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Feb 20, 2008 -- Seniors targeted for modified reverse mortgages

RIP-OFF ALERT: Clark gets very steamed whenever he hears about children or seniors getting ripped off. Here's a scenario that affects the latter group: Clark has been getting a lot of reverse mortgage questions. Reverse mortgages offer a way for retired folks who are running out of cash to be able to remain in their home and get a check each month by borrowing against the value of the property. This can be a good option if you don't want a family member to inherit the house, but historically the fees on reverse mortgages have been too high. Now Kiplinger's reports that insurance salesmen and women are convincing seniors to do reverse mortgages, cash out the value of their homes and…you guessed it…buy variable annuities. AARP finds that 1 in 10 people doing reverse mortgages were conned into doing so with the promise of such pseudo-investments.

This is unconscionable. Clark doesn't know what goes on in the minds of the banks, brokerage houses and insurance companies who push these modified reverse mortgages. The variable annuity shtick is bad enough, but it's really infuriating that they're pouring salt into a wound by stripping the equity from a home. Clark believes it's not enough to fine people who push this stuff; the only way to stop this is to send them to prison. The fines that can be levied are never enough and just reinforce the idea that crime pays. So you must be the cop on the beat for your elderly relatives. Be nosy and find out what's going in their lives. Hopefully they were there for you as a young person, so try returning the favor by being there for them in a time of need.

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  • Reverse Mortgages
    Hi Clark. Recently a neighbor in her late 70s with an IRA and a free and clear home in Phoenix was in need of a complete new roof and modification to her home. She withdrew $40,000 from her IRA, incurring extra taxes in 2008 of $11,000 (documented and submitted to IRS). She was going to do a reverse mortgage on her $300,000 free and clear home, but someone just "heard it was a ripoff" so she didn't pursue it. Her total costs of the reverse mortgage would have been only $10,100--and she would have received the $40,000 tax free. The reverse mortgage would have helped her to avoid this tax hit in 2008. Please make people aware that it can and does make sense for many people who are house rich and cash poor. Casting a "scam" light on a potentially helpful program will cause hardship for some folks unnecessarily. By the way, the cost of the loan that is expensive is also made up for by a specific guarantee. The MIP--mortgage insurance premium--is the only cost that is different from a regular mortgage. It is 2% of the home's value. If it was just money paid with nothing in return, it would indeed be a "rip off." But in return for this insurance, the homeowner is given an unconditional guarantee, backed by HUD, that as long as they maintain their property in good condition, pay their taxes and insurance, and live in their home, they can never be foreclosed on or kicked out. In exchange for that guarantee plus never having to make a payment, the value rises up to meet the price. Remember, this is a government backed plan, so anyone in favor of raising taxes to help with the deficit should be in favor of fees that deliver solid benefits to citizens. Please keep up the good work of pointing out scams, but hopefully, you can do more research on reverse mortgages and point out cases where and when it makes sense. Thanks Clark!!!
  • Reverse Mortgage
    Seniors beware of reverse mortgages. My inlaws were convinced to do this. They only had a $20k mortgage left and could handle that fine. They didn't need the money. They were convinced to take a reverse mortgage, strip out all the equity in the house(the amount was low balled), and buy a life insurance policy payable to their children... All under the guise of protecting their money from the government incase they got sick and had to go to a nursing home. The upfront fees are crazy and since they did this 4 years ago they have incurred a total of $50k in original fees, interest rates, and mortgage insurance charges. Dad died, and with the current amount owed on the house now it is unlikely that Mom will ever be able to move to a smaller house. We are also concerned how she will manage upkeep on the house in 5years. We are working out a financial plan for her now, but wondered if there is any way to recover the damages since this was obviously abuse. We are going to the State Insurance Commissioner and State Attorney General... Any other ideas would be welcomed
  • Reverse Mortgages
    I can say a lot of good things about them. It is an age-old error of the media to take some negative things that have happened and make that he norm.

    You have many many reverse mortgage specialists that "are" dedicated to this HUD subsidized program. They are honest and caring. The best ones have years of experience.

    The reverse mortgage has helped millions of senior citizens. It has saved their homes and reduced the worry about "where" they are going to get money to pay those mortgages, taxes and medical bills.

