Reverse Mortgages – 7 Ways to Clean Up the Industry
Reverse mortgages are legal instruments designed for homeowners 62 years of age and older, that will allow them to borrow money against their home and not pay it pack until they move, sell the home, or die. From day one, this program has had problems, due partly to borrower ignorance, as well as some aggressive and shady promoters.
Several of the large banks have ceased making reverse mortgages, more particularly Bank of America and Wells Fargo. They cited their reason for departure, as not being able to properly determine if the borrowers had the ability to repay the loan, plus declining housing prices. Met Life also has stopped being a lender for reverse mortgages.
With the exit of the large lenders, the market has been flooded with small mortgage brokers, many interested only in the fees they can generate. Many of these brokers sell this type of loan to elderly homeowners who simply can’t afford the high fees, and then on top of that, home repairs and maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance.
