Originally posted by Maxmars
The goal of the bank is not complex - MAXIMIZE PROFIT.
They don't want to finagle around with the 'occupants' because it costs money to do so.
They would rather the property lay fallow and unused and the structure on it fell to the ground. Isn't that interesting?
That is correct. They have insurance through the form of credit default swaps. If the loan defaults they get paid the full amount which is more than
what the home is worth. Then they foreclose and make another 60-70%.
What needs to happen is a national one stroke of the pen type thing that has the goverment assume ownership of all mortgagaes. It would also cap the
amount owed to the appraised value of the home less 10%. As long as the current occupants make that new payment they get to stay in their home. Can't
pay that and out the door you go. Most people would be able to make the lower payment.
A 6% loan over 30 years at $100,000, requires total payments of $215,000 in order to pay off in full. Thus if loan values had to be cut by 50% the
original loan value would still be recouped. So the goverment could pay 100% for the loans, cut the principal in half and still get most if not all
their money back.
In exchange for this generosity from the goverment, you would have to agree to disgorge some amount of future profits when you sell the home, which
would go to the goverment. You could also make anyone who buys the house assume what's left of the goverment mortgage so that it gets paid in full
and the goverment recoups all their money. You could also make the mortgage assumable on a mandatory basis meaning that any new owners would have to
finish paying off any term still left on it, ensuring the goverment gets all their interest and recoups the full amount they paid the bank for the
loan.
This would only apply to principal residences and not 2nd, 3rd, etc. homes. Those investors do need to pay for those mistakes through bankruptcy if
they can't pay up, but they would still qualify for their principal residence. It would provide help to the homeowner and not the investor who was a
major factor in this unraveling.
Everyone wins under this plan except those who are not upside in their homes. Something similar could be done to help them as well. In any event the
increased economic activity would help them as well as all Americans. This is a win win scenario.