Comments on: The Youngest Victims Of Foreclosure

In Midst Of Mortgage Crisis, Kids Are Left In Limbo - But There's Some Help Available

[ranger1948]

newsterl
The situation with the old lady was she had received very little education, probably had been a housewife most of her life then her husband died and she was surviving on social security benefits. I feel i showed compassion doing bill collecting. I had a black lady who had written several bad checks to domino''s pizza. I showed up , she lived in a shack with a 6 year old boy. The father had left and refused to help support the boy. She worked minimun wage and it wasn''t enough to pay all the bills. I asked why she kept writing checks to dominos, her explanation was i have to feed my boy. I explained if she spent the $20 on food instead of pizza it would feed both of them for a few days at a time. She looked dumbfounded but took my advice and in a few weeks she was not writing bad checks either. I am not racist i like helping people of all races. We help the less fortunate here in Thailand as well. THE average wage here is $3 to $11 a day. Hard for anyone to live on that and prices are steadily going up on everything here. As an American i am considered rich here and if people need help they come to my wife and ask to borrow money. I tell her to lend it to them and they alwqays pay it back when they can. They are very honest here.

[nonayabiness]

I lost not one, but TWO jobs right as I was to return from (unpaid) maternity leave. The day before my return I got an e-mail (how impersonal?) stating my full time job with a state dept. had been discontinued. How disappointing! However, I had another PT job with another state dept. and that position was eliminated too.

[Netterz]

If these financial institutions had ANY common sense, or show some consideration for the customers who have been padding there wallets for yrs, would refinance these people at a payment they can afford, and do ANYTHING they possibly can to keep these families in there homes instead of tossing them in the street like yesterdays garbage. It seems like it would make more sense to get a little LESS money, than NO MONEY, for all these houses that are sitting empty. The Gov''t could enforce something, but there sitting in there luxury homes, driving expensive cars, on our hard earned money, with there never ending perks,perfect health care, and excellent retirement programs. They are unaffected. They are safe, they created there own retirement programs, because they KNEW there would be no Social Security, by giving it away to those who never paid in a dime. BOTH SIDES have failed the American people, sold out to Corp America, and other countries, and have left us with nothing. But all is good in the Gov''t. They are just fine, not a financial worry in the world.

[Netterz]

The main problem in the mortgage crisis is the predatory lending. These companies figure out your ''budget'' for you and then assess an amount you can pay based on a ridicoulously low payment for a year or 2, on a far to expensive home then bury or slide over the ''adjustable rate'' part leading most people to beleive that this rate would work in there favor some how. When the time frame is up the payment has atleast doubled in some cases have tripled to up to 80% of the income. They are setting people up for failure, losing there homes,ruining credit, taking yrs to try and rebuild. People in mortgage brokering will lie about anything to get these people in DEEP debt, lead them to beleive that they can make payments that arent even remotely possible. NO account for other bills, car payments, no chance to save a dime. Our political leaders on BOTH sides have allowed this, and in many cases endorsed this kind of thing. I have seen my daughters friends, just starting out there lives, with perfect credit, have it completely ruined in a year, over predators in all levels of the banking industry, be it homes, car loans, credit cards, student loans, many more. If some one who has had a solid jobfor 20 ys, can go to work on any given day and see chained doors, because the company went bust and gave no warning...how can people survive? How can young people even hope to get started in life?

[slim1h2o]

"I don%u2019t really let it get to me because me and my mom and my brother know that God''s going to bless us someday," Matthew said.

At least this kid has a good outlook of life, if I were in that situation I would find it hard to have such a positive outlook.

[radiob-2009]

Posted by andrew_693
I beleive that you fail to see that evil whether manifesetd in Al Queda or the corporations are no different in the end, they want your soul, your heart and if you are unwilling to submit to them they will grind you under. This problem has been going on since time began and we have not shed the light of love to all to vanquish it.

[andrew_693]

Don''t forget to vote for MaCchicken in the next election!, enjoy foreclosures and the loss of your job!!. At least you don''t have marines and their al quaeda friends showing up in your house to kill you like it is for those poor people in irak who not only lost their homes and had to go into exile in some cases they could loose their lives. Something you won''t have to experience.Keep your petty problems.

[radiob-2009]

Hopefully this children will not become "gamins" of our society. Hopefully economics 101 will become a mandatory class in all schools and that a program similiar will be available to the general public. This story is a reflection on our society in many ways one a lack of "light" to those who borrow and two the diminishing job market thanks to both political parties over the last 30+ years for outsourcing without providing protection clauses. The pot is simmering in America to take America back from the "bourgeise" of politics and corporations and restore it to the people. Neither political party is providing answers to the many questions and problems they have help create.

[newsterl]

Ranger- dude, you''re preaching to the choir here, for I''ve been IN the situation of losing a job, moving across the country, not finding work and being evicted and living in a bus on the street for a few weeks- that was 21 years ago.
The same month my dad was in the hospital with a triple by-pass, a cousin died and grandma died of a blood clot in the hospital after being hit by a car, and I was 3000 miles away with no money, no phone, no electric, no credit cards, 5 dogs and no one to help. I rolled up pocket change for dog food and got a food box as well. That year was rock bottom, after that I vowed never to be dependent on a landlord OR employer ever again. Now I own my house, a business and a fine collection of nice antiques and don''t owe a dime.

