Help Mike Donahue keep his home.

Okay, I’m in financial trouble.

I’m in imminent danger of a bank sale on my house, which is in foreclosure. No date has yet been set. I’ve been given a pay up date of Dec 5 2017. They can move before that, I don’t know. And they don’t tell you the info you need.   Or how long after that they force the sale on the house.

I was in an auto accident in January, which greatly strained my cash resources.

I’ve been thru 3 separate home loan modification schemes over the last 6 months. SEG (turned out to be a scam, lost $1233 there), Stupid, yeah, but man, they were smooth.

NACA, a non- profit that should have been able to put together what i needed but they weren’t able to. I qualified for everything. Provided every form. Fund just didn’t move on it. For months and months.  Another 2 week deadline, and I'd hear, another 30 days after that and they'd know for sure.... on and on and on.

Finally, I was directed to Keep Home California, which is trying to get me a modification.

Here’s the thing. Today, I emailed in everything that I was asked to provide. Every document, etc.

I called to make sure they’d received it, and they had, so that was good. I was told that I would have an answer in 30-45 days. I hung up the phone and suddenly realised, “They aren’t going to give it to me,” for whatever reason I heard it in the rep’s voice. I know it’s not going to happen as sure as I know my own name. I

Why can’t I get a modification as millions have?

Ditech, which manages some unnamed fund where my loan money came from- well, somewhere in there is an S.O.B. that would rather see me have to sell my house than reorganise a loan and earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more for the rest of my life off of my mortgage payments. Some of the funds work with people, others … not so much.

My loan in May 2017 rose to a 4.875% fixed interest. It’s a very high interest rate in the current market, and as my attorney said to me, “This has been a very profitable loan for them.”

So why not sell and buy another home? The property tax on a new home would be untenable, even if I could afford those payments. I'd be looking at moving out of California, somewhere where there isn't much film industry.  If I moved to an apartment, I am facing an uncertain future as I age and my income is fixed and really I don’t want to be on the street. I know people would help, but I’d rather ask for a bit of help now than a whole lot of help later.

I have to keep my home, my mortgage payment is about the cost of a one bedroom apartment. If I could get one on my credit score.

I hear Belize is nice.

I do messenger work for extra money, and I rent a room out. It’s not enough to make up for the thousands of dollars in legal fees that Ditech is piling on top of the mortgage fees. I just don’t think I will make it.  That's what finally made me see I couldn't work it without help.

If I sell the car, there goes the messenger income. So- I’m asking for help. If every one of my real world friends sent a bit, what they can spare, I know it would be a big help and add up quickly. I know my real wealth is in my friends.

If you need more particulars on the info message me. Yes, I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years, and a lot of bad decisions. Some of you know that I’ve been traveling to London trying to get work. Well, it wasn’t on my dime. And the last trip was only possible because I had friends who could put me up for free and the London Underground is only about $10 USD daily. And they have McDonalds. I was lucky to be there but not in the sense people think of when they think of luxury travel. Those job dreams take a very long time to come to fruition.

I believe if I get the house paid current, I can keep up with the mortgage payments, barring catastrophe.

I was lulled into a false assurance that I would get the loan restructured, there’s a lot of value in the house, and that would all work out. Nope.

And it’s making me sick. I can’t take it. 

Earlier this year a friend became very angry with me- very angry- because I’d had a social difficulty situation which made me pretty sad, and hadn’t told him, and he made me promise to ask for help when I needed it.

There’s no secret to my finances. So I would rather ask for a little bit from a lot of friends rather than a lot from someone with money.  This isn't likely to ever be paid back. That's the reality. I am scraping by like a lot of people. Honestly, after 22 years in the house and looking back over the years, I don’t know how I managed it. I guess I just can’t explain to the cat why we have to move.

If you’re cash poor don’t send anything. I get it. Believe me. But if you can help, please do. I need it.