On July 30, 2009 NMLS released the National Test Component and 11 Unique State Test Components. In October, 2009 it deployed another seven State Components and then six more State Components in December, 2009. On January 4, 2010 the New Jersey State Test Component was released, and on February 22nd, so were an additional five unique State Components. On April 12th, another set of five state components became available, and on June 14th, seven more were released. This brings the total of state components available to 42. More will eventually be added.

From June 2009 to June 2010, about 76,000 loan originators sat for the National Component test. 71% passed on the first attempt. About 82,000 loan originators have also taken a State Component test. 80% passed on the first attempt.

For those who fail either test, a re-take may be scheduled after 30 days. Up to 3 re-takes may be completed before the originator is disqualified for six months. Approximately 44% of these test re-takers eventually pass the National Component and 61% eventually pass the State Component.

NOTE: My score on the Massachusetts Component was 92%, New Hampshire Component 93% and National Component 85%… all on the first try. Maine, the third state where I am licensed, has not yet deployed a State Component test.

Find Details About Your Reverse Mortgage Loan Officer

To retrieve information related to any registered reverse mortgage loan officer, simply enter their unique Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry (NMLS) number here. Test scores are not available to you at this NMLS Consumer Access site but at least you will know if the loan officer you are working with is licensed or registered in your state. If not registered or licensed, consider seriously if you really want to do business with this person who has not been vetted by your state regulators. A reverse mortgage is a big financial decision and it is imperative that you deal only with a reliable individual. Don’t gamble your home with someone you know nothing about.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant – NMLS #19086
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When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions,they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . When you’re looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . ‘I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice . . . . .. The things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . .. . . You’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell you who I am. . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten . .. . . . With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . Who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . With wings on his feet..
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . A lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . .. That I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . Have grown and are gone,
But my woman’s beside me . . . . . To see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . Shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . Young of their own.
And I think of the years .. . . . . And the love that I’ve known.

I’m now an old man . . . . . And nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . .. . Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . .. . . Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . .. . Life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . . Gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . Open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . See ME!!

Remember this poem when you meet an older person you might be tempted to brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM

Footnote: the above circulates across the internet via email. This poem, titled Too Soon Old, was actually written by Dave Griffith of Fort Worth, Texas. Griffith wrote the poem more than 20 years ago and meant for it to be simple, and to the point, from youth through old age in his own personal life, high school football, Marines, marriage, the ravages of his own disabilities. Someone took the poem from his site, created a false story about it, and started circulating it on the Internet. While the story might be false, the poem and the images it creates remain powerful.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant
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How Regular Reverse Mortgages (HECMs) Work

Let’s review.  The Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program is a reverse mortgage program guaranteed by FHA for seniors 62 years of age and older who own their own homes. Most often, seniors taking advantage of the special HECM programs fully intend to remain in their present home as long as possible. They use the equity built up over the years to supplement monthly income and/or eliminate conventional mortgage payments without selling the home. Some need to payoff home equity loan notes accumulated in years when banks touted the benefits of “cashing out” the rapidly increasing home value… implying that it would go on forever. Others have large debt that has become a serious burden in retirement. But the single most common characteristic of these borrowers is that they choose to remain in their existing home. The regular HECM program was originally designed specifically for them.

Well, what about seniors wanting to down-size in retirement?  The 4 bedroom, 2 bath home  now seems difficult to maintain, heat, and keep clean.  Or  what about others wanting to move closer to older children and grandchildren?  Or seniors wanting to enjoy a warmer climate?  Each of these clients could eventually do a reverse mortgage, but the process was cumbersome, complex and costs were terrible; closing expenses for original purchase of the new home or condo plus closing expenses again to convert the regular conventional mortgage to a HECM. Only very experienced reverse mortgage loan originators knew how to make this happen seamlessly.

HECM for Purchase Example

HECM for Purchase allows the senior to sell an existing home and keep much of the cash realized from the sale.  Here’s an example – Joe & Mary are in their mid 70s and sell their 4 bedroom home in Cambridge, MA for $650,000.  They are left with about $450,000 after paying off several home equity loans, the real estate broker, and closing costs.  The plan is to buy a much smaller home or condo in the western part of the state to be close to grandchildren… and Tanglewood (a popular classical music venue in the Berkshires).  They locate a nice 2 bedroom condo near their daughter and negotiate a price of $280,000. If they pay cash for the new condo, they will have about $170,000 remaining that will go into CDs at the local bank and earn about 1/2 percent interest.

