Liz-Vision
  • August 21, 2008 09:13 PM EDT by Liz Claman

    STOP USING MY MONEY TO BAIL OUT GAMBLERS

       Am I the only one completely frustrated right now?  All this talk about the 'inevitable' government bailout of Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) is making this red-head crazy.  The bailout is so far unfounded but the smart money says it'll likely come to pass.  You can't let these mortgage behemoths fail because they're pretty much the only ones writing mortgages out there during this time of fear. 

       Okay fine, I get it, make us all feel guilty for not rushing to put a pillow under Fannie and Freddie's 'fermischt' fannies.  But they, along with many people who will be bailed out by the housing bill will be getting the biggest financial 'do-over' in a generation.  Lenders who signed off on mortgages they had no business granting, homeowners who signed on the dotted line of totally inappropriate mortgage loans they could never keep up with, and companies that allowed it all to happen are getting cozy, comfy pillows thrown under them instead of forcing them to suffer for their sins. 

       Save for a tiny percentage of people who were victims of predatory lenders, most of these people happily pulled up a chair to the roulette table, gladly took the free drinks and began gambling away.  Shouldn't they have to swallow the bitter medicine now of having made a bad bet?  When I signed my mortgage nearly 5 years ago, my stomach was in knots, my husband and I did a full work- up 7 times over of our financial health just to make sure we could afford the house, and on top of it, had to provide so much paperwork and proof of income we broke the copy machine. 

       My late, great brilliant father Dr. Morris Claman always told me, "You must never be 'house-poor'."  Meaning, never buy a house you can't afford.  Never live beyond your means.  We were sure to cross all t's and dot all the i's.  It was a complicated process but we forced ourselves to read all the fine print.  Why then will we, along with the millions of honest, hard-working American homeowners who haven't defaulted on their mortgages, have to pay out of our pockets to help those who blew it?  Believe me, I have no problem helping out those of lesser means, those who perhaps got the short end of the societal stick, folks who try but need the extra help from the rest of us Americans. That's what makes our country great... we are a society that takes care of each other.  I'm grateful for that.  But this? 

       I want to scream.  Anyone who signs a mortgage begins at the same starting point as the rest of us.  Some of us are running a fair race while others pulled a Rosie Ruiz and have tried to take the shortcut.  If this were a marathon, Congress and the Bush Administration would be putting medals around the necks of those who got caught taking the shortcut.  It's those of us who ran the honest race who will limp home with nothing but our own integrity...and mortgages paid on time and in full.   Do I have this right?  Let me know what you thing, gang, and thanks so much for watching. I'm so grateful you've joined the Fox Business team.

Heath Buckner

I could not have said this better myself. Great job (by the way, you sound like a good fit for a supporter of Ron Paul's new Campaign for Liberty).

August 25, 2008 at 1:38 pm

nelson pangburn

i agree that the bailout is like helping the people who go to vegas and then cry

August 25, 2008 at 2:46 pm

Bobby T.

Amen, Amen, I couldn't have said it much better myself. I am sickened to think that I did it right and am almost fininshed with my mortgage while people who spent more than they make will get a 'reduced ride' deal on my hard earned buck. The shady mortgage writers are the ones that will really walk away with the fat wallets. Man, can someone tell me where to get a "no risk brother-in-law" deal that the Government will sign for? Frustrated for doing it right....

August 25, 2008 at 3:21 pm

BOB BETHUNE

AS A REALTOR,I AGREE WITH YOU THE PREDATORY LENDERS WERE FALLING OVER THEMSELVES TO FINANCE AN OVERPRICED HOUSE TO A UNDERQUALIFIED LENDER. HOWEVER REMEMBER IT WAS OUR GOVERNMENT WHO DECLARED THEY WANTED MORE HOMEOWNERSHIP,MORE PEOPLE,REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME TO HAVE A HOME. HUD WENT CRAZY OVER GETTING RID OF THEIR FHA BACKED FORECLOSURES. MORTGAGE LENDERS ALSO WENT OVERBOARD,CREATING 100% LOANS,80-20 LOANS,ARMS.NO,I DONT WANT MY TAX DOLLARS BAILING OUT THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY,OR THE INCOMPETENTS IN GOVERNMENT. LET THE FORECLOSURES CONTINUE.

