New Safety Net for Unemployed Homeowners

Car dealerships everywhere are blaring the incentive of payment protection plans, offering to cover car payments up to an amount for a certain period of time, should a borrower lose his job. Oklahoma City-based First Mortgage Company launched a similar initiative Today. The company said it will pay homeowners’ monthly loan payments for up to six months if the homeowner becomes unemployed within the first two years of the loan. The program, Job Loss Payment Protection, covers payments of up to $1,800 per month, if one of the signers on the loan loses his or her job. “Home prices are affordable, interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in decades, and first-time buyers get an $8,000 tax credit,” says George Akers, executive vice president of First Mortgage Company. Akers says the only reason people may not buy now is fear of losing their jobs — although, most industry insiders say fear of unemployment, albeit an overwhelming concern, is just one cause of hesitation for potential homebuyers in the current economy. Nonetheless, Job Loss Payment Protection offers a safety net for those whose main drawback to homeownership is the fear of job loss. The program is available to all new First Mortgage Company customers applying for FHA, VA, and USDA loans. The program covers the monthly loan principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. First Mortgage said it hopes the program serves as a tool for Realtors and builders to help sellers provide added value to their home and buyers feel more secure in their decision to purchase a home. The company says mortgages with Job Loss Payment Protection are available at all locations in  greater Colorado Springs, Colorado; Boise, Idaho; Omaha, Nebraska; Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth and Eagle Pass, Texas; and Puyallup, Washington. Write to Kelly Curran at [email protected]. Disclosure: The author held no relevant investment positions when this story was published. Indirect holdings may exist via mutual fund investments.