What Is Mortgage Forbearance All About?

Here’s what you need to know about how mortgage forbearance works.

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If you’re struggling to make your house payment, know that there are plenty of solutions available to you.

The CARES Act passed last spring allowed you to go into mortgage forbearance if you were struggling to make ends meet. It gave homeowners the opportunity to reach out to their mortgage provider and put off some of those payments. These payments aren't forgiven or absolved, they’re just delayed.

There are no documents required to go into forbearance; all you have to do is contact your service provider. However, these missed payments will have to be repaid somehow. Although missed payments do have to be repaid, they won’t count against your credit if you applied for forbearance. 

 

If you were behind on your payments prior to your requested forbearance, they have to show you as being delinquent. Both of these things will impact your credit score. Forbearance will ding your credit slightly, but it’s better than showing late or missed payments.

All you have to do to enter forbearance is contact your service provider.

FHA, VA, and conventional loans all have their own programs. The FHA, for example, lets you set up a junior lien in your mortgage and pay that amount separately as a different loan. There is definitely some flexibility out there.

If you need more information, you can go online and search “mortgage forbearance” and one of the first results will be HUD’s forbearance tool that should help you. We also have that tool and would be happy to send it to you. Ultimately, it starts with reaching out to your mortgage provider and asking them about forbearance.

If you’re behind on your payments and at risk of going into foreclosure, we can help you defend your equity and ensure that you either get caught up or get your home sold before it’s foreclosed. Reach out to us today and let’s discuss your situation.

If you have any questions for me about forbearance or real estate in general, don't hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Are You Heavily Considering an As-Is Sale?

Here’s what to consider before selling your home as is in 2021.

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Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

In today’s hot market, you can definitely sell a house as is, but it all depends on your definition of “as is.” If it’s a cluster of cosmetic items that you’re looking to avoid (new paint, updated flooring, curtains, etc.), then yes, you’re in luck—we’ll be able to sell your home without having to worry about any of those things. Even if you have some deferred maintenance items like an old roof or HVAC system or perhaps some minor siding issues, we’ll still be able to work around that. However, it might mean having to limit your buyer pool just a bit. It could be the case that investors are the only interested buyers, and they’ll likely offer a little less for your home.

Your buyer pool will still be fairly large if there are only a few cosmetic issues, as plenty of buyers are eager to generate instant equity (aka “sweat equity”) by giving their new home a makeover. So whether you only have a few things to take care of or a whole scroll of maintenance items, you should first consider the impact on your buyer pool before deciding to sell as is.

You can always make a few small repairs that hardly cost you anything at all, such as painting. Though it can be a real chore, it’s pretty inexpensive. Simply painting the front of your house or your front door specifically is enough to breathe new life into your property. A small change like that can go a long way toward inviting buyers in, and once they’re in, they’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that they can get a good deal on your lovely home.

Your buyer pool will still be fairly large if there are only a few cosmetic issues.

Of course, you can also do a host of other things that will invite buyers in and make it easier for them to envision themselves living in the home. Deep cleaning, decluttering, picking up debris and junk in the yard, and trimming your trees and bushes are all great ways to make your home more presentable. Not only will they bring in more buyers, but they could also result in a higher sale price.

Here’s another great idea: Recommend to your buyer that they use what’s called a renovation loan. With a renovation loan, your buyers can roll the cost of any changes they want to make to the home right into their loan. We recommend this loan product all the time for those wanting to update the kitchen, change the carpeting, or redo a bathroom or two. It’s a powerful tool to help sellers take back some leverage.

If you’re considering an as-is sale, it almost goes without saying that you need to choose the right agent. Not everyone is creative when it comes to selling a house as is. Especially in 2021, with the market primed to continue its crazy pace and COVID-19 a lingering threat, you need an experienced professional.

We at The Charlotte Mabry Team would love to give you some advice on selling your home as is and show you how quickly and easily it can be done. Just give me a call or send an email! I’ll personally review your needs as a seller and help you in any way I can. It’s my pleasure to be a trusted real estate resource for you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.