Real Estate Central

Over 3,300 receive counseling and mortgage assistance

MIAMI, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In spite of the problems
caused by Tropical Storm Fay, more than 3,300 Florida homeowners facing
foreclosure were helped last week at three foreclosure prevention workshops
held by the HOPE NOW Alliance.

The workshops, which were conducted in conjunction with NeighborWorks
America and Fannie Mae, were held in Orlando, Ft. Myers, and Miami from
Thursday through Saturday. The workshops provided the homeowners who
attended free counseling services and the opportunity to work directly with
their lenders to avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.

“HOPE NOW has been working hard to help more borrowers avoid
foreclosure and these workshops are a testament to that effort,” said Faith
Schwartz, Executive Director of HOPE NOW. “We are committed to helping as
many borrowers as possible and we’re not going to let anything, including a
tropical storm, get in the way,” Schwartz said.

Despite the bad weather, more than 1,000 borrowers attended the Orlando
event on Thursday, nearly 620 attended in Ft. Myers on Friday, and
approximately 1,695 borrowers attended in Miami on Saturday. Twenty
mortgage servicers participated in the events in addition to numerous
HUD-certified counseling agencies.

“The events in Florida were a success, and our partnership with HOPE
NOW, our servicers and other alliance members is a proven model that helps
homeowners successfully make contact, get help and seek the guidance they
need to avoid foreclosure,” said Fannie Mae Senior Vice President for
Community Lending & Development Jeffery Hayward. “Fannie Mae is committed
to helping even more homeowners possibly avoid foreclosure and
strengthening more communities, as we continue our role as a key partner in
supporting future events like these throughout the country.”

“For families facing foreclosure, nothing is worse than doing nothing,”
said Marietta Rodriguez, national director of homeownership programs at
NeighborWorks America. “Last week’s workshops connected homeowners at risk
of foreclosure with skilled foreclosure prevention counselors who can help
families understand their options and identify steps they can take to help
save their homes.”

Over 11,500 homeowners have been counseled at 20 events nationwide
since HOPE NOW began conducting foreclosure prevention workshops in March,
2008.

About HOPE NOW

HOPE NOW is the private sector alliance of counselors, servicers,
investors and other mortgage market participants that is working to help
homeowners avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. Since HOPE NOW was
created in July 2007, its members have helped 1.9 million homeowners avoid
foreclosures. For more information on HOPE NOW, and to see the full
membership of the alliance, please visit http://www.HOPENOW.com.

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[Via Real Estate Newswire]