The Solving The Foreclosure Crisis

The mortgage crisis of 2007 marked catastrophe for millions of homeowners who suffered from foreclosure and short sales. Most of the problems involving the foreclosing of families’ homes could boil down to risky borrowing and lending. Lenders were pushed to ensure families would be eligible for a loan, when in previous years the same families would have been deemed too high-risk to obtain any kind of loan. With the increase in high-risk families obtaining loans, there was a huge increase in home buyers and subsequently a rapid increase in home prices. As a result, prices peaked and then began falling just as fast as they rose. Soon after families began to default on their mortgages forcing them either into foreclosure or short sales. Who was to blame for the risky lending and borrowing that caused the mortgage meltdown? Many might blame the company Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but in reality the entire system of buying and selling and free market failed home owners and the housing economy.

The Great Recession of 2007-2009 was one of the most economically disastrous events in American history. The housing market took a significant downturn during this period. People were not cautious when it came to their money and loans. Larger loans were given out to people, even to those with bad credit and low incomes. These large loans caused many homes to go through foreclosure since people were unable to pay off their mortgage debts. These debts were created by banks increasing the interest rates on the loans significantly in a short period. In 2008, foreclosures were up by eighty-two percent. This increase is significant because the previous percentage of foreclosures was at fifty-one percent from 2007. Unemployment skyrocketed, and people

The housing crisis of the late 2000s rocked the economy and changed the landscape of the real estate business for years to come. Decades of people purchasing houses unfordable houses and properties with lenient loans policies led to a collective housing bubble. When the banking system faltered and the economy wilted, interest rates were raised, mortgages increased, and people lost their jobs amidst the chaos. This all culminated in tens of thousands of American losing their houses to foreclosures and short sales, as they could no longer afford the mortgage payments on their homes. The United States entered a recession and homeownership no longer appeared to be a feasible goal as many questioned whether the country could continue to support a middle-class. Former home owners became renters and in some cases homeless as the American Dream was delayed with no foreseeable return. While the future of the economy looked bleak, conditions gradually improved. American citizens regained their jobs, the United States government bailed out the banking industry, and regulations were put in place to deter such events as the mortgage crash from ever taking place again. The path to homeowner ship has been forever altered, as loans in general are now more difficult to acquire and can be accompanied by a substantial down payment.

After the optimistic forecast from the realstate that the houses value were going to increase, many institutions started to make adjustments to take profit from this trend. In some cases, prime mortgages were allowed for subprime borrowers to take. This might look like a great idea to financial institutions because the house values were rising: if a people (who in the first place couldn’t afford a house) stop paying their mortgages then the bank could sell the house for a value greater than the one at the moment of default. Everything was going well, so how is it that the crisis unfolded? Well, these institutions wanted to make more profit

We now know to pay attention to the red flags. We collectively shrugged off signs and signals in the years leading to 2008. The disaster was foreseeable. The extreme increase in subprime lending, the seemingly infinite increase in housing prices, and the increase in national household mortgage debt should have been alarm enough. These passed by either unnoticed, or ignored. Because of our ignorance, we were not prepared to handle the inevitable crisis.

The foreclosure crisis that took over the United States a few years ago left many people facing economic hardships. This crisis happened because there was a huge housing bubble that was unsupported by actual home values. The bubble began bursting in spring of 2008 and the crisis culminated in mid-2009. Many lenders went out of business and many home owners began losing their homes. When the government became aware of this problem and began to implement new programs, it was already too late for many homeowners. Those homeowners are not at a point where they might be considering buying a new home. The housing crisis has created new rules, regulations governing the mortgage industry, and has also created a new agency dedicated to consumer protection. This consumer protection agency is called the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. These dramatic changes have helped to create more responsible lending. The improving market conditions such as low housing costs and competitive interest rates are allowing those affected by a foreclosure to become homeowners again. Prospective buyers have a multitude of programs available to them, so even those with less than clean slate have several options.

As you see there are definitely pros and cons when deciding if renting or buying is right for you. When you rent, you don’t have the responsibility of maintaining the home, you aren’t worried about improving the interior or exterior of the dwelling, you don’t have to pay taxes on the home, and you aren’t faced with the possibility of losing the capital put into the housing market, or the possibility of foreclosure if a mortgage payment is missed (Should you rent or own). But on the flip side, when owning a home the equity in the home can be converted into money if refinanced or sold. Over the years, if kept well, real estate property increases in value and therefore this asset will up in value the longer the property is held (Should you rent or own).

The foreclosure/housing market crash several years ago affected a vast amount of families across the country. Unfortunately, my family was also affected. Thankfully, my parents have not gone through foreclosure yet, but we are all stuck in a house because we are “underwater” (owe more than it is worth). This crisis directly and indirectly affected so many, but thankfully we are all starting to bounce back.

When paying the commission of a realtor is no longer an issue, the seller is more likely to pass along the savings to the buyer and lowers the price of a home even more. Once both parties agree on a “rent-to-own” payment option, the potential monetary saving that is available to the buyer develops into realistic saving and also the development of investment.

Many Americans have and still have been haunted by their pasts. Most of us have learned not to judge others by backgrounds or past choices, but when it comes to financial credit, our pasts are not so easily overlooked. With the slow but sure recovery of the foreclosure crisis that devastated the nation years ago, hangs a hand of hope that offers a second chance to “boomerang buyers” who merely just want to get back into home ownership. The “rent-to-own” option is the best choice for these buyers who want a second shot to do it all over.

Dramatically decrease monthly mortgage payment and provide homeowners extra income to live each month. For example, a $575,000 mortgage at 6% interest rate is about $3,500 per month. The same loan at a 2% interest rate is approximately $2,100 per month.

When someone makes the decision to buy or rent a home they must consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. In buying a home the primary advantage is that you actually own it. You can do whatever you want with it. Also, you are building equity as the years go by. “People today have problems saving for their future” (CNN Money, 2014). However, when they buy a home, the

The financial collapse of the U.S. economy that occurred in 2008 created a foreclosure crisis that resulted in thousands of homeowners losing their properties nationwide. This great recession caused many homeowners to even lose their jobs, savings, and credit worthiness. Predatory lending was a major contributing factor in these foreclosures.

Thesis: Home ownership provides greater potential gains than renting, while renting provides superior financial flexibility.

The United States economy has been in trouble for the past couple of years. The foreclosure crisis is a condition that began due to the inability of homeowners to pay their mortgages. Foreclosure is a legal proceeding whereby a lender obtains a legal termination of a debtor’s right to redemption. The foreclosure rates have been increasing for a considerable period and certain steps have been put into place to solve the problem. While the government, financial institutions and the general public are highly aware of the crisis, the steps taken to combat the problem are still not sufficient as the foreclosure rates are still increasing.