December 2016

A hardship letter is the most important piece of document required to apply for loan modification. Its substance and validity will make or break an attempt for a loan workout. This is a letter basically contains an explanation why there is a difficulty of settling mortgage amortization. It is only fitting to compose this letter carefully.

When writing a hardship letter, its important to remember to keep it short, concise but not arrogant. A one to two pages maximum letter is strongly advised. Take note that a lender does not have the luxury of time to read a novel-like hardship letter. This letter serves as outline of ones difficulty to pay for periodic amortization, so it should be direct.

Like any letter, begin with a proper salutation, use font type and size reasonably easier to read. Letter size or 8.5 by 11 inches will be the papers size; otherwise an A4 sized paper can be used.

Bear also in mind that there is a clear definition of the term “hardship” for availing loan modification. Such hardship should fall under listed by mortgage lenders. Such as bankruptcy of business, immediate relocation, or divorce from a spouse who is the co-borrower. There are still more to this, to be sure homeowners should check with their lender.

In the actual writing, the first sentence should tell why such letter is written. This may include the explanation that after all possible ways were exhausted theres still failure to meet with mortgage payments. Much of this should be in the first paragraph of the letter.

The second paragraph should describe the events that affected failure to make regular payments. This description should be done tastefully without being overly dramatic. Overly thought out explanation might appear deliberate and fake. Additional paragraph might be added to explain the intent for loan modification pursuant to financial difficulty.

It is also wise to give approximate, if not exact, duration of the hardship period. This will be the basis for the mortgage lenders to get a head start with its response for loan modification. The last paragraph should emphasize the desire to settle the loan, but asking for leeway, for the time being.

Then end the letter with parting words hoping for a loan modification, which will be favorable to both parties. It is also wise to mention about attachments to the hardship letter, which are proofs of financial difficulty claim.

Most people get Real Estate wrong for two simple reasons.:

1. They don’t understand the difference between an asset and a liability
2. They don’t understand the difference between investing and speculating

The broke majority live under the misguided belief that their family home is an asset. An asset by definition is Something valuable that an entity owns, benefits from or has use of, in generating income. The key is the words generating income. By that definition your home is not an asset, it is a liability. It does not generate income, it costs you money.

The broke majority will borrow as much as they possibly can, to buy the most expensive home they can afford, in the mistaken belief that this is a good investment. In fact they are are burdening themselves with the worst kind of debt. Long term, expensive, non-deductible debt that produces no income in return. The same kind of debt that lead to the housing collapse in the USA.

Successful investors understand this crucial point. Your home is not an investment.

The Business Dictionary defines an investment as Money committed or property acquired for future income. Now some will argue that an investment doesn’t have to produce an income and cite as an example gold bullion, collectibles or share futures contracts. By definition, none of these are investments, they are items of speculation. They can go up in value or, just as easily, go down. You are speculating on the future trade-able value, not investing in the inherent value of the income an asset represents. Tens of thousands of homeowners around the world discovered in 2009 that home values can fall and can fall dramatically and disastrously.

If you buy a house to live in with no income return expected from it, but in the hope it will increase in value, you are speculating not Investing.

If you buy a house to rent out, you are investing. The Australian government has long recognised the difference and that is why they allow you to claim the expenses relating to a rental property, including interest payments, as a tax deduction but do not allow any deductions for expenses incurred in buying a house to live in. In other words, the government is willing to share the risk of investing in income generating real estate because the risks are lower than tying up your money in your home.

Smart investors have a small or no mortgage on their own home and the majority of their borrowings are for rental property because that is the lowest risk strategy. They also get the best advice they can on quickly reducing the mortgage on their home.

Although when it comes to wine investment it is usually either Bordeaux or Burgundy wines that attract the most investor attention, the upcoming Sothebys (NYSE:BID) April sale in Hong Kong will see clarets facing some Spanish competition with a fine wine selection from the legendary Vega Sicilia winery featured at the auction.

