A realtor in Santa Clarita is cautioning homeowners who may be having trouble with their mortgage not to believe everything their bank tells them about what can be done to solve the issue.

Richard Szerman of Alta Realty Group regularly provides free loan modification and foreclosure defense services to the public, and often hears from desperate new clients who are out of time and options that the bank told them something that simply wasn’t true. 

“Don’t listen to somebody who does not have your interest, your agenda as their own,” Szerman said. “(The bank’s) job is to get as much money as they possibly can out of you, by hook or by crook, and they do a lot of dishonest stuff — they just do.”

Related: Single Mom Loses Saugus Home In ‘Illegal’ Foreclosure, Realtor In Santa Clarita Fighting For Justice

For instance, Szerman currently has a client seeking a loan modification after her elderly father’s death, which has put her at risk of foreclosure in the next few months. 

Despite the fact that the house title has already been legally transferred to the woman and the bank has been provided with a copy of her father’s death certificate, they still insist they must talk to him to authorize any changes, according to Szerman. 

“She’s a great candidate for a loan modification,” Szerman said. “She’s dangerously close to losing the house, and when we talk to (the bank), they keep coming back with, ‘We need to talk to him because he’s on the loan and she’s not.’” 

Instead of accepting what the bank is telling them as the truth and that there is nothing to be done at this point, Szerman is now working to have the file moved to someone higher up in the bank’s management team before a foreclosure date is set. 

“What we typically wind up doing is having to escalate these files inside the bank to somebody who actually understands,” Szerman explained. “And I say, ‘Look, these are your options okay — messy lawsuit, which you will lose … or how about common sense? How about you just do what you should be doing anyway, which, by the way, is better for the bank financially?’” 

While Szerman believes he will be able to get the situation sorted out for his client before she loses her house, he noted that the situation is a “good lesson” for other homeowners who might be in a similar situation. 

“Just because the bank says something doesn’t make it so,” Szerman said. “The banks lie to people all the time… Sometimes it’s an intentional lie because it makes the bank money, and sometimes it’s just, they don’t know any better and they want to get you off the phone.” 

Szerman advises homeowners who are struggling with their mortgage or facing foreclosure to reach out to him for free assistance as soon as possible. 

“If you have problems with your mortgage, if you’re in danger of foreclosure, if you can’t make your payment, if your interest rate is too high, … please consider me a resource,” he said. “You can call me any time.” 

Ed. Note: This article is a KHTS Community Spotlight based on a recent radio interview with Richard Szerman of Alta Realty Group. 

Santa Clarita realtor Richard Szerman, of Alta Realty Group, has more than two decades of experience as a realtor. After “quietly” conducting public outreach and pro bono work as a realtor in Santa Clarita for many years, Szerman is raising awareness about the opportunities available to the community through Alta Realty Group. He offers free foreclosure defense services to the public, gives clients money to buy a house based on the rent they have previously paid, and gives sellers money to fix up their house in an effort to help it sell at a higher price. The Rental Rebate, Free Loan Modification and Resale Renovation Programs are designed to help make it easier to buy a house, sell a house and even save a house from foreclosure. Anyone looking for a “realtor near me” can reach out to the team at Alta Realty Group today. 

Richard Szerman, Alta Realty Group

27451 Tourney Road, Ste #140

Valencia, CA  91355

Office: 661-253-3000

To call/text Richard directly: 661-714-1400

Richard Szerman, Alta Realty Group – Santa Clarita

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWumnTzNZLc

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