Thank you LoanSafe!

[the_good_life]

I first found this website in February, and I can't thank you enough! I had been at my wit's end trying to deal with CitiMortgage, and stumbled across this site during an online search for help.

Everytime I called CitiMortgage, different people told me different things about my request for a loan modification;


We were approved
We weren't approved, but were going to be soon
We qualified for a modification
We didn't qualify for a modification
Our paperwork was lost
Our paperwork was lost
Our paperwork was lost (yes, I sent three faxes)

I was told to call back umpteen times in as many weeks. It was especailly fun talking to the people in India, and being bounced from department to department - the record for one phone call was talking to nine different people, all with conflicting advice and information. I was incredibly frustrated and upset.

I came to this forum and figured there was nothing to lose. After calling the phone number provided on this web site, I got an actual human being who picked up the phone (!). He gave me an e-mail address and suggested I send an e-mail detaining what I was going through. I did so immediately and Aubrey called me within three hours. She listened patiently as I related how I'd faxed in my modification request three times, and been told to wait thirty days between each fax. I started trying to modify our mortgage last November.

From the time that I first made contact with Aubrey, she has been nothing but helpful, courteous, and sincere in her efforts to assist me and my husband. In the end, our interest rate has dropped from 5.875% to 3.7%, which will enable us to remain in our home. We just sent the first payment this month, and our loan will modify for good next October. Yes, that's almost a year since we began. It will be such a relief to finally be done with this in a few months.

I can't thank LoanSafe and Aubrey enough. I'm sure you all know how nice it is to have one person to turn to with questions and concerns. Aubrey has been in our corner every step of the way, and I'm so grateful to have somebody to help me instead of being relegated to customer service phone system hell.

For those of you who are still dealing with this mess, I wish you luck. I've spent literally hours on the phone and filling out paperwork, faxing documents... well, you all know the drill. Please don't give up! Keep the faith.

[Sunbeam]

Congratulations! I'm very happy for you! Persistance paid off your you! Can you tell me if you were over 31% on your mortgage DTI? I have been turned down for the HAMP and am back to square one with Citi on the original request to modify based upon hardship.

Also, do you have a direct number for Aubrey??

[giari3]

the good life: WOW Congrats to you!! So your persistance and patience since February finally paid off. You can now afford your home. Your case is an example that not everyone will qualify for the Obama Loan Mod, but that there are other programs that CitiMortgage offers depending on each individual situation and that there is very nice and helpful people working for CitiM.

[the_good_life]

I am at my wit's end and don't know where to turn. After making four trial payments (July, August, September, October) we are no closer to getting a modification than we were back in April when this all started. The amount of run-around that my husband and I have experienced is truly mind-boggling. Tonight we talked to someone named Nick who told us the trial payments would most likely stretch out to six months before we are modified.

We've been told that underwriting is complete, underwriting isn't complete, underwriting is complete, underwriting isn't complete, they have all of our paperwork, they don't, they do, they don't...

Meanwhile, we keep getting delinquent notices. Our original payment was around $930, and our new payment is about $1040 because we paid our own taxes before this whole mess, but now under the Obama plan we must have an escrow account. So, even though our mortgage payment will drop to about $750, we need to pay more in order to have an escrow account. We don't like that, but what can we do? That's the plan, take it or leave it. Every time I call, I'm informed that we are considered to be delinquent because we're making partial payments under our trial period. Every time I tell them that our payments are now higher, not lower, and we are paying more than our regular payment. "Oh, yeah... you are. I see now." What kind of idiots do they have working in customer service?
Don't answer that.

Meanwhile, we also get automated phone calls about our delinquent account that isn't really delinquent. we have made every payment early.

I don't know what to do anymore. Aubrey hasn't returned my calls since August. Is her part done now, and I can't go to the executive response team anymore? I suspect that's the case.

My husband plans to write our Congressman. Will that even make a difference?

