MODIFICATION

I gave them 3000.00 back in sept. and still have not gotten a modification and lately can't even get a hold of anyone...I am not happy

This company has been working on my case since Sept. and still no results. they say its because Bankof America is so backed up and still I keep getting reasured that everyone with them gets a modification. I paid them 3000.00 and still nothing and as of late, for the past 2 weeks cannot even get a hold of anyone....

Hi Guest!

Welcome to forums!

You're in a tough situation. It would have been better if you could have contacted your lender directly and applied for a loan modification. You won't have lost your hard earned money then. In most cases, it has been found that the loan modification company may be a scam.

Feel free to ask if you've further queries.

Sussane

Well, I dot know about FLASTER LAW FIRM. But wanted to know!

Hi jumbohome,

Flaster Law Firm is located in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is a company which is not accredited by the BBB.

Thanks

The only people I know who would say deal directly with Bank of America either work for a mortgage company or have no clue as to how much BOA abuses the system. The lender is out for one thing and one thing only and it is not your best interest.

Thanks for sharing your opinion in the MortgageFit forums!

Abarmin, without question you're better off dealing directly with BofA rather than some of these shyster firms that have been ripping off the public of thousands of their dollars that could have been used in reducing their debt.

I understand your concern, but let's be sure we advocate for a bit more cooperation from both sides of the equation - lender and borrower - and let's make sure we come out against all these scammers who'll take our hard-earned money and provide nothing whatsoever.

If a person is seeking a third-party for assistance in obtaining a modification plan, they ought to be looking for FREE help, via a HUD-approved counseling agency, NACA, or any of the new organizations and plans that the various states have instituted as a result of our mortgage crisis.

No way should you deal with BOA yourself, especially if you do not know their steps in the process to a T. I have done a LOT of research on the program and how it is suppose to work and how BOA has helped others with mod's. BOA are the lowest on the % of banks helping their customers with these loans. It's best to get outside help such as a lawyer!

My husband and I contacted BOA ourselves and trust me, they are in no way in any hurry to help us customers to help us modify our homes. They are under staffed, under trained and do not care about you and your homes. It is always smarter to hirer a lawyer to deal with all this crap for you on your behalf as they know the program and laws....especially the legal and illegal issues to look for in your loan modification paper work from your lenders.

My husband and I also hired Flaster Law firm back in Oct 2010 spending 2500.00. BOA has FedExed us paper work after paper work because they think we are stupid and would just sign and return the doc's back without consulting our paralegal first. These letter would state that they haven't received certain paper work and etc...which I know they have. My husband and I too have gone through 3 different paralegals/negotiators as well through Flaster but then finally our file was assigned back to the original person we spoke with in the beginning of the process and he has been up on our file and etc. ever since. Of course there are days and weeks we don't hear from them but they do eventually call when there are things needed that the lender is wanting....so you cannot say they are blowing you off...they are just busy.

We have an FHA loan which is also scary since we started the mod. process in Oct 2010 and it is now the middle of May 2011. We need this mod. to be done and accepted before our 12 month period with an FHA loan. So I do hope that Flaster Law Firm lives up to what they say about getting just about everyone modifications on their homes.

Just stay positive everyone and let them do the work for you!

I won't bicker with you, rlseac.

Paying $2500 to a law firm that promises to perform for you isn't something I'd ever suggest doing. There are literally thousands of non-profit agencies, etc. that will handle this specific task on your behalf for free, or for a truly nominal fee. You didn't mention the timely word "retainer" for the law firm, but stated it as a fee.

I suggest, based on what we've seen over and over in this industry, that your $2500 has gone *poof* like so many others' funds.

BofA has a horrible reputation in the modification effort. I read earlier today that our Connecticut Attorney General is on their tail (has been already) again for their lack of help to distressed homeowners.

Suggesting that someone get an agent to work with in an effort to obtain a modification is clearly a pretty doggone good idea. However, there are too many scam artists out there; HUD, on the other hand, has a list of thousands of reputable firms that are beneficial to distressed homeowners and will work with and for you in attempting to resolve a situation.

Paying someone upfront is bad business, in my view. I hope those who contemplate doing so will think again and turn around instead.

Hi everyone..

Is all the information that is said about flaster law firm are true ?

Well, unab...we've seen favorable and unfavorable information, haven't we?

So, for all of it to be true, that would be quite contradictory, n'est-ce pas?

I don't believe most claims made by these outfits; but that's not to say that they don't have some success once in a while, even if it were only by accident.

Here is a copy of my letter to the law firm. Take it for what it is worth.

I am writing this letter to you to address my concerns and deep disappointment in the way our "modification" was handled. When we initially contacted your office last October, we were assured that everything was in order and we would no doubt qualify for a modification. Actually, the person we spoke to said we would get our money back if it didn't go through. I feel that this was said because he was certain we would qualify. So in order to pay your firm, we skipped two months of payments. Then we began paying the amount we thought would be the new modification amount. Well, this actually put us 3 1/2 months behind in payments. At this point we received a foreclosure letter.

When I contacted your office, I was assured there was nothing to worry about. I even asked if I should continue to make payments. I was told NO, keep them and wait until the modification went through. Well, months went by and nothing from Bank of America. Then your office informed me it was Bank of America who dropped the ball. Letters kept coming from the bank and their attorney. I was told all along to NOT contact anyone, that was your firm's job. So I didn't.

Two sales were postponed, then the third one went through. If I had been told that the sale was not being postponed, I would have filed an emergency bankruptcy to stop it. However, repeated attempts to contact Mr. Lewis prior to the sale were not successful. I finally heard from him a day or so after the scheduled sale. He informed me that he was sorry, but the house was sold this time. But I kept getting the same old answer, it is in the works. Just be patient.

After getting an eviction notice, I called Bank of America and was told that we didn't own the home anymore and there was no record of a modification in the works. Mr. Lewis informed me that it was because it was "all behind the scenes" with the president. It could all be rescinded and don't worry. After more attempts to call him and email him, he finally called me. While talking he gets out our file and starts going through it (I believe this was the first time) and starts calculating and says he just realized that we probably will NOT qualify for the modification this year, because our income has gone down. He tells me to go ahead and find a place to rent and move.

When we contacted your office, we were not behind in our payments nor had we ever been late. Now we no longer have a home. We placed our confidence in your firm and believed that everything would be fine once the modification went through. To sum it up, I am requesting that you return the fee of $3,000 we paid your firm, since you did not provide the services promised. We are at our wits end and so very distraught over this whole situation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Hi labouve,

I can understand your situation. Most of these loan modification companies turn out to scams. Thus, it is always suggested that the borrowers should contact their mortgage lenders and directly apply for a loan modification. If you would have done that, then you may have saved the property.

I wish you good luck and hope you get back the fee that you've paid them.

Take care.

I'm afraid that's hoping against hope, Sara. These shysters don't give back their fees - they couch the terminology in such a way as to shield the fee from loss once they're found out.

You're so right - there are tons of scammers out there who'll take people's hard-earned cash with no guilt whatsoever.

Buyer beware - borrower beware - public beware!