The U.S. Department of Treasury has a full break down on the program but overall here is who the program reaches: 1) Focusing on Homeowners at Risk, 2) Reaching Homeowners BEFORE they miss payments, 3) Common Sense Restrictions on who qualifies and 4) Special Provisions for Families with High Total Debt Levels.
How Does it Work? Well, the simplistic view is to reduce the amount homeowners owe per month to sustainable levels. The program brings together lenders, investors, services, borrowers and the government so that all the stateholders share in the cost of ensuring that responsible homeowners can afford their monthly mortgage payments. There is a shared effort to reduce monthly payments. Servicers will receive an upfront fee of $1000 for each eligible modification meeting certain guidelines established under this intiative. Responsible Modidication Incentives and incentives to help borrowers stay current.
The most interesting part of this? Home Price Decline Payments…..coming in installment 2.