Good you helped the old lady, I dont know why people cant learn how to manage their own money and budget, its not hard- as a 9th grade drop-out if I can do it anyone can.

[ranger1948]

baldman2
I agree with you. I have never been jealous of what anyone else has or how much they own. If they can afford it i am happy for them. I myself have been fortunate financially as i have a very good retirement. I travel when and where i want to. I worked for 44 years i think i gave enough back. I am 100% disabled Vietnam vet, have a son who is 100% disabled froim getting hurt on active duty with the rangers, have a daughter who returned from Iraq last week and another son getting ready to join army rangers. I yhink my family has supported this country totally.

[newsterl]

I should also add that when I was paying my mortgage the first year I sent in TWO payment coupons each month so that after a year I was ONE YEAR ahead on my payments which was designed to also be a safety net just in case.

That plus making extra payments on the principal every month was how I paid off my 2 BR house on 1/2 acre in less than 5 years.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
Think about what it would cost her to move from florida to the midwest. I dounbt that she has the money to make the move or pay deposits for a new place.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
I am happy things worked out so well for you and i must say it was due to your dilligent planning and intelligence. However i hvce met people who had no idea how to manag their money. I used to serve papers for hot checks. One old lady would write ten or 15 checks to her grocery store each month that would bounce costing her $30 per check in fees. When i got to know her i asked why she did this every month. She said her social security ran out about the middle of the month and she had to eat. I explained to her that when she needed to buy food buy enough to finish out the month, wrirte only one check and she would save on collection fees. Within two months she was not writing bad checks anymore.

[newsterl]

You posted without knowig the fcts or reading the story. It said she managed the payments until she lost her job. This could happen to ayone. It doesn''''t show she is some deqdbeat who wouldn''''t work. Learn to show some compassion.

Posted by ranger1948


As did you, ''managed'' payments sounds pretty shaky. No one is required to live in San Francisco or an expensive city in Florida either, for what a ''shack'' in San Francisco or Longbeach costs you can buy a HUGE house on acres of land in the midwest.
You don''t need a 4500 sq ft house with 3 car heated garage.

[ranger1948]

ema253
I like your idea. I am living in Thailand and the people here have taught me much about helping others. I think we all need to pull together. When i go to the store i buy candy bars and pass out to the childrern on the way home. Some parents can never afford to buy candy for their children. First i met the parents and then the neighbors, now i know everyone in my neighborhood. Seeing the smiles on the childrens faces is the greatest gift for me.

[newsterl]

See, the difference between those who lose their homes and ME is, when I bought my house I didnt buy a $300,000 house taking 80% of my income, I bought a fixer up and I made EXTRA payments every month on the principle, 5 years ago I paid off MY mortgage in full in just under 6 years that way while taking home just about $350/week at the time.

I bought a USED, good late model car instead of new- no comp insurance needed either- that saved $, registration was $20 annually instead of hundreds for a new car.

Now I run my own business on-line thru Ebay and my web site, and the money rolls in.
So if *I* can do it anyone can, if I can find a house and pay it off in less than 6 years in full taking home $350/week AND start a business, then y''all can get off your butts and stop whining and DO something about your situation- take a class, start a business on Ebay, mow lawns, but don''t WHINE about how tuff you have it in your $300,000 house -lost because of a balloon payment you didnt know about because you didnt read the CONTRACT!
My house is my first house, but *I* knew to be sure to get a FIXED rate mortgage no matter what, and with no prepayment penalties- I even asked about both BEFORE I signed anything.

[ranger1948]

newsterl You posted without knowig the fcts or reading the story. It said she managed the payments until she lost her job. This could happen to ayone. It doesn''t show she is some deqdbeat who wouldn''t work. Learn to show some compassion.

[newsterl]

" When she had a job she could afford it! DUHHH! Lifestyle choices???? How about she shoot herself,
Posted by rudy654"

You are ASSUMING that, I also meant the comment in general for the wider crowd of idiots who dont read their mortgage contracts and then act surprised when their payment on their $300,000 house goes up $600 a month and they go bankrupt and foreclose. The article was about FORECLOSURES.



newsterl
You do not know the circumstances if this womans case. She was probably married, her and her husband both working when they bought the home, they split up and she tried to keep the house, which she did till she was laid off. Give the lady a break. Know the facts before you comment.

Posted by ranger1948

Looks like you dont know either, ''probably'' doesnt cut it as fact. I also meant the comment in general for the wider crowd of idiots who dont read their mortgage contracts and then act surprised when their payment on their $300,000 house goes up $600 a month and they go bankrupt and foreclose. The article was about FORECLOSURES.

[ranger1948]

rudy654
At least she had a friend she could go to. Do you ?

[ranger1948]

newsterl
You do not know the circumstances if this womans case. She was probably married, her and her husband both working when they bought the home, they split up and she tried to keep the house, which she did till she was laid off. Give the lady a break. Know the facts before you comment.