By Jessica Phillips (July 31, 2017, 3:16 PM EDT) -- A young family purchased its first home in 2006. Inexperienced and relying heavily on the advice and influence of those around them, the purchasers bought at the top of their budget, made affordable only because of a special four-year "teaser" interest rate for the mortgage. The purchasers assumed that their income would increase as they advanced in their careers, or, if necessary, they could always sell the home or refinance to a lower interest rate. However, the housing market crash in late 2009 took them off-guard, resulting in job loss. At the same time, the teaser rate on the mortgage expired and the family's mortgage payment increased by 60 percent. Meanwhile, the crashing housing market causes the value of the home to fall to nearly a fraction of the amount paid and selling or refinancing is impossible. Now, the purchasers are on the verge of default and upside down on a mortgage they can't afford. What options are left?...
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