MortgageKeeper Report Finds 15 Percent More Struggling Homeowners Seek Assistance in May

MortgageKeeper Referral Services, the developer of a database that connects users with qualified non-profit and government agencies, has released its May Homeowner Needs Status Report, which showed that more than 40,000 referrals were made in May—a 15 percent increase over April’s numbers. Heat and utility assistance was the most requested category for help. Food assistance and employment services rounded out May’s top three most popular categories for referrals. "The economy continues to be sluggish, and more homeowners are finding themselves playing catch-up,” said Rochelle Nawrocki Gorey, president and co-founder of MortgageKeeper Referral Services. “Even in May, when heating season is typically over, many homeowners were still behind on their heating bills as they tried to recover from an unusually long and harsh winter.” Counselors and servicers who subscribe to MortgageKeeper’s database provide struggling homeowners with a list of exhaustively researched non-profit and government agencies in seconds. Often the agencies are located just a few miles from the homeowner. MortgageKeeper Referral Services helps more than 1,500 families find answers and assistance every day. Subscribers include Ocwen and the Homeownership Preservation Foundation’s 888.995.HOPE hotline.