    The closing costs are NOT that high. There are 3. One is Mortgage Insurance which insure the loan. For that reason, they will not come after your kids or the rest of your estate. And, that is the reason your name stays on the title and "you" own the house. The government requires it.

    By the way ... YOU DO 'NOT' HAVE TO SELL YOUR HOME!!! You can pay it off any way you see fit. They don't care "how" you pay off what you took; they just care that you do!

    If you want to know more about the reverse mortgage, don't ask the media ... ask HUD (www.hud.gov).

    For those who are in trouble with their mortgages, owe taxes they cannot pay or facing preforeclosure/foreclosure, look into the program by calling one of the top 3 reverse mortgage businesses.

    They will send a rep to your home and talk with you and you must get the second counseling from a non-partisan HECM counseling agency. AARP can help you with that.

    Remember ... a few bad apples do not determine the rest of the group. And Please, please stop reporting on just the bad. Let people know that the HUD program is very good, but it may not be for everyone; it depends on your situation.
  • reverse mortgage
    Clark, please, please put something on your Web site about the good things re reverse mortgages. My parents own their own home free and clear and need some $ now that my mom got sick. Is there ANYTHING good you can say about reverse mortgages???? Thanks
  • Rip Off Reverse Mortgage
    I noticed after looking at the below comments that these lenders who are hurting and about to loose their jobs are ready to stick it to people to make their 2 percent origination fees...yes, they will tell you that property values that dropped that the economy is bad...ok...so, why is it that I am selling homes left and right...and yes, we are taking less but not HALF of their worth...this is just a final blow that they try to throw at these desperate elderly people to get their homes. Nothing left after a few years. When the scam is that the appraisals come back at a ridiculously low amount, and with all of my experience and knowledge...I know when someone is being ripped off....but never thought it would be me or my mother/broker/owner of a real estate company. We were leary...and we knew all the right questions to ask...only thing...knowing you are desperate for the money...planning on how to invest it for the future...then slam you with an unjust, illegal, unjustified, rip off appraiser/appraisal. Right before the closing date. I will not stop talking...they better do something about this with the mortgage lender...they better re-appraise it for the actual worth of the property or else. They have messed with the wrong person. I am vocal and I will go to the top...of course, you are fighting the government, aren't you? FHA? Aren't they the nice guys that want to help you at a delicate age and financial time of your life when the world is falling apart? NO WAY! Listening to these wet behind the ears lenders with all their information makes me want to scream. I have been in real estate longer than they have been alive. ACTIVELY. I also did loan origination for years...so, nothing they can say will sooth my fears of so many being taken advantage of. People will actually think that their property has lost that much value. I just had a home across the lake from my mother list their property with us...MUCH smaller and not the quality...we wanted a quick sale, 350 asking for with the appraiser because we had a contract for that price, as is. Needed repair. Half the square footage...and GOT THE APPRAISAL...full price no repairs. Go figure. These appraisers come out KNOWING that you are doing a reverse mortgage...jerks. Maybe these lenders don't know the scam...they need to do their homework. I sure have. BAD NEWS!
  • Rip off Reverse Mortgages
    Clark, I have been in the real estate industry for 38 years. My mother is a broker, age 83. She owns the company. She needed some liquid cash...and owning her home and not wanting to move sounded good. We also were careful and negotiated the origination fee to 1 percent rather than the going 2 percent. We also negotiated a set rate of interest below 6 and lower fees...we thought we were in heaven. No way. Guess where they get you. Look, before I go into that...please realize that I am aware of the ecomony. I am aware of property values going down. OK? Now that we have established that...let me tell you that this home is worth over 690k...and was worth almost 800k...it is on a lake on 2 acres and has almost 6000 sq ft. Prestine condition. Nothing has sold on the lake because it is desirable and no one moves. I pulled comps for the appraiser...this is where they get you. All the comps were recent within 3 months of closing between 585 and almost 900k...and we gave them to the appraiser. He gave us comps on properties that were not comparable at all. No lake properties. Homes in areas that are dumpy...gave us 10k more for a lake lot. We are on 2acres and they are on 1/2 a. He did not count half of the home. Half the sq ft. Did not include heated, cooled, luxurious, 2 huge brs and game room, additional kit, another bath another garage...etc...and priced the home at 400K. We are ticked. We see the loop hole now. They do and say all the right things until you are ready to close...you pay for the appraisal, the conference call where you get a diploma *haha...selling real estate for almost 4 decades* and pay that...then they send an inexperienced appraiser out from the other side of town who barely goes thru your home...and says that the comparables that were given...even though on MLS...had no information...and I gave him the information. I am livid. The scam here...is that the appraisers come out and underestimate the value of your property so that they give you less cash...and you have no equity in 10 years...it is a scam...rip off and I am ticked. I want to report this FHA appraiser and I am refusing to close this loan. I hope my mother can stand to move...cause our only alternative is to sell her home that she adores. Shame that the elderly are being taken advantage of. The want you to want the deal...make you look forward to the money...the relief...no payments...da da da...BULL!!!!! They rip you off in the end...drop the bomb. Clark! Do something please.
  • Reverse Mortgages
    We are on the verge of losing it all,our home of 30 years and 4 rental houses. Our 2 sons live in 2 of the houses,personally I would like to live in my home I am 64 my husband is 68 ,Help?
  • Reverse mortgages
    Are they available to a senior who wants to do one on their rental house?
  • reverse mortgage
    my sister inlaws are looking into getting a reverse mortgage for my inlaws, do you have more information that you can post on the reverse mortgages, such as the fees, good features and bad features of doing a reverse mortgage. my inlaws are on a very fixed income.
  • Reverse Mortgages
    June 26, 2008 - 3:30 PM EST.
    I am the owner of Seniors Home Reverse Mortgage Inc. in Decatur, Ga.
    The information you are putting out on FHA insured Reverse Mortgages is uniformly untrue.
    I just caught a segment of your show. You and a caller were discussing the overall concept of Reverse Mortgages. I heard you say that FHA insured Reverse Mortgages have an upfront cost of 10 %. This is in no way a factual statement. It averages 5 % to 5.5 %. This includes a 2 % fee of the appraised value of the home. (Metro Atlanta has a max lending limit of $252,890) This 2 % goes to FHA. The Mortgage Company can receive up 2 % of the appraised value. Often times this is negotiated to a lower fee. The final component is standard closing costs. Attorney, title, appraisal credit report and flood certificate. The state of Georgia collects a fee also.

