AlterNet: How Predatory Lenders Are Leaving Veterans Homeless, Broke and In Debt

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Another pressured her to work with a mortgage broker he was associated with. He encouraged Chandler to consider what he referred to as a “starter loan,” telling her it came with low interest and low monthly payments for several years, followed by an adjustment in the interest rate, by which time she could refinance the home through the IRRRV program to access a lower rate. Chandler recognized an adjustable rate mortgage when she saw one, but other veterans weren’t so savvy, and have been facing foreclosures across the United States as the interest rates on their homes spike upward and their homes are now mortgaged for far more than they are worth.

Predatory lenders encouraging veterans to refinance in excess of home value haven’t helped; the VA loan program allows for financing of up to 120 percent of home value to pay for improvements. Many returning veterans are buying homes in need of improvements because they cannot afford homes that are immediately habitable and may need to make some basic repairs before they can even move in. Many more need modifications to their homes to make them accessible. Wheelchair ramps, rails, doorway widening, and other accessibility modifications for disabled veterans can be expensive, and the 120 percent financing is designed to help pay for that.