As usual, thank you all for reading my updates. Yesterday was a HUGE day for me. I finally heard from CitiMortgage and the investor has agreed to a Modification of my loan. What happens at this point is I am put into a 90 day trial period with this new payment and if I make these payments on time, they will convert this into the 5 year Modification I requested back in February. This is not the Obama money that is currently being offered out there by our government and I caution that program is only a temporary fix. If you are considering a “true” short/long term modification you have to fight for it. The temporary program is a matter of a couple minutes on the phone to see if you qualify and then a click to input your application and confirm approval. What will happen to those people after 90 days? They will have to start a bigger fix for their issues all over again. I speak from experience. Fight for the short/long term modification. Either you qualify or you don’t. I never gave up because I knew I qualified for the program I am in now. There are so many people who are afraid to pick up the phone. Fine, have someone else dial for you, but MAKE THE CALL and KEEP CALLING. It’s the banks job to try and work with you, but you have to make the effort. Believe me, the stress of the past two weeks was incredible but I wasn’t going to give up. If you know someone who needs the support, guide them to those people in our local government that can help. Show them my blog, but light a fire under them because this problem can not be ignored. I personally reached out to our local auditor and asked if there was anything more his program can do to help (Thank you Michael Kovack) and he was gracious to respond but I had done all I could and it’s at the point where the rubber meets the road. BUT, those local programs are out there to help, utilize them. I reside in Medina County and if you are reading this and need help please contact www.medinacountyauditor.org

I also saw something on TV that is promoting an event at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland for homeowners, and I believe the dates are July 17-19th. Please check that information, but apparently they are promoting this event as some sort of Modification Event where they are guaranteeing help. I will be the first one to say I am skeptical because of what I just went through because there are no guarantees in life except death and taxes. However, please pass on this information to anyone in the Cleveland area that can possibly benefit.

This has been an incredibly stressful and taxing journey I just went through, but I am not out of the woods just yet. I will be happy when the Foreclosure Petition is removed and I have moved further and further away in time from this major event. The day is definitely coming when I will sell my home, but I intend for it to be on my terms, not the banks. I have children, I have pets and I feel for those who don’t know where to go next. Perhaps that is my next blog entry, helping people find homes for their families. It’s reality people. The panic attacks, the daily stress, the lack of sleep or inability to focus and fear. Some of you will never know where I have just been, but for those of you heading in that direction, I understand.

There is no shame in fighting for entitlement to live in your home and there is no shame in asking for help. I sign off today’s post with an interesting piece of information I received regarding a recent Homeownership Survey. Regarding Foreclosure, 20.1% say they or someone they know may be facing foreclosure and haven’t taken steps to resolve their situation, while 22.4% haven’t taken steps but plan to before the Administration’s program runs out.

Thank you everyone for all your help. The people that reached out to me have been an amazing source of emotional and spiritual support and my children have witnessed a great lesson. Never give up!