    It shocks me in summer of 2008; inaccurate information is still being put out over the airwaves.
    Here is true and factual information: Borrowers can receive the proceeds from reverse mortgage in 4 ways.

    1. 3 days after closing they can walk away with the entire amount to which they are entitled based on the age of the youngest borrower, appraised value of the home and the current interest rate.

    2. They can elect to receive monthly payments.

    3. Equity line of Credit. This is NEVER discussed on radio, television or print media. Here is how it works.
    If the borrower does not need the cash now, they have an option to leave the money in a line-of-credit. The money is available to the borrower at anytime without qualifications or fees. They don’t have to get permission to access it. It can be wired into their bank account within 48 hours or they can receive a check in 3-4 days from the request. They can take all or any portion of the money at any time they choose. Here is what you NEVER hear discussed. Any money left in a line of credit with the lender grows at the same interest rate the lender charges the borrower on any money the borrower has taken or was paid on their behalf. Example, the reverse mortgage paid off an existing forward mortgage. It is not interest, so there are NO tax implications on the growth of the equity line of credit. Based on the rates today, if a borrower left $100,000.00 in the equity line of credit with the lender for one year, it would grow to $104,000.00. AND, they have not been charged one penny in interest. The interest accrues ONLY on the money they have received in their hands or has been paid on their behalf.

    4. They can do any combination of the first 3 choices.

    I wanted to add more information; I am only allowed 500 words. So my comments here are limited to
    497 words.
    Jack Wilkes
  • Reverse Mortgage
    I find that your site is lacking information. I have sent many freinds to your site after spending several years listening to you on the radio. A subject like Reverse Mortgages should have several coments and large amounts of information. I am sorry to see the lack of direction other than a report on scams.
  • Reverse Mortgage
    My husband is in discussion with Wells Fargo re. a reverse mtg. Based on your comments in this posting, I am against it, however, this seems negative because of the push to purchase annuities, and we've not been so approached. Could you give a more recent comment regarding just the reverse mtg. Thank you. C. Moore
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