The report states:
"They appear to not agree to modify loans they refuse to work with homeowners and have been known to treat them with disrespect and a cold calculating manner. They appear to be going after the properties rather than working with homeowners in an effort for them to stay in their homes."
As a financial institution employee let me tell you - without any doubts - that no bank or other financial institution wants to own your home. They want you to make your payments. It costs about $6,000 to foreclose on a house (depends on the state I'm sure plus a bunch of fees and broker commissions to sell it) if they foreclose and end up with a profit on the sale they have to give most of it back. Most foreclosures these days result in the bank taking a loss (because most people owe more on the home than it is worth - especially after broker fees etc)
You say that the bank is somehow wrong not to modify your loan. You made a deal - with the bank, with the seller of the home etc. Why should the bank agree to take a loss so you don't have to? If you buy stock and the value goes down do you get a refund from the broker? If this is not your loss that occurred as a result of bad timing on your part why not contact the seller and demand a refund? Because you know there is no chance - but somehow you think that the bank should take the loss so that you don't have to.
Would you be a bit cold if somone is attempting to get out of a legal agreement and make you take a loss on it? Would you be a bit cold if your employer was in trouble because a bunch af deadbeats have decided not to pay - and you have to wonder if you are going to be in the next round of layoffs - and how you are going to take care of your own family - because some guy wants out of a done deal because his house lost value?
Sure - some lenders did some crappy things. Most of the worst abuses were by freelance mortgage brokers - not financial institutions. Unless the bank somehow committed fraud you have no right to stiff them. You sure have no right to have them make it easy and pleasent for you to stiff them.
If we just agreed to modify every loan that has negative equity we would be closed by the end of the month. So we take the homes - because if people can pass the loss to us with no problems for them, and word gets out, who wouldn't demand a mod - regardless of their ability to pay? Then our bank would fail and the govt would have to pay. (we didn't get a govt bailout) You made a deal - you didn't know that the bottom would fall out on real estate - it is not your fault that you lost money on your deal - but sometimes that is how things work. It is not our fault that you lost money either - why should we take the loss???
I am not an employee of Eastern Savings - I work for another financial institution.