If they opt instead to use the HECM for Purchase  program, they qualify for about $170,000 on the new home.  That means they only need to come up with $110,000 at closing instead of the full $280,000 as originally planned.  The extra cash that they keep ($170,000) will also go into CDs giving them a total of $340,000 in the bank.

Results

With the HECM for Purchase program, Joe & Mary are in a new home close to Tanglewood and the kids. They will make no mortgage payments as long as one of them remains in the home.  And… they have $340,000 cash remaining in the bank.  The result is the same but they have twice as much money in the bank.  Life is good!

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant
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The product you select should meet your needs first.  Few seniors really understand the difference and lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in home equity over the life of the loan because the loan originator happily steers the conversation to fees & costs without any regard for exactly how you plan to use your money. Why would the originator be happy to turn the conversation to lowest fees & costs ?  Because he/she makes more money, silly!

Hidden Payments From Reverse Mortgage Lender

If fees & costs are lower how does the loan officer make more money?  The answer is that the lender pays a premium to the loan originator for putting you into one of these HECM programs that require you to draw all of the money at closing.  Brokers are forced by regulation to show the amount of this payment to them on the Good Faith Estimate but federally chartered banks are totally exempted.  You will never know that this fee is being paid to the originator if you are dealing with a bank’s retail loan representative.  But most seniors are intelligent enough to understand that nobody works for nothing.  While this backdoor payment isn’t coming out of borrower funds… borrowers still pay for it.  The trick is to figure out where it’s costing you.  Hint: look at the interest rate… the fees and costs have been buried in the much higher interest rate you have to pay!  That “no fees” loan might be much more expensive in the long run than the “regular fees” loan.

If you intend to use all of the money (repeat – all of the money!) you derive from a reverse mortgage to pay off an immediate debt (your large conventional mortgage, very large medical bill, etc.), these “no fees” products might be worth looking at.  But if you do not need to take all of the money for this purpose, you could be making a big mistake.  Interest will accumulate very rapidly on the funds that you must take. And, you may inadvertently place yourself into a position where you will be unable to qualify for medicaid or other means tested programs.  You could easily lose tens of thousands of dollars in home equity if the loan remains active and you live in the home more than a couple of years.

Reverse Mortgage Consultant

Work with a broker who takes a consultative approach with clients.  A broker that has your best interests in mind will make certain that you understand all of the advantages and disadvantages of these programs.  Believe it… the upfront fees and costs are not the most important consideration! Ask your broker to provide and fully explain a detailed Amortization Schedule for each loan HECM program you are considering. Look at your life expectancy… and then calculate how much equity you will have burned up under each HECM program. You might be shocked to find out that the “least expensive” (no fees) program is actually the most costly!

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant
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Background: Reverse Mortgage Details

Doctor Harrison is an 89 year old retired surgeon in frail health living in a very affluent community west of Boston.  He was referred to me by a former loan officer and friend who had been working with him for 3+ years before leaving the reverse business.  I agreed to meet with Dr. & Mrs. Harrison. I explained the available HECM programs, listened to their well thought out needs as expressed to me during our face-to-face interview and took an application.  They were determined to work through MetLife Bank and I agreed with their choice. They had no mortgage to payoff but they had some credit card debt of about $30,000.  The goal was to pay this debt, throw away the credit cards and leave the remainder of their money in a line of credit. They would draw from the line of credit to meet unexpected expenses as needed.  Total available to them was about $410,000… a hefty sum of money. It was unlikely that they would ever use it all… but some money would be needed to supplement monthly cash flow.  When Dr. Harrison passed away or entered a nursing home, much more would be needed.

Interestingly, their son and their lawyer were opposed to the reverse mortgage.  I was to find out later that they may have known more than me about the mental stability of my client.

