Article written by Aurelio Mattucci

Too often, we look at what the government does with the money and wonder why we did not get a bailout. The truth is, the government is you and as much as we think we have no power over the control of it, WE DO! We call it “Majority”. In this beautiful country of ours, we are given the right to vote, and unlike many other countries, our vote counts for something. I don’t want to get all political on you, but I would like to share a little secret. The fact that you and many other homeowners could be at risk of losing your homes isn’t a surprise to anyone, the fact is that many families are currently in default and many others have already lost their homes. Most of these families in difficulty are getting bombarded by loan modification companies and lawyers willing to work for you to modify your loan and help you stay in your home. Well, did you know that you (the borrower) have every right to negotiate with your own bank at no charge? Also, the fees you are charged are often for no more than two hours worth of work. Remember, no one will care about you more than you will. If you are not fluent in the English language, most banks have representatives that speak other languages. The process of trying to do this on your own starts with gathering information such as, loan numbers, bank contact information, personal financials, tax returns, etc. Then start with a simple call to the bank and ask for the department that handles loan modification programs. You may want to avoid making comments about bailout money considering the person at the other end of the phone has nothing to do with how the government disperses our tax dollars. Briefly explain your situation to the person and make sure that you do not lie about finances, remember banks have connections and they will find out the truth eventually. They do not want to hear sob stories or how your dog needed an operation, make it short, sweet and get straight to the point. Going back to the voting thing, mostly elected officials run our government, so consider that next time an election comes up. Whether local or national, educate yourself on the candidates and how they feel on certain issues such as housing reform and bailouts, because you never know how much a politician can make or break you until it is probably too late. Rules and regulations are meant to be perfected, not broken, and you, the voters, have more power than you may think. Your voice will be heard, and the voice of many will be listened to. Do not be scared of trying to save your home on your own. You do not have to pay for what you have the right of doing yourself. A last word of advice, READ THE FINE PRINT. Aurelio Mattucci