If anyone has any suggestions or advice, please let me know. I'm so worn out from being strung along like this. Every time we have called we're told a different date sometime in the future. The Citimortgage website has this message;

09/15/2009 Your mortgage assistance request is in review for final approval. We're here to help and expect your mortgage solution will be approved within the next 3 business days.

We appreciate your patience during this time and look forward to helping you find a mortgage solution to manage your financial needs...

I was so excited when I first saw that, but it's just another lie.

[NeverEndingTrial]

I know exactly what you are going through. When you first get that pre approval, you are thinking that there is really some sort of plan out there to help the average person through these times. But in reality, after months and months, you are no further than you were that day, except for maybe the phone bills and postal service costs. I actually got an escrow statement that said my payment would increase by 700+ a month!
They had my homeowners insurance down as more than 4 times what it costs. They told me to 'disregard' that as well as the letters telling me that I was behind and not holding up my end of the agreement. What agreement? I've made all my payments early, paid the property taxes, and have the home insured until next May. I truly wish there was someone to help us.

[abcxyz]

Originally Posted by the_good_life

If anyone has any suggestions or advice, please let me know. I'm so worn out from being strung along like this. Every time we have called we're told a different date sometime in the future. The Citimortgage website has this message;

09/15/2009 Your mortgage assistance request is in review for final approval. We're here to help and expect your mortgage solution will be approved within the next 3 business days.

We appreciate your patience during this time and look forward to helping you find a mortgage solution to manage your financial needs...

I was so excited when I first saw that, but it's just another lie.

thegoodlife,
I got that same message you did on 9/22, however on 9/30, i got an updated message that mine WAS APPROVED and to wait 5 days for mtge package. I waited 5 days, 6 days, 7 days...nothing. So, I called in again and asked the status. They told me the message is incorrect and they have a glitch in the system. I questioned them and dug a little deeper and they told me it's been approved by the initial underwriter, but has to still get approved by senior manamgement in underwriting, so it's not really final approval yet. That sucked.

So they gave me the name of the COUNSELLOR that is handling my case, the counsellor appears to be the middle man just getting updates etc and corresponding with the borrowers (i.e., you and me), instead of the borrower corresponding with the underwriter.

Turns out sr mgmt wanted more information. Meanwhile the status on the website changed from approved to "...in review for final approval" - I sent in the additional info and waited more. Finally yesterday it was approved and says to wait 5 days for mtge package. So HOPEFULLY I'll actually get it this time.

From my case and circumstances, although frustrating, i did see progression forward and what the reps told me made sense. i.e., approved by underwriting - needed to go to sr mgmt - they needed more info - I sent in more info - approved.

So my suggestion is to call 1-800-272-4749 which is the loss mitigation number. Talk to someone there. There should be a counsellor assigned to your case, ask WHO it is and what their 5 digit extension is. Work with the counsellor if you get the info from the citi rep at the 4749 number. If you don't get a satisfactory answer, hang up and call again and talk to someone else. often times i do that becuz one rep won't tell me something i want to know, and i call back and ask the same question and the next rep will tell me. you gotta keep prodding them. good luck. I'll post my update in a few days if i actually really get the papers, i'm not gonna believe the website until i have the papers in hand.

[the_good_life]

I've called the executive response team and they have assigned me to someone; unfortunately he never did call me back. Now they have a new message, so instead of someone picking up the phone I was directed to leave my name and phone number, which I did. I also called (866) 272-4749 and talked to a couple of nice ladies. They informed me that there is nothing wrong with my paperwork and everything looks like it's in order, but they are bogged down with requests and blah, blah, blah.

I have a feeling we're going to have to make our fifth trial payment, as Novemeber is quicky approaching. This is so frustrating. Also, the message has been updated on the Citi website:

09/25/2009 Your mortgage assistance request is in review for final approval. We're here to help and expect your mortgage solution will be approved within the next 3 business days.

We appreciate your patience during this time and look forward to helping you find a mortgage solution to manage your financial needs.

