Posted by NotaryOH on 8/7/12 8:25pm
Msg #429724

Hope for Home

I completed a signing (painfully) on 6/26/12. The gal was about to lose her home and Hope for Home was going to assist her. However, she and I soon discovered that Hope for Home failed to mention that payments to them were due at the signing appt.

At the signing (her workplace), I called and emailed Rodger (her rep) and Alisa Wren (the admin) using my iPhone. My follow-up said, "I am at the client's workplace and have been waiting patiently while she has been on the phone with Rodger. She is unhappy with the amount due and not being told ahead of time about the amount due. She is on the fence. I will need to leave. She is upset and this is uncomfortable."

After a lengthy discussion with Rodger, the gal ended up signing and she submitted post-dated checks.

Hope for Home thanked me for my patience. The same day, I sent my invoice and scanbacks of the entire package on 6/26/12. Our agreed fee was $75.00. Since then, I have been following up on payment because I was promised payment on 7/2/12 (quick turn around promised by Alexa Wren).

On 7/31/12, after following up, I received an email saying, "Please re-send me your invoice. I need your address. Thank you. Jennifer Stedham, Administrator - Hope For Home (888) 232-8572 Ext. 333"

On 7/31/12, Jennifer Stedham's next reply said, "Your invoice was received. We send our checks out the 1st and 15th of each month."

On 8/1/12, after another follow-up email to her, Jennifer replied, "Your check will be sent out today. When I write out the check I will email you with the check number."

She promised to email the check number on 8/1/12, but did not follow through on her word. She did not email me the check number. Instead, she called and said, "In response to your email, Alexa Wren no longer works here and we only pay $40.00"

I replied, "You are going to pay me $75.00 or you will never hear the end of it."

Yet, it's seven days later and still no payment.

How incredibly annoying! I am still feeling upset. I want to believe what people tell me. This is shocking.

Reply by NotaryOH on 8/7/12 8:27pm
Msg #429726

I re-posted this as promised and linked it to Hope for Home in Signing Central. Thanks to all who helped earlier.

Reply by NotaryOH on 8/7/12 8:36pm
Msg #429729

Thank you Notary Rotary for getting Hope for Home added in Signing Central. Today, I reviewed complaints about them on the BBB website, and their written response to an upset borrower (who wrote in to the BBB) said a lot about their lack of care and concern.

Reply by Doris_CO on 8/7/12 9:11pm
Msg #429736

Several years ago, as the housing crisis created lots of upside down mortgages, there were companies that preyed on frightened homeowners with promises to modify their mortgages for a fee. Usually the fee was around $3500.00 in three future dated checks or placed on the homeowners credit card. It was a big scam and because of that, most states now have laws on their books that a fee cannot be charged until after the service has been completed. You can read about Modification Applications here through the orange search button. From what you've written, Hope For Home, seems to be very similar to those modification companies.

Reply by MW/VA on 8/7/12 8:57pm
Msg #429732

You obviously did not read through the responses

to your last post on this. It's a scam.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/telemarketing-companies/hope-for-home/hope-for-home-hope-4-home-hope-2b620.htm

Reply by NotaryOH on 8/7/12 9:02pm
Msg #429735

I read the link you provided and it was helpful to read

I read the link you provided the other day. I thought it was helpful.

Reply by NotaryOH on 8/7/12 9:16pm
Msg #429737

Hope for Home's 3 offices in CA: Studio City, LA & Mira Loma

Here is the BBB link:

http://www.la.bbb.org/business-reviews/Foreclosure-Law-Attorney/Law-Offices-Of-Mahan-Abbasi-in-Los-Angeles-CA-100080153

The owner or affiliate appears to be an attorney. Their office locations are as follows:
1) 11684 Ventura Blvd, #105, Studio City, CA 91604
2) 3255 Cahuenga Blvd West, #305, Los Angeles, CA 90068
3) 12623 Limonite Ave, 440, Mira Loma, CA 91752

Reply by Les_CO on 8/7/12 11:06pm
Msg #429745

Re: Hope for Home's 3 offices in CA: Studio City, LA & Mira Loma

If you are willing to work for someone that is obviously trying to prey upon desperate, unknowing, and uninformed people that are easily duped and THEY require payment in advance before they do anything, why would you not require the same from them? This kind of thing is illegal in most places regardless of how it wrapped. Did you know you could be ‘aiding and abetting’? I wouldn’t worry about crooks not paying you; I’d be worried about the people that gave you checks/money in advance filing charges. JMO

Reply by CopperheadVA on 8/8/12 6:49am
Msg #429763

Re: Hope for Home's 3 offices in CA: Studio City, LA & Mira Loma

It's very easy to collect from an attorney - simply file a complaint to the state bar assosication for his/her failure to fulfill contractual obligations.

Reply by MW/VA on 8/8/12 6:52am
Msg #429764

If you'd do a search under "loan modification applications"

you will find that these transactions are ILLEGAL in most states. It is ILLEGAL to charge an upfront fee for these services. You could be an accessory to the crime, because you are the one who took the check. I'm sorry that you weren't aware of these scams. Many of us have steered clear of those. It's a good reason to follow the forum to stay informed. IMO the BBB isn't going to be of much help. In many of the scams, the cos. took the borrowers money, told them to stop making payments, and they eventually lost their homes. These cos. just took their money & ran. I'm guessing that's what you're dealing with.

Reply by rolomia on 8/8/12 2:04am
Msg #429753

Unfortunately, laws are designed to protect the reputations of companies who pay income taxes to the state and federal government entities who write & pass said laws. Justice follows the money.

Since it is highly unlikely that American consumers will stand up in a united front against such abusive violations of the public trust (and the companies who commit such violations know this), and, since government entities are immune from being held accountable for their part in allowing if not downright-encouraging such aggregious practices, said abuses will only worsen and will increase in frequency.

I'm not shocked by this. I'm only amazed that you. Welcome to Reality 101, where most consumers would rather bury their heads in the proverbial sands of ignorance then to take a stand against such blatant abuse (unless then until it happens to them).

Reply by rolomia on 8/8/12 2:08am
Msg #429754

Sorry about edit-error in last paragraph of above post. I forgot to include the word "are" as the last word at the end of the following sentence: "I'm only amazed that you." should instead read as follows: "I'm only amazed that you are." Thank you.

Reply by MW/VA on 8/8/12 6:54am
Msg #429765

There were laws passed in most states that make this

kind of transaction ILLEGAL, so I don't know what you're referring to.