Reverse mortgage counseling sessions have increased as more seniors seek out ways to soften the financial shock endured by the country during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, but the reasons that seniors ultimately seek a reverse mortgage are not uniformly consistent. This is according to perspectives compiled from counselors at three major agencies which conduct reverse […]
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Tuesday awarded nearly $40 million in counseling grants to agencies across the country, according to a statement released by the Department. However, this year’s award amount has dropped for the third consecutive year in a row. Housing counseling agencies approved by HUD will use grant funds […]
The Massachusetts state Division of Banks has issued new industry guidance related to the in-person counseling requirement for reverse mortgage loans as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The guidance stems from recent legislation signed into law by Governor Charlie Baker last week, which features a provision permitting telephone or video counseling […]
Understandably, counseling is an element of the reverse mortgage transaction which has been noticeably affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Reverse mortgage industry players at all levels often relate how senior clients prefer to conduct financial business transactions through face-to-face interactions, but given the recommendations and orders made by local, state and federal […]
Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) business in the state of Massachusetts has been effectively put on pause by the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, since a face-to-face counseling requirement within the state makes it impossible for seniors to move forward with reverse mortgage loans while adhering to business restrictions and social distancing guidelines put […]
While counseling for both Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) products and their proprietary counterparts largely follow the same guidelines, some specific differences and lingering issues in borrower education prior to counseling can make the process more difficult for borrowers, lenders and counselors alike. This is according to a panel discussion between counselors and reverse mortgage […]
For reverse mortgage originators and counselors, dealing with clients that are either actively going through, or intend to obtain a divorce can offer a unique challenge. While sometimes a reverse mortgage transaction can actually streamline some of the processes of divorce for the couple, having one crop up during a reverse transaction can come with […]
An assistance program in the state of Oregon is on track to assist the majority of the state’s defaulted reverse mortgage borrowers just in time for a final round of applications, which are expected to begin in Spring 2020. The Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative (OHSI)’s reverse mortgage benefit program is designed to assist homeowners in […]
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) this week announced the organizations that will receive a total of $42.8 million in counseling grants, including reverse mortgage counseling. “HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are on the front lines of helping individuals and families to find affordable rental housing or make more informed homeownership choices,” said HUD […]
Project Porchlight, an initiative of non-profit counseling organization Money Management International (MMI), has announced its public launch along with the disclosure of its primary financing partner: the MetLife Foundation. While previously available only through the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA, or “Fannie Mae”) Disaster Response Network, a grant from MetLife Foundation has enabled MMI to […]