It's the same message, but the date is 9/25 instead of 9/15. Does anyone have any idea why that would be?

[Needanewjob]

You'll eventually be assigned a counselor who will try to obtain final approval from the investor on your loan. PRivate investors will take awhile, freddie mack actually takes a long time. I've actually only seen a couple loans that were fully modified after 3 payments. It is very very rare

[davephx]

Any feeling on how Fannie is. At one point we were told they were 3 months behind and all trials had to be restarted. One loss mit rep told me he had 6000 accounts he had to restart due to Fannie. But then other reps don't know anything about that situation a month or so ago. I THINK we are lucky with Fannie but at NACA in Phoenix the orientation guy said that Fannie was one of the hardest to work with.

And Fannie has the most 1sts of the GSE's.

We appreciate your inside info especially related to the zillions of us in line at Citi.

[Needanewjob]

Originally Posted by davephx

Any feeling on how Fannie is. At one point we were told they were 3 months behind and all trials had to be restarted. One loss mit rep told me he had 6000 accounts he had to restart due to Fannie. But then other reps don't know anything about that situation a month or so ago. I THINK we are lucky with Fannie but at NACA in Phoenix the orientation guy said that Fannie was one of the hardest to work with.

And Fannie has the most 1sts of the GSE's.

We appreciate your inside info especially related to the zillions of us in line at Citi.

Honestly I breath a sigh of relief when I look at the investor and see it's fannie. They are much easier to pass for the trial period and if they don't pass the mod, I can look at traditional, or homesavers advance. Fannie is the best one... But yes they are backed up they have so many accounts. All these final approvals are going to take time, but if I had a choice of investor I wouldn't think twice before choosing fannie. Unfortunately my loan is not fannie, it's a small private investor..

Fannie will work out something with you, only downside is that they have so many loans..

FHA loans have been the hardest for me to get modified, but things are getting better on that end as well..

[davephx]

Thanks on Fannie... FHA-HAMP seems very hard from reports here, especially since the 55% backend DTI disqualifies you not just have to have counseling.

If it takes me another 3 months (just did 3rd trial) I may have an IRS lien filed. But I would think that would actually HELP the NPV test since if foreclosed they would be I think stuck with it.

I have credit cards filing suits and the IRS down my back. I plan to do Chap 7 once loan is modified don't want to gum it up with that. But if another 3 months I am going to be in bad shape and am very panicked The only thing I care about is saving the home.

[wayward1]

We have a Fannie (Nationstar)-started in July, 4th trial payment due Nov. 1- last told we should receive "the" packet in the next 45 days...

Needanewjob, thanks for helping me breathe a bit easier tonight!

[Needanewjob]

Originally Posted by davephx

Thanks on Fannie... FHA-HAMP seems very hard from reports here, especially since the 55% backend DTI disqualifies you not just have to have counseling.

If it takes me another 3 months (just did 3rd trial) I may have an IRS lien filed. But I would think that would actually HELP the NPV test since if foreclosed they would be I think stuck with it.

I have credit cards filing suits and the IRS down my back. I plan to do Chap 7 once loan is modified don't want to gum it up with that. But if another 3 months I am going to be in bad shape and am very panicked The only thing I care about is saving the home.

Just keep calling into Citi. You are dealing with the MAU group now. (managers assistance unit).. You need to stay on those people.. Even if it's just calling in and asking reps to email your counselor..

You guys keep saying DTI. I'm assuming that is debt to income ratio. I believe the 55 percent is the maximum amount of HTI percentage. (house to income ratio).. I don' know much about the fha side, when I get an fha loan I assign it to an fh counselor, but for fannie mae, it's all about the HTI. Good luck to you. Hopefully you will get me when you call in, i'll speak to the MAU dept.

[davephx]

The various directives from HampAdmin refer to DTI both the "front end' and "back end". Also the makinghomeaffordable.gov site uses the term.