Competitor Without a Conscience

Several weeks after we started their application, MetLife introduced some new reverse mortgage programs and canceled some old programs with higher margins.  Before I could notify him, Doctor Harrison trolled the internet and discovered the newly introduced HECM Fixed Rate – No Origination Fee & No Service Fee program courtesy of a web-based broker who had less than honorable intentions.  With telephone contact only, that broker quickly sold the 89 year old failing senior that he could do this new program  for him.  So could I, of course,  but I needed to clearly explain the consequences to a client who might be drifting in and out of rationality.  It would be $5,000 cheaper in terms of closing costs and it would get him about $12,000 more.  But it clearly did not meet the goals we had previously discussed.  Sometimes borrowers confuse the total amount of money they can get from a reverse mortgage program with the actual value of their home… as if they were selling; not borrowing.  It’s tempting to elect a program that offers more money up front.

It was all downhill for me from that point.  The client would not speak to me and refused to meet with me so that I could explain the disadvantages of what the other broker proposed.  My client was placing his trust and risking all equity in his home in someone he had never met… who was giving him very bad financial advice over the phone.  And someone who was solely focused upon how much commission money he would make placing a Fixed Rate HECM loan that required the borrower to take all the money at closing.

Reverse Mortgage Amortization Schedule

This new program clearly did not meet their needs and a simple amortization schedule or projection showed that the cost of this new Fixed Rate HECM program would eat up substantial home equity over the remaining life span of Dr. & Mrs. Harrison.  While initial fees and additional money offered appeared to be a good deal… it clearly was not… for them.  The Adjustable Rate HECM program that I had proposed had an interest rate of about 2.03% vs the 5.49% Fixed Rate HECM proposed by my telephone boiler room competitor.   Worse, Dr Harrison would be forced to take all the cash available at loan closing under terms of this Fixed Rate HECM program and the interest clock, therefore,  would start ticking immediately on the entire amount plus fees.  When you are talking about taking a loan for $437,000 (including fees), the interest compounds rapidly.  The remaining equity in the home would be gone in a flash.

Lost Reverse Mortgage Deal

Sorry, there’s no happy ending here. The faceless phone bank competitor got the deal transferred to him.  I tried to do what was right for the borrower but sometimes, logic and rationality go out the window.  No good deed goes unpunished, as they say.  Unfortunately there are still some loan officers preying upon seniors who are just too smart (or too ill) for their own good.  I’ve lost deals before… but this one hurt because I know that this borrower was not properly served.  The competitor pocketed some very big commission money and moved on to continue dialing for dollars.  He clearly put his own needs before the needs of this client by confusing him and by failing to properly analyze all loan options. We need to rid the industry of these questionable people! They are just as reprehensible as those who steal openly from our seniors. What’s your opinion?

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Some states have very substantial requirements for licensees. Massachusetts, for example, requires that your reverse mortgage loan originator must pass the S.A.F.E. Act training and testing component as well as undergo a CORI criminal records check, credit check and fingerprinting. Other states might be more lenient with respect to requirements. But everyone in these states must now at least register with NMLS.

Reverse Mortgage Professional Experience

It’s easy to check the qualifications/background of your reverse mortgage loan officer. Simply go to NMLS Consumer Access (<- here) and enter the loan officer’s NMLS registration number. You will be asked to confirm understanding of use of the system and you will be able to see the individual’s record in the system. The past 10-year job history plus info for each state where the loan originator is licensed will be reported. Click on “view employment details” to see how much experience your originator has.  Be certain to click on “view details” in each record to see if the person you are working with is currently licensed in your state.  You could be looking at a record where the loan originator has surrendered or failed to renew a license. Don’t assume the license is current just because you see the state listed.

Even If you don’t know the loan originator’s NMLS number, you are able to search the database by originator name. This is a little more tricky as the system may report the name in a slightly different format than the person customarily uses – Bill Smith, for example, might be listed as William F. Smith in the NMLS database.  You might need to try a few variations on the name.

Another simple search technique is to enter the zip code of the loan originator’s office represented on his/her business card. You should see the appropriate record along with all other lenders in that same zip code.