August 25, 2008 at 3:55 pm

ray porter

Liz, love fox and trying to get into Fox Bus and you do great, but you just had a young lady on your show that reported on LDK and solars in general and said to the effect that you gotta take profits on these. Excuse me, isn't she a reporter? Advice from experts is expected and we can take it for what it is worth, but extraneous comments like this are not appreciated. Yes I'm long LDK and trying to make money in a down market, but either way I'm sure not going to act on her "advice" thanks for your great work ray

August 25, 2008 at 4:04 pm

woody

I'm with you 100%. If I'm not mistaken it was the Government that was pressureing lenders to make it easier for buyers to obtain mortgage loans. But if you think about it it's the Government that causes most of our problems anyway, just like the energy problem,you can't drill here and you can't drill there because of Govt. catering to environmental extremist. So now instead of doing the senseable think like drilling offshore or in ANWAR they would rather hope for some pie in the sky to pop up out of thin air.

August 25, 2008 at 4:25 pm

Louise Jones

You are right on!!! Keep up the good work!!! We all love you here in Texas!! Louise

August 25, 2008 at 4:38 pm

Bill Turner

Liz - You are on the right track. Much of the credit for the mortgage "armegeddon" should go to the various Federal "regulators" that to a man failed to regulate anything. Given no controls, people tend to become pigs. There was a lot of oinking going on among the builders, mortgage originators and I suspect among the Regulators as well. Plenty of blame to go around on this matter. We should not forget that a good deal of the blame should be placed on the Administration in Washington.

August 25, 2008 at 6:36 pm

Ray

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! It's about time someone spoke the truth. Thanks to the sub-prime lenders (Fannie, Freddie and the lot), the asking price for homes in the Northern Virginia area are still 20% more than what the house is truly worth. However, they are getting better now that foreclosures are competing with people that thought they could make a quick buck a few years ago and flip their property. It’s absolutely crazy for mortgages to be two to three times that of the average rental price for the same home. I agree that people who have lost their jobs or have fallen on hard times, that entered into a mortgage in good faith, should be helped. And those who were looking for a quick and painless buck (the flippers and sub-prime lenders) should just suck it up ‘cause I don’t pay for other people’s mistakes or gambling habits….

August 25, 2008 at 9:01 pm

salm624

Liz, you are so right. What amazes me most is that this is the first time I have seen anything like this written anywhere. Everyday I feel I am being punished for "Doing it Right". My wife and I bought a home far below the level we were told we could afford. When we refinanced it wasn't to pull out equity and spend, it was to lower the interest rate and term, (30 to 15). We pay all bills on time and we have saved for college and a rainy day, (we have financially survived two layoffs in the 10 years we have owned this home). So many neighbors knew exactly what they were doing when they refinanced and spent the equity on new cars, vacations and second homes. From 2003 - 2005 I watched as young couples were led to believe that if they bought a home with an "Interest Only" 1st mortgage and used a second mortgage to help with the down-payment or to avoid PMI insurance, after 5 years they would retire on the increased value of their home. I saw many of the handouts presented to them by hungry Real Estate agents. Like an IPO investment, they all knew that this was the most risky way to get into the Real Estate game. That is what they saw it as, a get rich quick scheme, nothing more. Buy as much as you can so that the increased value will be that much greater. None of the new neighbors I met over the last 5 years had any intention of remaining in my neighborhood more than those 5 years as charted by the RE agents. It was all about the money and nothing about the home. Remember, the place where you raise a family and help the neighborhood. The majority of buyers from 2003 - 2005 were greedy speculators and most do not deserve my help or yours and yet they will be forgiven for their debts by the banks and our government. You and I will pay the bill. You and I who will never, ever have our debts forgiven. You and I who earn the money we need to purchase the items we "can" afford. When will our government ever come to us and say Thank You? Thank you for doing it right. Thank you for making sensible financial decisions and supporting our economy through hard work. When will they ever say to me, "You don't have to pay for the rest of your mortgage because you were smart enough to do it right"? NEVER! I guess sometimes being smart is the dumbest thing you can do.....

August 26, 2008 at 1:07 pm

about this blog

  • Liz Claman joined FOX Business Network (FBN) as an anchor in October 2007. Her debut included an exclusive interview with Berkshire Hathaway CEO and legendary investor Warren Buffett.

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