2 posts tagged “family”

My apologies to all for not introducing myself before moving onto the meat of the post.

So, first off, I am a Medically Retired (Disabled) Veteran living just off of Coors in NW Albuquerque. It looks like my wife and I may lose our house to a "reputable" mortgage company. This "reputable" company is taking advantage of a problem with my military orders while I was called to active duty here in town.

On with the original story/plea....

So we got a "small" piece of paperwork in the mail tonight, and it wasn't even delivered certified or registered.

It was a 72 hr eviction notice.

::panic ensues::

Here's the backstory...

The saga begins with the USAF screwing up, letting my orders expire, and not paying me for 2 years while they tried to figure out which office was supposed to actually pay for me....which means that Northrop can't pay me because they don't have any sort of discharge/release from Active Duty. They can't even pay me differential because my orders aren't current.

It takes about two years and a congressional board to get the wheels of the AF moving again. In the meantime we use our savings to pay the bills for as long as we can, then we get help from our families to pay the bills and stay alive. We fall behind on our house payments, but we give Countrywide the heads up and *always* pay something to them on the 1st of every month.

Countrywide works with Jen, but their patience runs out (as does ours) since no one knows when *anything* is going to happen.

Then Deux Ex Machina--A congressional board has met, and has ruled that I have gotten screwed in the worst way, and assigns a Colonel to act as my AF representative and to get things done...from pay onwards.

About that time, Countrywide decides to foreclose on us. Since we finally have orders, our lawyer invokes the Soldiers and Sailor's act to reverse the foreclosure and sale of our house. Jen and I get a "Workout Package" from countrywide. The deal we agree to is that we give them $5k, they "undo" the foreclosure and everything's hunky-dory.

Not having to worry about our house, we concentrate on getting me to the AF Medical Evaluation Board. The AF Board meets, decides to officially Medically Retire me at 50% pay.

That was last September 2nd. Of course my retirement is all sloppy, but everything's done and pay, etc is done by mid October.

We pay our mortgage and start working with the VA to get my "final" disability rating (which currently stands at 40%, but should jump to around 90-100%). Since Northrop Grumman now has a discharge, those wheels start turning again...but slowly. (As of today they're still figuring out how much leave and backpay they owe me).

We think everything's fine and we start to relax a little bit, knowing that we just need to tuck in and wait while all the wheels keep grinding. We have to followup and keep on various organizations, but we don't have to worry about a roof over our heads and food on the table.

We get a letter from Countrywide in January saying that they have decided that we no longer qualify for our own mortgage and since there is no financing, they're going to foreclose on the house.

Our response...."whaaaa?".

So we contact lawyers again, cry for help with the VA, and even the HUD. Everyone says "This isn't right, they can't do this", but the wheels at the aid organizations move fairly slowly....and the wheels at Countrywide are spun up, in motion, and picking up steam.

We're told by the VA that they'll be able to take care of this (since its a VA loan), Countrywide says that resolution has to happen around the end of February.

So, again, we have aid wheels in motion, but they're moving slowly.

Then today we get a 72hr eviction notice -- if we're not out in 72hrs, they're calling the Sheriff's dept to have us arrested and tossed. No formal notice of foreclosure, no auction (last time they sold the house to themselves), no notice of any kind. We've held up our end of the deal we made with them, and they're getting a good deal since I'm retired and have a paycheck for the rest of my life (and I'm only 35). The theory going around our extended family is that since ABQ is one of the "hotter" markets and that we picked an area that has really appreciated, the bank is going to sell itself the house again and easily flip it for current maket value. And probably make over $100k in the process. [edit: we just confirmed that they conducted a foreclosure and "Special Private Master's Auction", selling the house to themselves for $90k under their own fair market value estimation]

So we're panicking, not just for us, but we're considered a "mini-shelter" by the city. So we foster various animals--right now we have 7 ferrets (one of whom is on daily medicine), 9 cats (one of which is epileptic with an anxiety trigger, and two are on prozac), and one outdoor dog.

We've called everyone we can think of....our (fairly ineffective) lawyer, the Disabled American Veteran's Org., *all* the organizations in the VA we've been dealing with (them not talking to one another has been part of the problem), the consumer action lines for the local TV stations, the local newspaper, the Governor's office for Veteran's Affairs, Our General Practitioner (for sedatives & note saying that we're both disabled), and friends to help if we're forced into a stash and dash.

Does anyone know of anyone to get in contact with? Any aid organizations that might be able to intercede?
In light of the Soldier's & Sailor's act, is this all one incident (does it apply)?

Are there any loopholes or tactics we can use to drag this fight out for a couple of months? (We *might* be able to get close to paying off the house in its entirety between our savings and Northrop's 2.5 yrs of backpay).

Anything? Anyone?!?! HELP!!!!!

Yet another one of those days that leaves you reeling.

I thought being medically retired from the AF last week was a big deal.

That was nothing.

I was in complete shock all last night. I can't really talk about much yet, pending other party's permission & desires and wishes.

Once again, how 24 hours can change your life.

To the other party: thank you for contacting me, I'm overjoyed at the potential that I might get to know you and who you are. Feel free to contact me as you feel comfortable. I already know that you're an incredible person with a bright future. :) I hope that I will be able to add to your life.

::glowing::

This only reinforces my theory that life really consists of a series of 24 hour "events" with us just living & doing time between those life changing moments.