It was once believed that foreclosure was only for all of those people who bought homes they couldn't afford. No longer is that the case, and I am here to bust that myth. People do not have to hide behind the embarrassment and shame of foreclosure, because there are approximately 6 million American homeowners with some sort of a default ranging from 30 days all the way to full blown foreclosure. Homeowners have a lot of company these days when facing this housing crisis, a lot of company indeed. It is not limited to lower income people, occupation and social status does not matter either. Unemployment is at its highest, and yet a countless number of people are already off of the unemployment insurance grid but are still unemployed, no one is counting those people, and the census numbers are reporting that one in seven Americans being at poverty level, as well as household incomes dropping for the 2nd year in a row.
You could be the Octomom, or an Orange County housewife reality TV star living in a multi-million dollar mansion, or even Ed McMahon of high celebrity status. It could be your sister, your brother, your best friend or your aging mother. Your neighbor, your boss, your employee or your customers. Heck, it could even be YOU.
Even when it is not currently you, one credit line less for the company you work for and a downsizing could happen and you are out of a job tomorrow. That is the reality of the situation and the reality of what is happening. I am not one to be negative but I think it is important to have empathy for our fellow man because foreclosure is devastating to families, to neighborhoods, to cities and states. It affects so much more and carries such a ripple effect with it. So many ripples, too many to mention. What I can mention is that regardless of whether you ever have to personally face foreclosure in some roundabout way, it most certainly does affect you, and I urge you to do what you can to let your congressman know that the American people need help, real help. There are people in distress, people even committing suicide. They must do something cut the red tape and frustration caused to homeowners trying to get help from the current HAMP program and they need accountability, servicers and all of the agencies involved must be held accountable, especially since we are all footing the bill. The American homeowners would like to know if anyone even really cares that this is happening to them because no one, and I mean no one, is listening to their cries for help.
It is important for you to know that many people facing foreclosure today actually were able to afford the homes that they bought at the time they bought them. You should consider this before believing that foreclosure is only for those people that could not afford to buy these homes, or that they deserved those bad loans due to a bad credit profile. Most of them even had reserves in the bank that are now gone and gone also is the equity they thought they had, too. Please don't try to take their dignity away too, while they live in fear of not only being unemployed, but of being homeless as well.
I urge people facing foreclosure and trying to get a loan modification or are applying for a HAMP Home Affordable Modification Program or have been denied for a loan modification to know their numbers, empower themselves with real knowledge, believe they will prevail, verify everything, follow up, and take action to make what you want happen. To really begin to think for yourself you must question authority!