Caution Searching For Reverse Mortgage Data

Again…be very certain to drill down in each state shown in the loan officer’s record to make sure your reverse mortgage loan originator is currently licensed and “approved to do business” in that state.  Finally, note that reverse mortgage loan originators working for FDIC banks are completely exempt from state licensing. There is, of course, a big difference between licensing and merely registering.  You won’t find any background information on these originators and they may not have been checked for criminal background or credit. You have no way to know who these people are or what their professional experience is. While they must register with NMLS, the information is limited at best.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Tuition would be about $30,000 per year so Peter and Margaret considered selling their home to provide money for the grandson’s education. Their attorney referred them to me to help them investigate other options such as a federally insured reverse mortgage. I have worked with several of this attorney’s clients over the years so she was comfortable referring them.

Calculating Options

Selling the home, we calculated, would leave them with about $261,000 net after real estate commissions of $17,100. Then, you could add moving costs and future storage costs for some of their household items. Also, they faced the prospect of locating a small apartment nearby where rent payments in the first year alone could be $12,000. Total outlay could easily exceed $35,000

On the other hand, a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) on their existing home would yield them between $170,000 to $190,000 cash depending upon the specific HECM program they selected. Fees and closing costs ranged from a high of $13,500 to as low as $5,700… again, depending upon the HECM program they selected. No payments would be due until the last spouse left the home permanently. The only out-of-pocket cost would be the appraisal and the counseling; $425 and $125 respectively.

Decision: Reverse Mortgage

Peter and Margaret decided to remain in the home they loved so much and opted for the reverse mortgage. For them, even though the financial part of the decision would save many thousands of dollars in fees & costs… the real deciding factors were (1.) the realization that they could help their daughter and grandson immediately and (2.) still remain in their beloved home.  An added bonus was (3.) that there would be some extra cash available (over $40,000) to supplement their income if either needed medical attention or if one of them should pass away unexpectedly.

What choice would you have made? Peter and Margaret were certainly not desperate… and they clearly made a choice that cost them less money even though reverse mortgages are often inaccurately portrayed as “outrageously expensive”. In this case, the real estate commission was the expense far more deserving of that characterization. They thought it was an easy decision once the facts were known. They continue to live at home while their grandson benefits from their generosity and they are still around to witness his success. And yes, they agreed to cut up the credit cards and immediately paid off the looming $10,000 balance.

My Reward

Frankly, I see this kind of positive outcome almost every day in my business as a reverse mortgage specialist.  This is the reason why I do what I do.  I am always puzzled as to why some poorly informed people think the product is a “last resort”.  We aren’t dealing with widows and orphans here.  The vast majority of my clients are well informed and make very smart choices.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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>>> Free Referral to Consultant In Your Area – Click Here <<<

Reverse Mortgage Directory Listings

“Experts” will often recommend that you select a lender by consulting some kind of national list on the internet. Plug in your zip code, they advise, and the directory will provide a list of lenders that serve your area. This may be the simplest way to select a lender/loan officer but it may also the dumbest approach of all.  Just because a lender or broker is a member of some organization does not guarantee the honesty, professionalism and character of the person who will respond.   AARP does not endorse nor do they recommend any lender.  They publish no list.   A loan officer claiming direct endorsement is misrepresenting.  NRMLA (the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association) does tout a list of its members by state – but these members have paid a very substantial annual fee to become members of this trade association – or lobbyist.   Some of the best local brokers may not be willing to pay the annual fees charged by this group.  Even HUD’s lender directory is woefully inadequate and incomplete.  Finally, the internet is loaded with various other directories of “preferred lenders”.  Most, if not all, are marketing gimmicks and paid referral sources.

Conclusion

Don’t choose your lender based upon price.  There are too many more important issues to consider.  Besides, HECM prices change from week to week until your application is actually completed… so too few seniors actually understand how to do comparison shopping correctly.  (We will save that subject for the next post.)  Choose your originator based upon your investigation of his/her direct experience, multiple resources and willingness to work with you face-to-face.

Rely upon other professionals (attorneys, financial planners, elder law specialists, case workers, etc.) who have had direct experience working with the best loan officers in the area.  Reputation is everything… and it should be your most important consideration, too – reputation, longevity, experience, character, referral.  If you choose the right loan officer, he or she will work hard with your best interests in mind… and may even suggest ways or programs to help you get more money or lower fees.  If you choose the wrong loan originator, you are just whistling in the dark!

