Earlier this year I learned Homecomings Financial, Inc. Had not paid my homeowner's insurance. On January 12th I sent them a fax and followed up with a phone call that my insurance would be cancelled on Jan 13th. I was assured as this was an escrow issue a check would be overnighted. After the conversation I did not think of the matter again.
As business was not good in the advertising industry last year in the Tampa Bay Area, I fell behind in my mortgage payments. I tried to work out something with Homecomings only to be told to either fax information I had previously submitted again or to call back. No one ever contacted me to work anything out.
I began seeking another mortgage the last week of December. The end of January my mortgage broker called and said she had found a company. A couple of weeks later I had an appraisal and had hoped to have closed on the new mortgage in February.
Due to complications, the closing did not occur until March 8th. I spoke with Homecomings Financial on Feb 28th to see if I needed to make a payment and could not do so until Saturday March 3rd. I was told not to bother as long as the new loan was going to close by March 15th.
On March 5th I learned Homecomings Financial had not paid my homeowner's insurance as promised and I had been without insurance since Jan 13th of this year. I called Homecomings and was told a payment was made on January 13th. When I asked for the check number, I was told the system was down. I then called my insurance agent and gave her the name Sharona had given me, Ms. Van Davis, and her phone number.
My agent then called Ms. Van Davis and played phone tag, but eventually got her. She was told that Homecomings had not paid the premium as I had been told, but they would overnight a check that day, March 5. I did verify that it had been paid on March 7th.
I signed the new mortgage papers on March 8th. The title company dispersed funds on March 12th. A day or two after the closing I received a copy of the payoff statement, but thought nothing of it.
On March 14th the Title company called to tell me the check had been returned as Homecomings had not included the now short escrow account. I was told they could unfund the loan, and I would have to deal with Homecomings Financial or I could write a letter to Homecomings requesting they apply the check to the principal balance then work out a payment arrangement for the escrow shortage. Also I would not then incur any late fees as they would have the payment on the 16th. As I was out of black ink in my printer, I had to hand write the letter and the Title Company closer came by my house to pick it up.
I did not hear anything from anyone, so on March 21th I called Homecomings Financial to make sure everything had been applied, only to be told they had returned the check again on March 20th. I immediately called the Title Company who called Homecomings several times only to be told they would not speak with them. The title company then placed a three way call between themselves, me and Homecomings.
After explaining what I wanted done, we were informed the check was now being sent to the wrong address. We were suppose to send it to a lock box. We wanted a signature and was then given a physical address. I faxed one of the monthly statements and coupons to the Title Company.
Again I heard nothing from Homecomings Financial, so I called them on March 30th to verify everything had been applied and to work out an arrangement for the escrow shortage. I was told Homecomings Financial had not received any payment and I would need to call back with a tracking number.
I called the Title Company and was given the UPS tracking. The package was delivered at 9:52 am on the 22nd and signed for by a person named Brown. I called Homecomings Financial back to give them this information and was told by a snippy man that I had to send everything to them via fax. I wrote a page and 1/2 letter explaining everything along with the correspondence in January for the homeowner's insurance.
I called on Monday, now April 2nd and was told micraculusly they had found the check on Friday after I sent my fax. I was told it had not been posted yet but would be in a few days. I called back on April 4th to make sure they had indeed posted the payment. I was then forwarded to Kristy Richie in the Litigation Department.
I called her and left a voicemail. I had to go out and missed her call, so I called back. I did not hear from her that day. The next day i spoke with a real estate attorney, who read all of my communications and then called her. We got voicemail, so he left a message. I received a call from him the next day, Friday, March 6th saying Homecomings was giving me two options, to pay the shortage or take a short sell.
I then called Ms. Richie and again left a voicemail. I did not hear from her by Monday, so I called again and gave her a number she could reach me that day. She called later that day and said that now I would have to come up with an additional $5,000 as there were added late fees and interest, and inspection fees, etc. Being added. I when through the time line again saying I did not dispute the $2,100 escrow shortage, and would work out payments, as I now had a new mortgage.
I was then told the other option was to apply for a short-sell. This would be so Homecomings Financial would then write all of the excess off. It would hurt my credit, but they would be gone. She was going to see if Homecomings would authorize a drive by for $15, instead of the $150 for a full inspection. I asked that since I had just had an appraisal, why would I pay for an inspection. She said she would get back to me.
She called last night Tuesday April 10th at 6:33pm and informed me Homecomings would not accept a drive by and I would have to pay an additional $150. Also if the inspection came back that the property was worth more than what was owed, the investor would then make me sell my property so they could collect any and all new fees and late payments.
I now have two mortagages as I have a new company and Homecomings. All of this because Homecomings was negligent in paying the Homeowner's insurance. They are now dening doing anything wrony as they have x amount of days to pay the premium and if anything had happed in the time of no insurance the escrow insurance would have paid. They now claim it is the fault of the Title company, even though they gave them the wrong payoff amount.
Now I am going to have to have one of the litigating attorneys I work with try and help me figure out this mess. All I wanted to do was to get on with my life.
Deborah
SAINT PETERSBURG, Florida
U.S.A.
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