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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Forebearing

Yesterday I finally took care of the inevitable: I called my mortgage company to advise I would not be able to make my next payment. Or maybe the one after.

I explained the situation to the first customer representative, and he paused while looking up my account. When he came back he said, "But your payments are up to date."

"Yes, they are."

*silence*

*shuffle* "I was hoping not to make this call but I won't be able to make my next payment. What are my options? I can pay some, but not all."

"Well your payments are up to date. I'll transfer you to collections and they'll see what you qualify for since you're not behind. Here's the number." 

Then he transferred me, and I spoke to the person in collections. As HE looked up my account, we had a repeat of my first conversation, with the same odd tone. "Well....your account is up to date."

"Yes. But I won't be able to make this next payment as I've had a reduction in hours at work."

This went on for a bit and I admit I was puzzled; both the rep and the collections agent seemed a bit put out that I would dare to be calling them while still current on my mortgage.

Um...was I SUPPOSED to be $10,000 in the hole before calling for assistance, and already in foreclosure? [rhetorically sarcastic question]

Thankfully he processed a 3 month forbearance which also allows me to make partial payments through September. The down side is that after 3 months, I WILL be behind by at least one full payment, if not a little more, and THEN there will be a big black mark on my credit. But...it also sounds like they anticipate that with this type of forebearance and then roll something else out to help homeowners become current again.

I decided not to ask too many questions, though, because even the simplest ones regarding the situation at hand seemed really confusing to the collections rep. He's sending some preliminary paperwork; we'll see if perhaps that answers my questions, but I am guessing I already HAVE the paperwork he's citing and could probably explain it to HIM more effectively than he was able to explain my basic options to me.

*sigh*

Does anyone want to pay my mortgage for a month or so?

No?

OK.

6 comments:

Alix said...

If you put up a donation button, I'd be happy to contribute, and I am sure I'm not the only one :) I'll pray too!

Banshee said...

And then you can throw a mortgage party (virtually speaking) to help pay your mortgage payments!

Adoro said...

Alix ~ You're not the first to suggest this, but I have a hard time just begging donations; after all, I took this job even knowing it was a 10 month position. I quit my previous job...and wonder if perhaps I NEED to lose my house. Maybe that's what God intends. I don't know.

Suburbanbanshee ~ I remember going to my aunt and uncle's "mortgage burning party" and totally didn't understand, first, why they would burn such an important document, and secondly, why they'd have a party to celebrate it.

Now I understand.

Ironically, their house burned down a few years ago. My uncle lost a great deal of precious art - stuff HE painted.

*sigh*

So, ok, Ali and Suburbanshee, here's the deal: I'm not ready to put a donation button or link on my blog, but I'll tell you this: yeah, I need help, seriously.

If you go to paypal and type in my email address:

adorotedevoteblog@blogspot.com you'll come to my account and can make a donation. Anything you put in will go to my mortgage and with thanks.

But...don't feel obliged. Please.

At some point I have to get out of this hole I dug myself into either via another job or something else, and I fear the "something else" is inevitable even with donations.

Life is hard, and it's getting worse and worse, financially, for a LOT of us. Right now MN is in a government shutdown and I shudder to consider what some people are going through - people who DIDN'T sign on to this hardship.

Anonymous said...

I am but a lowly undergrad, so I can only offer my prayers... but I do offer them!


Have you heard of Dave Ramsey? I know he's huge in non-denominational Christian circles right now, and a lot of churches are even offering his courses for free.

It could be a helpful resource, or it could totally not be for you, but I thought I'd mention it.

Adoro said...

Anon ~ If he's the guy that did the whatever # of steps to financial freedom, we have that at work although I haven't watched it.

Hidden One said...

Adoro, I cannot help with money directly, but I can perhaps help some other way.

I personally know a very good Canadian diocesan priest who was posted to the St. Middle O'Nowhere in Tinyville, (so to speak), who was sufficiently courageous (and desperate) to entreat Venerable Pius XII for 1 million dollars.

Father received $2.2 million, out of nowhere.

Father has been busy fulfilling his promise to spread devotion to Pius XII ever since. I think that His Holiness could probably help you with your mortgage.

Praying for you, as usual.

In Christ,
Hidden One