I talk with lots of people facing difficult decisions about their homes loans. Many of my clients are behind in their payments or will be very soon. Others are in default and facing foreclosure and loss of their homes. Some are at various stages of modification or short sale. They all have found a conversation about their situation to be helpful.

An initial consultation usually takes about an hour. It’s comprehensive, and tailored to your circumstances and questions. We get familiar with an complicated and discouraging process.
Afterward, you will have a clearer understanding about your alternatives and their consequences. Most end the conversation with a plan of action, clarity, and a sense of relief.

I also talk with lots of lenders, and share with you my accumulated perspective. As a result of the initial consultation, you will decide whether to continue working with your lender (servicer) alone or with my help. I serve as an ally for many homeowners who maintain direct contact with their lenders. They take the lead in arranging a modification or forbearance plan for their loans, or a short sale of the property.

Despite improved customer service, a lender’s first obligation for a loan in default is to its mortgage investor, not to the delinquent homeowner. My clients are skeptical. They use my counseling services to calculate financial statements, evaluate a lender’s information and decisions, to review notices and agreements, to prepare responses, and to make decisions based on overall strategy and probable consequences.

Many homeowners are too busy, frustrated, or disoriented to deal effectively with their lenders. I take a more active role with many of my clients. I deal directly with their lenders to clarify current status, discuss loan relief, monitor progress, and solve problems. I can prepare and submit a proposal, or evaluate a lender’s modification offer, based on its standards and Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) guidelines and formulas.

Of course, I cannot and do not promise any specific results. However, my track record includes repeated postponements of foreclosure sales, recalculations of income and expense qualifications, eligibility negotiations, deficiency liability waivers, changes to terms and conditions, and appeals of adverse decisions. Such actions have resulted consistently in forbearance plans, modifications, and short sales where borrowers had nearly given up.

I am familiar with, and can advise regarding state laws and regulations in California, but cannot advise regarding laws and regulations in other states. I am also familiar with, and can advise regarding general principles and federal Making Home Affordable Program guidelines used by many lenders. In any case, I cannot and do not promise any specific results.

• Initial Consultation
  $150
• Counseling & Representation
  $180/hour
• Support Services
  $60/hour
• Retainer after Initial Consultation
  $400

Preferred form of payment is personal check or PayPal.