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Criminal Background Check

Many seniors are worried about scams and frauds because the news media loves to highlight these stories. One of the best ways to protect yourself is to have a full criminal background check completed by a law enforcement authority on the candidate before you. Not practical ? Guess again!  If you selected a loan originator licensed by Massachusetts or any other state that is a member of the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS), that person has already been required to (1.) pass a national licensing knowledge test (S.A.F.E. Act), (2.) has been fingerprinted, (3.) has had a CORI check (criminal records investigation), (4.) has had a full credit check and (5.) has been assigned an identification number as proof that all of these tasks have been accomplished.  NMLS will allow you to search their database to learn if any complaints have been filed against this person.  Get your candidate’s NMLS number and search the database before arranging a meeting.  Rule of thumb: no NMLS registration – run away!  You have a right to expect that the person you are dealing with has been thoroughly vetted and is of good moral character.

Deal With Banker or Broker?

Understand fully what type of organization you are dealing with.   Ask the candidate “Are you a Banker or a Broker ?”  “Are you licensed to do business in MY STATE?”  Most mortgage brokers are state licensed and are, therefore, subject to many of the regulations cited above. On the other hand… and surprisingly…, loan originators who work for a federally chartered bank are not subject to state licensing at all.  They are exempt due to successful lobbying efforts of their trade organizations. You have no way to know, therefore, if these candidates have been properly vetted or even adequately trained.  There is no specific requirement for a knowledge test, credit check, criminal background check.  Many are paid by the number of applications taken – not by the number of completed loans.  They could have no vested interest in closing your loan or not.  Shamefully, a bank loan officer is not even required to reveal all fees earned on your loan.  A broker, however, is required to report every detail.  Undoubtedly, there are many very reputable loan originators working at banks but be forewarned that they may not have had as extensive a background check as the broker.

How Many Reverse Mortgage Lender Connections ?

Another critical factor you should consider when choosing your lender is how many lending sources does his/her organization work with. If you are dealing with a bank, odds are that there is only one wholesale lender on their list. All reverse mortgage business goes to that single lender. A broker, however, typically deals with 3 or 4 lenders. Lender A (used by both the bank and the broker) might not offer the same products, interest rates and fees as Lender B (also used by the broker but not the bank). For example, in today’s market only a handful of lenders are offering Fixed Rate HECM loans with no origination fee & no service fee. If your bank loan originator is not connected to that particular wholesale lender, you will never be offered that product. Brokers have no institutional product bias… they have multiple sources and they can offer you the best products, interest rates and fees. No need to have a board of directors meeting to get a $100 discount, either. The broker can (and will) approve it on the spot.

Processing Problems

Products and interest rates are not the only reason why it is in your best interests to deal with an experienced broker. Almost any mortgage can have something odd develop in the processing of the loan.  Lender underwriting staff are required to follow specific FHA and lender policies… but some items may be subject to interpretation.  An experienced broker knows the hot buttons of each lender and may choose to place your loan with Lender C because your “problem” is not a significant issue for their underwriters. Lender A, however, might be more demanding and your loan could be delayed or even rejected because your bank originator has no secondary source. Only experience allows a broker to be able to anticipate these issues and work for you to resolve or avoid them completely.

Choosing a Reverse Mortgage Loan Officer – Part III (next post).

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Reverse Mortgage Price Quotes

Counselors and financial advisors admonish borrowers to “get at least 3 quotes” before making a decision on who to select for your reverse mortgage. This is the worst advice imaginable... because it infers that price is the sole determining factor in choosing a lender. Price is the very last thing you want to consider. If you blindly follow this advice you are well on the way to making a bad decision.

Ask yourself… have you merely had phone conversations with these 3 candidates… or have you actually met with them in your home; eyeball-to-eyeball ? Any lender who won’t or can’t come to your home for an initial meeting with you, your spouse and your children plus your trusted financial advisor is just not worthy of your business. Eliminate these people immediately. What’s more, if your loan officer is unwilling to meet individually with your children, your attorney and/or with your financial advisor in their respective offices or homes, run away.

Reverse Mortgage Telemarketers

Best advice is to avoid them! Telemarketing operations (boiler room phone banks) could be staffed with people who are poorly trained, of questionable background and pressured to fill sales quotas.  If there is a problem processing your loan, good luck getting the help you will need.  Some staff in these shops could have 15 minutes experience in the business.  Last week the same “loan advisor” might have been selling tires over the phone.  Do you really want a quote from this person?  When you call back next week, who will answer the phone?

