refinance as opposed to short selling your home. The Hassle Factor. Some people will tout the great real estate deals out there right now, and encourage you to sell your current home so as to be able to take advantage of the great deals out there.

Selling your home on a short sale is not easy. Generally it takes 4-10 months, and a lot of home showings and a lot of paperwork to your current lender. A refinance, on the other hand, and want to refinance with a HARP 2.0 refinance program, you will provide similar paperwork, and then wait 30-45 days to close your loan, depending on the volume of loans that your lender has at the time.

In closing, take a close look at the HARP 2.0 Refinance if you otherwise qualify - meaning your loan is owned by Fannie or Freddie. And, you can follow the link above to see who currently owns your loan. Hint: it is probably not the company you are currently sending your monthly payment to.

To learn more about the HARP loan options available to you, visit http://www.confirm-eligibility.com/

HARP Program - Federal Mortgage Assistance

The federal programs provide help to struggling home owners in two ways - by either refinancing the existing mortgage, or by modifying the existing home loan.

Refinancing the Home (HARP)

It is possible for you to qualify for the making home affordable refinance program option if:
• Your existing mortgage is owned by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae
• The loan-to-value ratio of your first or primary mortgage does not exceed 125%
• Your mortgage payments are current and regular

The borrower can still qualify for this Obama's making home affordable refinance program option even if he or she is upside down on the mortgage, but has the required loan-to-value ratio. The HARP program is basically meant for home owners whose mortgages have depreciated in value in the recent times, and the collateral fails to provide enough financial guarantees for the existing mortgage.

Modifying the Loan (HAMP)

This home affordable modification program option is meant for borrowers who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, or are not able to afford the monthly mortgage payments due to various reasons. If you are currently paying an ARM on your mortgage and the rate has increased, the modification makes it possible to avail a fixed rate of interest and do away with the ARM. Another advantage of the HAMP option is that it helps in restructuring your existing mortgage by extending the loan term, decreasing the net rate of interest, and even reducing the monthly mortgage installment amount. It is one of the best option to save your home if you are currently facing a foreclosure, or likely to face it in the near future. For availing your HAMP:

• The mortgage loan balance should be less than $729,750
• The monthly payment for your main or primary mortgage (in case you have availed a secondary mortgage or a home equity line of credit - HELOC) should be more than 31% compared to your gross monthly income
The main objective of availing a HAMP is to modify or restructure the terms and conditions linked with your current mortgage and make the monthly mortgage payments more affordable.

Eligibility for Home Affordable Modification Program

To become eligible for HAMP, the applicant:

• Should own and occupy the home
• Should have availed the current mortgage on or before January 1, 2009
• Should have less than $729,750 owed on the existing mortgage (for a single unit home)
• Have a monthly gross income more than 31% of the proposed modified loan's total monthly installments, including the property tax and insurance
• Has to provide a convincing financial hardship letter containing at least 3 critical factors explaining why it's difficult, if not impossible to make the monthly mortgage payments and remain current with the existing mortgage

If you want to modify your existing loan and avail the HAMP benefits, mortgage refinance companies can help you become eligible for it. An effective hardship letter and proper documentation can help you get a reduced interest rate - as low as 2%, and even extend your term up to a maximum of 40 years. Our attorneys can help you work out your home loan modification.

Deciding which Option to Avail

It is very important to decide which option is the best for you depending upon the current status of your mortgage. The refinance option gives an opportunity to completely overhaul your existing mortgage by paying off your home loan and availing a new "refinanced" loan with a reduced rate of interest and affordable monthly payments. The modification option provides the same benefits of reduced interest rates and affordable payments, however a new loan is not taken out and your existing home loan is restructured to make it affordable. It's recommended you provide your contact details by filling up online application form, so federal program expert can call you and provide free non-binding help and guidance to help you deal with your mortgage related issues and problems in an organized and effective way.

The intention of this article is to provide information for people who are facing foreclosure of house. If you are among millions homeowner, you should be aware of the government programs that will help you with your mortgage payments. Author suggests visiting Refinanceitt.com to know more about it.

To learn more about the HARP Loan options available to you, visit http://www.confirm-eligibility.com/

HARP Loans For Underwater Homeowners To Refinance Into Lower Mortgage Rates

For much of the past year, mortgage rates have been at or near record low points. Unfortunately, many homeowners have been unable to take advantage of these rates due to declining home equity. Many homes have lost significant amounts of value since the housing market peaked in 2006. As a result, many homeowners now owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth (this condition is known as being “underwater” or “upside-down” on one’s mortgage). Homeowners who lack equity in their homes are frequently unable to meet the loan-to-value (LTV) ratios required by lenders in order to refinance their mortgages. These borrowers may be missing out on thousands of dollars worth of savings.

In response to this situation, the government created the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). HARP was designed to allow homeowners with little to no home equity to refinance into lower mortgage rates. HARP loans are available to borrowers with LTVs of as much as 125 percent, although the maximum LTV it varies by lender.

Some of the eligibility requirements for HARP are:
• The borrower’s mortgage must be owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
• The home must be the borrower’s primary residence
• The borrower must be current on their mortgage with no late payments in the last 12 month period
• The new loan must lower the borrower’s monthly payments
For a complete listing of the HARP eligibility requirements, check out the Making Home Affordable Webpage here.

And these are just the primary eligibility requirements. There are others. Therefore, it is imperative that homeowners seek the help of professionals who are well versed in the demanding and fairly complicated HARP Loan process.

As you can see, the history of HARP is still evolving and subject to future changes. For now, HARP is due to expire on December 31, 2013, but if housing market conditions continue to decline, then hopefully the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) will continue to adjust to the new circumstances. Presently, a nice feature of HARP is that homeowners can avoid paying for an appraisal if a reliable automated property valuation model, such as Zillow, is available for your particular area, subject to the mortgage servicer’s discretion of course.

The significant changes in HARP eligibility requirements announced by President in October 2011 have led mortgage industry insiders to dub it HARP 2.0, even as the history of HARP is little more than two and a half years old. The Mortgage Bankers Association has previously estimated that $900 billion in mortgages will be originated in 2012 but with HARP 2.0 fast becoming effective, this number will certainly rise. Unfortunately, HARP was not designed to help homeowners already in foreclosure proceedings or in danger of being foreclosed upon.

The HARP loan program has been extended through June 11, 2011.
To learn more about the mortgage options available to you, visit http://www.confirm-eligibility.com/