Lost Job and May Lose House!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something similar happened to me. Sent bunch of paperwork for months and months and they even filed to send me a letter denying modification. Received that letter months later apologizing that they forgot to tell me that I was denied and should pay up.
I was able to borrow money from relatives to pay up and get out of foreclosure. forget the refinancing/ modification/ hardship unless you have a lawyer do it. It's endless useless phone calls if you do it.
Please check craigslist and get a job as a hostess/ waitress. We are constantly hiring. Can't find people to work for $11 (hostess), $15-$30 an hour (waiters). I'm home with a baby, but go to work at night and on weekends when my DH is at home.
Good luck!

For months all the mortgage company did was continually ask us for the SAME paperwork over and over. I asked them before it they can refi our loan and was told they dont do anymore financing, would have to go to someone else. At this point, I am ready to just tell them have the house but am too smart to know the offers they gave us (deed in lieu or short sale) means no money in our pocket. even if we walk away with minimal is more than if we do it the way they are offering.

What you mention here sounds like what happened to my friend. Eventually she "got the modification" then shortly after that had her loan sold to a company called Selene Finance. Based on the Internet, they seem to buy up loans for half the value or less then foreclose on the homeowner and sell the house at below market rates but still significantly above their cost to make big profits. I'd think long and hard about trying to get a modification, especially if you have equity and can get out with cash in hand.

Loan modification doesn't make any sense unless the original loan terms were predatory. If the loan terms were reasonable, and the borrower can no longer pay, then the borrower needs to sell, or let's say, the property needs to be sold, one way or another. This is best for the lender, to get repayment, and for the borrower, who is released from an unaffordable obligation. It was a policy mistake to raise everyone's hopes about modification, as if home ownership was an inalienable right or something. My hope is that from now on, people applying for mortgages will not be under the impression that there will be any assistance if in future they cannot pay. This may sound like tough love, but it will help ensure that better decisions are made.

And what about those who DO buy a house not expecting any kind of bale out or impressions of assistance who suffer loss of income, the death of a spouse, etc? Not fair to say really. I have worked my ass off to keep my house, havent sat around expecting anyone to help even when in dire straits at some point or another in my life, only asked mortgage company for help twice because of the situation. I honestly dont see anything wrong with people asking for help when faced with this kind of a situation. Now if you are talking of someone who is always looking for another way, asking for help to avoid having to deal with it themselves, then I agree. Those people need a rude awakening.

I am not judging anyone for asking for help. I am just saying that loan modification doesn't make sense for the govt, for the lender, or for the borrower in tje long run. If me and spouse both lost our jobs we'd cut our expenses as far as possible, try to rent out our house immediately and move to the cheapest place we could find. If that failed, we'd sell it. It doesn't make sense to hang on to an asset that is draining what little cash we'd have left. The whole dance with the mortgage company over loan modification, which ultimately fails in almost all cases, as it logically should, is not productive because it delays the inevitable and ruins credit in the meantime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, other Alexandria family here in similar situation. If you don't qualify for SNAP or can't get food at the pantries, I recommend buying groceries at Aldi - we cut our bill by about 1/2 shopping there. You do have to pay cash or use debit. They may take food benefits - I'm not sure.

OP here. I did the eligibility thing online for SNAP and it says we dont qualify, but going to make phone calls today anyway just to find out. Cant believe that with what little money I put in and our mortgage, they said we didnt. I do buy at Aldi already. Awesome place to shop as you are right, things are much cheaper there!

[Anonymous]

You need each get part time jobs anywhere - a department store, grocery store, Target, Walmart, etc. Even $8-10 an hour is better than nothing. And, rent out a room. I would not sell the house or rent it fully out if this is a temporary situation and hopefully it will get better. Try again for the loan modification and get an advocate if you need one. Pay any amount you can to show you are trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, where do you live?

We are in Alexandria.

I remember your previous posts. And you got the same advice last time which was to sell the house. If you had done that, you would be better of now.

Is the $14 an hour job a contractor job are you paid with a 1099? If so, you are not really making $14 an hour after accounting for taxes. Better to get something stable, non contractor that can provide you 40 + hours a week.

OP here. I have not posted before about this situation. This is the first time we have been faced with possibly losing our house. Yes, I get a 1099. And this was not the only job I depended on, I work it in addition to the daycare with the exception I am just not getting anything in here right now.

Sorry - there was someone else posting with something very similar over and over.

If you are serious about doing before and after care you could easily get a job *as long as* you are willing to do pick ups at school and driving to activities. You could easily get 2 or 3 part time positions if need be to add up to full time wages. Another childcare choice - picking up from preschool and dropping off at home or other daycare provider or center. Or just before care - be willing to go to someone's house or have their child come to you very early in the AM and then you take the kid to daycare or wherever for the day.
Saturday care as well would net you top dollar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, where do you live?

We are in Alexandria.

I remember your previous posts. And you got the same advice last time which was to sell the house. If you had done that, you would be better of now.

Is the $14 an hour job a contractor job are you paid with a 1099? If so, you are not really making $14 an hour after accounting for taxes. Better to get something stable, non contractor that can provide you 40 + hours a week.

OP here. I have not posted before about this situation. This is the first time we have been faced with possibly losing our house. Yes, I get a 1099. And this was not the only job I depended on, I work it in addition to the daycare with the exception I am just not getting anything in here right now.

Sorry - there was someone else posting with something very similar over and over.

If you are serious about doing before and after care you could easily get a job *as long as* you are willing to do pick ups at school and driving to activities. You could easily get 2 or 3 part time positions if need be to add up to full time wages. Another childcare choice - picking up from preschool and dropping off at home or other daycare provider or center. Or just before care - be willing to go to someone's house or have their child come to you very early in the AM and then you take the kid to daycare or wherever for the day.
Saturday care as well would net you top dollar.