Meet Reverse Mortgage Originators Face-To-Face

Meet your candidates face-to-face! You can tell a whole lot about people when you interact and observe their personal appearance. Seniors, in particular, have learned to be pretty good judges of character by observation. If you’re uncomfortable inviting a stranger into your home, arrange to meet at the local Macdonalds or Burger King. The important point is that you need face time with each of your candidates to see if they inspire you….. or do they avoid eye contact, dress unprofessionally, dominate the conversation, etc.

Ask Specific Questions – Listen to Answers

During that initial meeting, ask key questions about the originator’s personal background. This is a major financial decision you and your spouse are about to make so you want to be certain that you are dealing with an experienced, reputable individual. Questions to ask include “Exactly how many reverse mortgage loan applications have you completed ?” A reasonable number is 150 or more. “Over how many years ?” A reasonable time frame is 3-5 years. Pay exceptionally close attention to how these questions are answered. If the candidate generalizes or avoids specific and direct answers, find somebody else who can be honest with you. If the response is “I’ve been in the mortgage business for 18 years” – this is not the question you asked. You are looking for specific reverse mortgage experience and an evasive answer like that shows the character of the individual in question. Move on!

Choosing a Reverse Mortgage Loan Officer – PART II (next post).

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Some in the industry are suggesting that this is merely a short term aberration and that the servicing fee will probably return once interest rates start to rise again.  Others have hailed the announcement as a small but positive step toward countering some of the devistating principal limit loss of October, 2009 when borrowers saw 10% shaved by HUD from the amount of their benefit.

More Principal Limit Cuts in 2010?

As of this moment, this may be the best environment borrowers can hope to see in 2010.  HUD has already announced the likelihood of another 5% cut to the principal limit before fiscal year end in October, 2010.  And, recent reports predict a principal limit cut as high as 20% if HUD fails to get approval of its budget request for $250,000,000 to subsidize the program.  Either of these increased cuts will cause more seniors to become ineligible for the federally insured reverse mortgage program.  The government continues to work overtime to destroy what was once a very beneficial loan program.

If you are dealing with a captive loan originator working for a single lender (e.g. a bank), you could easily miss out on this opportunity if that lender does not offer the no service fee policy.  Same story if you elect to place your loan with a telemarketer.  Best bet for most seniors continues to be to find an experienced reverse mortgage broker with connections to multiple lenders. Odds are good that you will find the best opportunities where there are multiple options… and where your loan officer is not beholden to a single source.  That’s the way the business works and you obviously benefit from diversity in this case.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Reverse Mortgage Counselors Stumped

A Charleston, SC newspaper (The Post and Courier) ran a story today with a quote from Debbie Kidd, a very experienced counselor and head of the Homeowner Resource Center at Family Services Inc where she said she has failed the new counselor test four times in a row.  Kidd says, “It’s humiliating…. I’ve done this for 20 years… Why can’t I pass this test?”  Debbie is an acquaintance and we know of her long time service to seniors and her standing in the counseling profession.  Her knowledge of the industry is exceptional.  I would say her knowledge of the subject matter is unquestionable.

HUD Fixes Things… Again

In their wisdom, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) decided to make the licensing exam for counselors more difficult.  This action is just one more badly conceived response to a cadre of poorly informed,  loud-mouthed housing advocates who continue to beat the drum about so-called abuses to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program.  According to an article in the Post and Courier, a HUD spokesperson said the agency “acknowledges the test is intentionally difficult, but we believe it needs to be so because of the vulnerable population” who seek reverse mortgages.  In other words, HUD thinks all seniors are stupid and need to be protected from themselves.

After receiving complaints from test takers, HUD posted more study material online. But in South Carolina, only one counselor in Columbia and one in Greenville have passed this test so far.  Seniors trying to get counseling for the HECM program have even fewer options now.  Who knows what the statistics might be in other states.

