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DO NOT USE LEGAL LOAN REVIEW
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I called Legal Loan Review (LLR) in Sept. 2010 to see if I could get a loan modification. I spoke to Kathy Portales, who told us within several hours of our initial call that we would be approved for a government-based loan modification program. She quoted us a mortgage payment of $500-$600 with a 2% interest rate for 30 years. We were told that our income was not a factor in being approved for this loan modification. While she said she could not legally advise us to stop making our monthly mortgage payments, she did say that it was common practice that her other customers who were applying for a loan modification stopped paying their mortgage until the loan went through. When asked why we should pay LLR their fee of $3,000 to do this when we could do it ourselves, she said that having attorneys involved assured a smoother, quicker and more efficient process. She was sweet, kind, helpful, very reassuring and sounded like she knew her stuff. I sent them all the required paper work and the $3,000.00 one-time payment to start the application process and legal fees. Kathy told me the process usually took 2-3 months. Soon after, I verified with my bank that they had received the application and paperwork from Legal Loan Review within a timely manner and that the process was under way. I felt reassured.
After a month, I called LLR for an application status update and was told that it was still being processed. I continued to call weekly for updates and was told by LLR that there was no change and they were still waiting to hear from my bank. During this time, , I did stop paying my mortgage for the past 6 months during this process under the indirect advice of Kathy Portales at LLR. After 5 months since applying and hearing nothing from anyone, I called my bank a few weeks ago in February 2012 to understand why the process was taking longer than expected. To my dismay, they told me that my loan modification was approved back in November 2011 and that a confirmation packet was mailed to LLR. LLR NEVER CALLED TO CONFIRM MY LOAN MODIFICATION APPROVAL. Furthermore, my new mortgage was only $50.00 less than my original one – Far from the original $500-$600 touted by LLR. My first mortgage payment for my new loan was due on January 1, 2012, which I clearly missed paying since I was not even aware I was approved. Because of failure to make payment, the bank was forced to cancel my loan modification and now I have to reapply for another loan modification.
Upon discovering all of this, I called LLR immediately and left messages with numerous people. Nobody returned my calls, nor have they taken my calls. I finally spoke to Kathy Portales and asked why my new mortgage payment was only $50.00 less than they promised. She said “this is not my area of expertise” and referred me to someone else named Fernelly Sarria, who never returned my phone calls. Pieces of the story unfolded over several days for me to understand where things fell apart. Finally, I got on a 3-way conference call with my lender and LLR to discuss this mess. Fernelly Sarria at LLR barely said anything on my behalf.
With my loan modification cancelled and being delinquent for 6 months of mortgage payments, I am now at risk for my bank foreclosing my house. I just reapplied for another loan modification and was told by my bank that my application was denied because of the delinquent payments on my original loan. I need to sort that out before I can reapply again, but there are no guarantees that I will even be approved again. I’m in a worse place than before I called LLR.Based on what I learned from my case manager at my bank regarding FHA loans, LLR ESSENTIALLY LIED ABOUT ALMOST EVERYTHING including how you qualify and your mortgage rate. They overpromised to get you “hooked” and then they abandon you once they get your money and submit your application.I am planning to pursue legal action against them for failure to deliver.
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