The Department of Veteran’s Affairs has special assistance for veterans who are in trouble with their mortgage that has gotten little coverage. If you are a veteran who needs assistance it is important that you contact your lender with knowledge that the Department of Veteran’s affairs may have the best deal available to you from the options you may be given.
For a veteran or service member who may have obtained a conventional or sub-prime loan, VA has a network of eight Regional Loan Centers and two special servicing centers that can offer advice and guidance. Borrowers may visit VA’s Loan Guaranty website at www.homeloans.va.gov or call toll free (877) 827-3702 to speak with a VA Loan Technician.
Congress Passed Special Foreclosure Prevention Provisions for
Veterans who need to reduce their mortgage payments
Crossposted from Free Flight New Media
However, unlike the case of a veteran or service member with a VA-guaranteed home loan, VA does not have the legal authority or standing to intervene on the borrower’s behalf. Therefore, it is imperative that a borrower contacts his/her servicer as quickly as possible.
VA Refinancing of a non-VA Guaranteed Home Loan
Veterans with conventional home loans now have new options for refinancing to a VA-guaranteed home loan. These new options are available as a result of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, which the President signed into law on October 10, 2008. Veterans who wish to refinance their subprime or conventional mortgage may now do so for up to 100 percent of the value of the property, which is up from the previous limit of 90 percent.
Additionally, Congress raised VA’s maximum loan amount for these types of refinancing loans to $729,750 depending on where the property is located (this limit is significantly higher in Guam, Alaska, and Hawaii). These changes will allow more qualified veterans to refinance through VA, allowing for savings on interest costs and avoiding foreclosure. A VA refinancing loan may help a veteran who is facing a big payment increase.
Other Assistance for Delinquent Veteran Borrowers
If VA is not able to help a veteran borrower retain his/her home (whether a VA-guaranteed loan or not), the HOPE NOW Alliance may be of assistance. HOPE NOW is a joint alliance consisting of servicers, counselors, and investors whose main goal is to assist distressed borrowers retain their homes and avoid foreclosure. They have expertise in financial counseling, as well as programs that take advantage of relief measures that VA can not. HOPE Now provides outreach, counseling and assistance to homeowners who have the willingness and ability to keep their homes but are facing financial difficulty as a result of the crisis in the mortgage market. The HOPE NOW Alliance can be reached at (888) 995-HOPE (4673), or by visiting www.hopenow.com.
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