Front end is the 31% of gross income test just for the 1st Mtg

Back-end includes all ongoing debt payments being made. If over 55% you have to agree to credit counseling but has no bearing on qualification. But under FHA-HAMP if over 55% it disqualifies you - obviously a huge difference!

On the MAU group, you keep raising good issues I am confused with. Most of the time I am dealing with you folks in loss mitigation at the 272-4749 number. Than by the insistence of a HOPE counselor trying to find mysterious supervisors (Keon that can never be contacted) some helpful person got us to the voice mail of another manager but for the wrong "team" but also I won't give full name but "Chatterxxxx" at her direct line ending in 5574. I assume she is in the MAU group you refer to.

She didn't return the voice mail from the Hope person and me (on conference call) but later I was surprised to reach her a few times direct and she actually seemed very knowledgeable and helpful and said I can work with her directly.

But now I have left a few messages in voice mail but not returned. So I have been working with the loss mit folks and CR title/Five Star on the foreclosure hold. Hope she didn't leave!

She also said I could speak to other person on the I assume MAU team, as I recall only two are assigned to my "team". But don't have other persons phone or for the "unit" only her direct line which goes to voice mail if don't get her direct.

Gee perhaps I have even talked to you... I have now 12 pages of detail notes with first names and rep numbers for most I've talked to since March.. keeping good tracking records. Rep numbers gives some needed privacy vs full name but everyone is willing to give just so I can keep track of who told me what!

Just as you say probably lucky to have Fannie I feel lucky to have Citi despite my frustrations, at least compared to far worse reports here of trying to deal with some of the other servicers. Now if only you had Fannie!

[the_good_life]

We were assigned to a rep named Gary. He is new and doesn't seem to have a clue what he's doing. He called my husband last week and told him we have been denied. Then he called back and apologized several times, and seemed really nervous and uncertain. While we were sitting at the kitchen table and my husband was filling me in the phone rang - it was Gary. He told me we had been denied, but could not say why. He kept apologizing and seemed like he was high or something; he made no sense. I'm not even kidding.

Gary called back for the fourth time and apologized profusely again, saying that we had not been denied and he was reading the wrong information. He would call the following week for sure with an update.

(cue Jeopardy music) He never called, so I called the executive response team today and was informed that due to a glitch, we have to start all over again. Seriously. They want to send out new paperwork and told me we have to go through a three month trial because they made a mistake and didn't submit our modification request to Freddie Mac. We didn't do anything wrong, have been making trial payments since July, and now due to THEIR mistake we're being asked to start all over again?

I don't know what to do and feel as if I'm losing my mind now. Someone, please help. I don't know what to do anymore. We feel like they're messing with us on purpose so we will give up.

[davephx]

My same story, without the Gary factor.

They never sent me any paperwork from July trial start with about 12 loss mit reps telling computer to send to me.

They RESTARTED me November 1 and sent Trial Mod Agreement which I returned. So paid 3 trials and supposedly have to redo another 3 since they couldn't get the paperwork sent. In your case maybe sent you returned and they lossed?

Someone else however said they got to the final notarized docs faster about a month behind me so maybe hope it won't take 6 trials.

I am also in the Exec Response Team, they called ME out of the blue. They may be dealing with us restarts. She told me about 6 of every 10 she is talking to are restarts.

[the_good_life]

I think they're doing this on purpose to screw with all of us and make us give up. There's just no other logical conclusion I can make after reading all of the stories here.

We wrote to our Congressman and they sent us a release of information document. We sent it back last week, and they said they're going to investigate Citi's handling of our case.

[Sunbeam]

Goodlife,
I think it is great you are getting your congressperson involved I do suggest you go ahead if you haven't already done so to resubmit your paperwork to Citi. Chances are they really did screw up and if you give them the paperwork (again) plus complain to congress plus keep their feet to the fire you are doing everyting YOU can do and noone can say you held up the process. Keep us posted on your (hopefully) success!