Seniors Will Get Less

The result of all the unanswered negative publicity that has been hammering the HECM program for many months is that seniors now qualify for less money, see lower home values, are forced to pay out-of-pocket for appraisals directly, are forced to pay for counseling out-of-pocket directly… and now they will be certain to have more trouble finding a “qualified” counselor.  The mounting unintended consequences of poorly conceived changes to the HUD program are destroying it piece-by-piece.  At this pace, soon… there will be no HECM program remaining for for seniors.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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Mr. & Mrs. Johnson (names changed to guard client privacy, of course) did their HECM loan with me back in 2003 when I originated for BNY Mortgage – Reverse Mortgage Division. Since that time the corporate name on my office door has changed several times due to merger & acquisition or better opportunity.  But I have always notified my clients and provided details on how to contact me should they need my assistance.

Reverse Mortgage Account Number Changed

Mr. & Mrs. Johnson’s loan was initially serviced by Seattle Mortgage and all went well for many years. But sometime in 2008 the Seattle Mortgage Reverse Division was purchased by Bank of America. Bank of America dutifully notified Mr. Johnson that they were assigning a new account number to his reverse mortgage account.  The new statements soon began arriving addressed to Mr. Johnson at his home in Massachusetts.  Balances appeared to be correct and the  Johnsons continued to draw a small amount of cash several times during the year to stay current with their financial obligations.  Then, unexpectedly, Mr. Johnson passed away in January of this year.

Within a few weeks, Bank of America forwarded a form letter to Mrs. Johnson advising that according to the terms of the agreement the reverse mortgage was now due and payable.   She was given a period of time to settle the outstanding balance due but the line of credit on the account was immediately terminated.  Mrs. Johnson was shutoff from any further draw on her account at a time when she most needed the emergency money.

Her phone calls to Bank of America were unproductive. She was repeatedly transferred from department to department and given inaccurate information.  At one point, a representative even suggested she refinance her reverse mortgage to avoid the possibility of foreclosure.  A very inappropriate recommendation.  She did not know how to resolve this very serious problem.

Help From Your Reverse Mortgage Loan Officer

Finally, Mrs. Johnson recalled communications from me informing her of my new position and encouraging contact for any reason.  She turned to me for advice and assistance. I could sense that she was distraught and emotionally drained.  I immediately met with her at her home accompanied by her daughter and her son. After some investigation we found an original copy of the Loan Agreement signed at closing by both Mr. & Mrs. Johnson.  We determined that an official copy of the reverse mortgage document with both signatures was on file at the county registry of deeds. An original deed to the property with both names was also located.  It then became obvious that when Bank of America assigned the new account number to Mr. & Mrs. Johnson’s loan, they arbitrarily dropped Mrs. Johnson’s name from their records. All future monthly statements and communications from Bank of America contained only Mr. Johnson’s name. Even checks drawn on the account were made out to Mr. Johnson only.

Correcting Reverse Mortgage Bank Error

Mrs. Johnson has retained an attorney to represent her to communicate with the bureaucracy at Bank of America to suggest they get their records corrected immediately. However, an error like this should never happen. And when it happens to an elderly person who has just lost a spouse, the confusion and desperation can be completely overwhelming.  Bank of America or any other lender should make a better effort to help customers deal with these situations. I’m sure this is not the first time something like this has happened.

Moral of the story: Save your paperwork and choose a loan officer who will be there to help you many years later if a problem arises. Keep at least your Loan Agreement and your Mortgage in a safe place known to both spouses. Always check your monthly statement for balances and note carefully any name, address or account number changes.  Contact the service provider immediately if you note anything out of the ordinary. Take names when you talk to people.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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New rules go into effect February 1st eliminating the old “spot approval” process. If your complex is not already FHA approved, there is little probability that your project could/would earn necessary FHA approval.  The process is far too costly for most associations to initiate.  While a very savvy lender just might be able to navigate the process to win spot approval for you under the new rules, that lender would assume liability for your loan and any other reverse mortgage loan completed in your project… even if other loans were done by another lender. Seems unlikely anyone would take the risk.

Many projects that are presently FHA approved will be subject to review because conditions have changed and much time has passed since these projects were initially approved.

So many changes are coming down with respect to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program that it is difficult even for the professionals to keep abreast of them.  If you even think that a reverse mortgage is in your future over the next six to twelve months, you should be talking to an experienced professional. Waiting is probably a poor strategy given the numerous changes to the program.

Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant

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