If I am being serious? Daycare is my profession. Trust me, I answer every ad I find. I place ads everywhere I can think of. Forums, email groups, etc. I am finding it is tough competing with those who run services for that type of thing as well as day care centers. I did the transport thing for a child who attended a different elementary school than the one I am zoned for as well. AND I have actually been in correspondence with someone who looks for those in childcare for gigs over in National Harbor on weekends when they have events there that require some childcare services.

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest switching your focus from in home daycare to nanny share. Nannys for shares generally make $18-20 an hour in the old town area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, where do you live?

We are in Alexandria.

I remember your previous posts. And you got the same advice last time which was to sell the house. If you had done that, you would be better of now.

Is the $14 an hour job a contractor job are you paid with a 1099? If so, you are not really making $14 an hour after accounting for taxes. Better to get something stable, non contractor that can provide you 40 + hours a week.

OP here. I have not posted before about this situation. This is the first time we have been faced with possibly losing our house. Yes, I get a 1099. And this was not the only job I depended on, I work it in addition to the daycare with the exception I am just not getting anything in here right now.

Sorry - there was someone else posting with something very similar over and over.

If you are serious about doing before and after care you could easily get a job *as long as* you are willing to do pick ups at school and driving to activities. You could easily get 2 or 3 part time positions if need be to add up to full time wages. Another childcare choice - picking up from preschool and dropping off at home or other daycare provider or center. Or just before care - be willing to go to someone's house or have their child come to you very early in the AM and then you take the kid to daycare or wherever for the day.
Saturday care as well would net you top dollar.

If I am being serious? Daycare is my profession. Trust me, I answer every ad I find. I place ads everywhere I can think of. Forums, email groups, etc. I am finding it is tough competing with those who run services for that type of thing as well as day care centers. I did the transport thing for a child who attended a different elementary school than the one I am zoned for as well. AND I have actually been in correspondence with someone who looks for those in childcare for gigs over in National Harbor on weekends when they have events there that require some childcare services.

I don't know of any service in Alexandria that does what I am describing. And believe me I spent the last 2 years searching as did plenty of neighbors. Finding after school care was extremely difficult. If you aren't willing to go care for children at someone's house though, you will have a tough time finding something.

[Anonymous]

Or, get a job at a day care. You have options, not just home day care.

[Anonymous]

OP Here. So frustrated and need advice. We are filling out applications, searching everywhere for employment. Some places we have gone to tell us most all applications are done online these days, no more paper apps. So my question. How am I supposed to find out just who IS hiring right now? I have gone to many websites that DO tell what positions are open but some dont. Do you go ahead and apply and hope there are positions open? I personally am applying for pretty much anything from dog walking to house cleaning to daycare to retail. Everywhere. I would love to work at night so I can continue at least caring for the 1-2 kids I have b/a school. or find something between the school hours (which is why I applied for dog walking/sitting). My DH is applying everywhere he can whether qualified or not. This is depressing hearing nothing back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. So frustrated and need advice. We are filling out applications, searching everywhere for employment. Some places we have gone to tell us most all applications are done online these days, no more paper apps. So my question. How am I supposed to find out just who IS hiring right now? I have gone to many websites that DO tell what positions are open but some dont. Do you go ahead and apply and hope there are positions open? I personally am applying for pretty much anything from dog walking to house cleaning to daycare to retail. Everywhere. I would love to work at night so I can continue at least caring for the 1-2 kids I have b/a school. or find something between the school hours (which is why I applied for dog walking/sitting). My DH is applying everywhere he can whether qualified or not. This is depressing hearing nothing back.

Try applying at a local answering service. Or trader joes. just to get you through this rut. they have flexible hours.

[Anonymous]

Op have you looked for jobs on craigslist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op have you looked for jobs on craigslist?

I am looking everywhere! I have just spent time filling out several more apps since I posted my message here. I used to do some mystery shopping very part time and I did apply and got assigned a few of them but it def isnt something that will pay the bills. Just to add to the pot when I can do them while looking for something more stable. Tomorrow I need to sit down and write a resume. Something I never had to worry about because my daycare was always successful. Looking into jobs at centers, found a few but they all need a resume. Applying for jobs in the county school system as well. need a resume for that. So first thing in the morning, getting my resume written out. I will get this figured out but it is frustrating to say the least.

[Anonymous]

If you post your budget, we may find thing for you to cut. Obvious things are cable, take out, new clothes, pre-packaged foods, and expensive cell phone plans. Get a $10/month cell phone.

Since winter is coming up, can you advertise that you will babysit on snow days? I would think a lot of parents would love a babysitter for snow days.

[Anonymous]

I find it frustrating that you are complaining yet you don't even have the basics needed for a job search!

Are you kidding at you have been in this situation for a while and yet you lack a basic resume? I hope your DH has one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you post your budget, we may find thing for you to cut. Obvious things are cable, take out, new clothes, pre-packaged foods, and expensive cell phone plans. Get a $10/month cell phone.

Since winter is coming up, can you advertise that you will babysit on snow days? I would think a lot of parents would love a babysitter for snow days.

Believe me, I have cut everything we can possibly cut. New clothes? Joke. I dont buy me anything, nor does my DH. Matter of fact in a panic because when I do find something out of the house jobwise, next thing i need ARE clothes. I cant even remember the last time I walked into a store for clothing. much less walmart. no take out here, no pre packaged either. And we are not the ones paying our cellphones. We are under someone elses plan so that is free to us for now.