Housing

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The following information, including links and contact information, are resources to help you with questions and concerns you may have regarding housing issues. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact one of my state offices and a member of my staff will be happy to assist you.

Mortgage Modification/Refinance

If you are having trouble paying your mortgage, applying for a mortgage modification, or you are facing foreclosure, the following resources will help guide you through the process. Senator Shaheen’s office is happy to assist in your mortgage or banking issues and recommends the following steps:

Contact your lender
It is important to be proactive, so if you are worried about falling behind on mortgage payments, or if you have already fallen behind on payments, you should contact your lender immediately and inquire as to what options are available to you. You should also keep a detailed record of all conversations and correspondence between you and your lender.

Determine who owns your mortgage
Often times, when contacting your bank, you are talking only to the servicer of the loan acting on behalf of an investor, or the person who owns your loan. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored entities (GSE) chartered by Congress who may own your home loan. You can click here to determine if Fannie Mae or here to determine if Freddie Mac is the investor of your loan.

Please note that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not the only investors of mortgage loans. If neither is the investor, please contact your servicer directly and request information regarding the investor of your mortgage loan.

Contact a HUD approved housing counselor
A Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved housing counselor can help guide you through the process of creating a budget and determining for which programs you may be eligible. HUD approved counselors can also assist you with submitting modification and refinance paperwork to your lender. These counselors are trained to understand the in and outs of mortgage modification and refinance.

You should only work with a HUD approved housing counselor or a licensed attorney regarding your mortgage. The Federal Trade Commission has issued a ruling which can be found here warning against mortgage rescue scams.

HUD Approved Housing Counselors in New Hampshire:

• Serving the North Country
  Affordable Housing Education and Development (AHEAD)
  161 Main Street, Littleton, NH 03561
  Ph: (603) 444-1377
  www.homesahead.com
  
  
• Serving Merrimack County
  CATCH Neighborhood Housing
  79 South State Street, Concord, NH 03301
  Ph: (603) 225-8835
  www.catchhousing.org
  
  
• Serving Cheshire County and Western NH
  Cheshire Housing Trust
  39 Central Street, Suite 20, Keene, NH 03431
  Ph: (603) 357-7603
  www.cheshirehousingtrust.org
  
  
• Serving the Lakes Region
  Laconia Area Community Land Trust
  658 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH 03247
  Ph: (603) 624-0747
  www.laclt.org
  
  
• Serving Greater Manchester
  The Way Home
  214 Spruce Street, Manchester, NH 03103
  Ph: (603) 644-0180
  www.thewayhomenh.org
  
  
• Statewide
  Neighborworks Greater Manchester
  20 Merrimack Street, Manchester, NH 03101
  Ph: (603) 626-4663
  www.nwgm.org
  
  

If you choose, you may file a complaint against your bank
If your lender is a local bank, the New Hampshire Banking Department is the regulatory agency for your financial institution. You can visit their website here to file a complaint. You may also contact them directly by mailing your formal written complaint to:

• State of New Hampshire
  Banking Department
  53 Regional Drive, Suite 200
  Concord, N.H. 03301

If your lender is a national bank, you can search here to determine which agency regulates your financial institution. My office is also able to assist you in placing a complaint with the appropriate federal agency.

Other Resources
Making Home Affordable
The Making Home Affordable (MHA) Program is part of President Obama’s strategy to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Through the program, homeowners can lower their monthly mortgage payments and/or obtain help to avoid foreclosure.

http://www.helpwithmybank.gov (OCC)
The OCC's primary mission is to charter, regulate, and supervise all national banks. The OCC is headquartered in Washington D.C. and has four district offices plus an office in London to supervise the international activities of national banks.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government. The department was established on September 9, 1965, when Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act into law. HUD is administered by the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan.

Know Your Options.com
Is a website operated by Fannie Mae. The website contains information on options to stay in your home, options when leaving your home, how to avoid housing scams and other resources.

Help for New Hampshire Homeowners(homehelpnh.org)
Is a website operated by the State of New Hampshire that contains, among other resources, tips on foreclosure prevention, working with your lender, and tenant’s rights during foreclosure.

Legal Resources
Should you choose to seek legal advice regarding your housing issue, below are some contacts within the state of New Hampshire which may be helpful.

New Hampshire Legal Assistance
Ph: (603) 206-2221
www.nhla.org

Legal Advice and Referral Center
Ph: (603) 224-3333
www.larcnh.org

NH Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
Ph: (603) 229-0002
www.nhbar.org