The loan modification plan re-introduced by the Obama administration proved to be more effective than the previous options available for home owners. Home owners who were on the verge of foreclosure could not have asked for more and so the HAMP program was considered a blessing in disguise for all those home owners who wanted to save their home any how.
Understanding the HAMP program in totality within a short period of time is not possible as it contains many clauses, terms and conditions that have to be met if one wishes to qualify for the HAMP modification plan. However, there are six basic things that everyone should be aware of if one wants the Obama home affordable modification program to really help them from drowning. These six points are as follows:
Net Present Value Test: The Net present value test will be conducted by the HAMP modification loan provider to ascertain the expected cash flow that the loan modification will generate as compared to the cash flow without loan modification. If the loan provider feels that by the HAMP program he is able to modify the loan economically then the service provider will make that choice. The Government has provided subsidy to the loan providers to modify loans so that more and more loan service providers voluntarily accept the HAMP program into their ambit.
HAMP Program Loan Amount Reduction: Home owners seldom sell off their homes because its value has depreciated but they definitely have to leave their home if they cannot afford the monthly loan repayments. The Obama home affordable modification program aims at reducing the loan amount to make it affordable for home owners to pay back the mortgage loan even if they are upside down on their mortgage.
Debt-To-Income Ratio: This ratio enables the HAMP modification plan to reduce the mortgage loan amount to 31% or 38% of the borrower's gross monthly income. The lender reduces the mortgage loan to 38% of the home owner's gross income while the Government subsidizes it further down to 31%. To achieve this 31% reduction in the mortgage loan the targets are reduction of interest rates to as low as 2% or extension of the term period to up to 40 years. The last option to meet the debt to income ratio is to reduce the principal balance of the loan in hundred dollar increments.
Primary Residence and Valid Hardship: People who have taken mortgage loan on their primary residences are allowed to qualify for the HAMP program. The home owner has to show proof of hardship that is valid such as job loss, loss in income, medical emergency, separation, military service and so on.
Verifying Income: This is necessary to ascertain whether the home owner is capable of paying off the HAMP modification loan and is not risk borrowers. Proof of income, pay checks, bank statements, tax returns, Profit and Loss statements, pension statements etc. are all important for verification.
Trial Period: Home owners availing the Obama home affordable modification program need to pay the loan on time during the trial period failing which their application will be canceled.