Banks brace for mortgage remodels under Obama plan

WASHINGTON -- Details of the Obama administration's housing rescue plan are expected Wednesday, and banks and other servicers are bracing for a flurry of demand for both loan modifications and refinancing.

To help homeowners remain in their properties, lenders will be responsible for lowering interest rates.

All that is expected to mean even more business for servicers.

"Big servicers are at capacity. They're strapped right now," says Sue Allon, CEO of Allonhill, a financial services firm specializing in risk management of mortgages.

Also, Allon says, the mortgage companies are not experts in loan defaults, so they're being forced to work outside their areas of expertise. That could lead to long waits, slow response rates, and superficial fixes.

Many already are busy because low interest rates have already led to increased refinancing requests.

Some have taken steps to prepare. Luxury Mortgage in Stamford, Conn., has seen such an influx in demand that it has hired several new mortgage brokers and plans to hire more.

"I have reservations about whether our existing infrastructure is adequate," says David Adamo, Luxury Mortgage CEO, referring to his industry.

Wells Fargo said in a statement that it is staffing for an increase in volume. Fannie Mae also says it is prepared.

"We are confident we have the staff and resources necessary to implement the new modification and refinance initiatives," says Amy Bonitatibus, Fannie Mae spokeswoman.

Hope Now, a private-sector alliance of mortgage servicers, non-profit counselors and investors, said Tuesday that it modified 123,000 mortgages in January 2009 — the first time since July 2007 that the number exceeded 100,000 in two consecutive months.