Advertisement
ICBA: Fifty-five percent of community bank survey participants saw an increase in deposits
HOPE NOW Web site enhanced to provide homeowners with new online Assistance Intake Form MortgagePress.comHOPE NOW, mortgage servicers, Assistance Intake Form, Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, Homeownership Preservation Foundation
HOPE NOW, the non-profit alliance of mortgage servicers,
not-for-profit counselors, investors, and other mortgage market
participants, has unveiled a redesigned and enhanced Web site (www.HopeNow.com) that provides an
important new way for homeowners with mortgage concerns to connect
directly with their mortgage servicer and receive help faster.
The Web site features a new online Assistance Intake Form, which
a homeowner may use to submit an application for assistance to his
or her servicer. The homeowner then will receive an acknowledgement
of the application in no more than five to seven business days and
so will have confirmation that the process has begun.
The Assistance Intake Form and enhanced Web site was developed
by HOPE NOW in preparation for the Obama administration's recently
announced Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. The new
enhancements will allow HOPE NOW to handle the expected large
increase in the number of homeowners requesting assistance.
The Assistance Intake Form means that homeowners will be able to
transmit the information needed by their servicer at any time of
the day or night. That will expedite the process, something that
will be especially important to the most at-risk homeowners who
often have to act quickly to avoid an unfortunate outcome.
The new Web site, which provides interactive ways for homeowners
to connect with servicers and counselors, is an addition to the
existing Homeowners HOPE Hotline (1-888-995-HOPE) created and
operated by the Homeownership Preservation Foundation.
"HOPE NOW's enhanced Web site will make it even easier for
homeowners at risk of foreclosure to start the workout process and
will allow servicers to assess each homeowner's needs much more
quickly," said Faith Schwartz, HOPE NOW's executive director. "We
want to do everything possible to make sure that every avoidable
foreclosure is actually prevented."
"Homeowners will see immediate benefit," said Ed Delgado, senior
vice president at Wells Fargo and chairman of the HOPE NOW
Technology Committee that developed the new Assistance Intake Form.
"This is the first broad industry application to transmit homeowner
information directly to servicers. Not only will this greatly
expedite the mortgage assistance application process, it also will
make it possible for servicers to respond and develop a solution
more quickly. This is a win for everyone involved."
To learn more about the Administration's Homeowner Affordability
and Stability Plan, click www.FinancialStability.gov.
For more information, visit www.HopeNow.com.
About the author