Stupendous Vega Sicilia Collection

On March 11, Sothebys announced that the highlights of its Hong Kong Spring Sale 2013 would include an impressive selection of 234 lots of wines direct from the legendary Spanish winery of Bodegas Vega Sicilia. In the auction houses press release, Serena Sutcliffe, International Head of Sothebys Wine, pointed out that it was a great privilege for Sothebys to bring to auction this stupendous collection of wines direct from Vega Sicilia, adding that the auction would present a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire decades of vintages.

As reported by the Decanter magazine, a vertical lot of 22 magnums of Vega Sicilia Unico, which comes from the personal collection of the winerys managing director Pablo Alvarez, is expected to bring HK$95,000-160,000 (8,240-13,878). In addition, a lot of Vega Sicilia Unico 1942 is estimated to sell for HK$80,000-120,000. The sale will also feature the winerys Reserva
Especial and Valbuena No 5 bottlings.

Sothebys Hong Kong Auctions

At Sothebys Hong Kong sales, the Vega Sicilia wines will compete for wine investment attention with some top clarets including Chateaux Petrus 1990, which is expected to go for HK$200,000- HK$280,000, and Chateaux Cheval Blanc 2000, priced between HK$120,000 and HK$200,000.

Wine with a Soul

As reported by Bloomberg, on February 25, Mr Alvarez showcased a rare tasting of Vega Sicilia wines to the media and buyers at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York. Mr Alvarez outlined the challenges associated with wine making, including sweltering-hot weather in the vineyards during the day, and near-freezing temperatures at night. Our entire philosophy is to make a wine of great elegance, he noted, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Vega Sicilia wines which have been produced in the Ribera del Duero region of northern Spain for almost 150 years are ranked by connoisseurs alongside Frances Premier Cru Bordeaux and are likely to receive significant wine investment attention at the upcoming Hong Kong auction.The Decanter magazine quoted Sothebys Ms Sutcliffe as describing Vega Sicilia as a wine with a soul which at the same time is a true reflection of its region, climate and the areas oenological traditions.

Frustrated borrowers stuck with the risky and unaffordable Pay Option ARM loans may be getting a break on their applications for a Wachovia loan modification. The recent final approval for the purchase of Wachovia by Wells Fargo Bank may open the door for a more aggressive loan modification program for homeowners facing default on their mortgage loans. Prior to the announcement of the purchase, Wachovia had implemented a beneficial loan workout program that offered their clients a low, step rate loan modification to help them avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.

However, during the finalization of the Wells Fargo take over, borrowers experienced an extremely uncooperative response when applying for a Wachovia loan modification. The previous program was discontinued, and borrowers were routinely told that Wachovia was not offering any type of loan modification program to needy borrowers. The most a homeowner could hope for was a payment deferral or repayment plan. These two options are short term solutions at best, and not beneficial to the majority of borrowers as a long term solution.

Now that shareholders have given the final approval for the buy out, predictions are that a more aggressive Wachovia loan modification program will be implemented to quickly resolve the high default rate on Pay Option ARM loans written for the majority of Wachovia customers. Wells Fargo $12.7 billion acquisition faces immediate stress as home foreclosures keep rising and unemployment forecasts paint a dim, and lengthy recession threat.

Wells Fargo now owns $482.4 billion dollars in a loan portfolio that will produce $60 billion in losses over the next three years, and about 60% of that will come from the Pay Option Arm mortgages. That is a big incentive to find a cost effective, far reaching and streamlined Wachovia loan modification program to help the lender get those bad loans off their books. Homeowners who have been facing a brick wall may now find that they will have the opportunity to obtain a loan workout to avoid foreclosure and stay in their home.

Borrowers trying to get a Wachovia loan modification will have to be patient and persistent for now. There is no time line in place yet, however homeowners who are actively pursuing a loan workout with Wachovia should stay the course and work within the current system so that they will be in position to move forward as soon as any new program is implemented. Wells Fargo will have to make some tough decisions on how to best write down these loans, but borrowers could see a real benefit as the lender moves forward to clean up the mess they inherited.