Homeowners across the country are turning to loan modification foreclosure prevention to stay in their homes. Loan modification has recently become the most viable method for homeowners to reach out for assistance from their lenders to avoid foreclosure.

Loan modification lowers the interest rate of the mortgage and defers a portion of the principal in some cases to reduce the borrower’s monthly mortgage payments to affordable levels. Loan modification foreclosure prevention is only available to homeowners and families who are going under financial hardship which they have no control over. Losing a job, having lower paying employment than when the loan was initially taken out, disability expenses, rising everyday expenses and bills, or a death of a spouse can all put a homeowner into financial hardship.

Thanks to the Home Affordable Modification Program, lenders’ minimum qualifications for loan modification have been lowered to make it more available to your average Joe or Jane. There are a few base things that lenders look at when considering a borrower for loan modification foreclosure prevention: the borrower’s credit, income and income tax documents for the past year, bankruptcy history, the amount the loan is for, the value of the property the borrower would like to receive and modification for, mortgage payment history, and the exact circumstances under which the borrower and their household has fallen under financial hardship.

If a borrower has poor credit, they are not necessarily exempt from loan modification, but they should get a consultation or get in touch with their lender. Also if a borrower has or has not made any late payments on their mortgage affects different lenders in certain ways. While some lenders will not accept a loan modification agreement with a borrower who has not been late on their mortgage payments, others will. Some lenders take a late mortgage payment as a definite sign that the homeowner is having a hard time affording their mortgage, and without that they will not even consider a homeowner to be under financial hardship.

When applying for loan modification assistance, a homeowner needs to turn in not only the application, but also a written letter outlining and explaining why and how they have fallen under financial hardship. With all the steps to go through, loan modification foreclosure prevention usually is a long and difficult process that can take months to reach final approval before a homeowner gets a real positive response. Even after months of waiting, a homeowner might not get a positive response, so it’s very important to keep informed of the lender’s loan modification foreclosure prevention policies and then keep track of their application’s progress through the lender.

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