Tuesday, May 30, 2006

A Great Write-Up on the Right of Rescission

Some mortgage transactions are subject to a three day "cooling off" period allowing the borrower to essentially back out of the loan before the money is actually received. I found an article that clearly explains what types of loans are subject to this cooling period, and what types are not - and why.

Originally set up to protect borrowers from unethical business tactics by lenders and mortgage professionals, the laws also provide for borrowers who may wake up and decide they have made a bad financial decision. But more often than not - it's being used to undo a bad financial decision. I have not seen this right excercised very often, but when I have - it was usually not due to fraudulent activity on the part of the lenders. But it is comforting to know - especially with my week long report on foreclosure scams (which often involve equity loans, in which these laws and rights apply) - that you can consult an attorney with the paperwork that you signed, and you would have three days to "cancel" the loan. Read the article by Holden Lewis, of Bankrate.com

It's actually a reality check. I can understand the young kids making quick descisions, such as a drunken choice of what to pierce . . . And even marriage has a "cooling off" period of it's own - during which the marriage can be annulled. But an escrow takes a while - if you can see the train wreck coming for 30-60 days, geez, get out of the way! Don't wait for it to hit you

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Regions Financial to Acquire AmSouth Bancorp

Regions Financial will acquire AmSouth Bancorp in a merger that would create a bank with nearly $140 billion in assets and market capitalization of about $26 billion, said officials Thursday. The two banking giants will merge in a $9.8 billion stock deal, creating the nations 10th largest bank, and hold nearly $100 billion in deposits.

Although the combined company will employ 37,000 people, the deal would reportedly save the company $400 million a year by closing 150 branches, and cutting as much as 10% of the total combined work force, about 3,600 employees will lose their jobs. The resulting bank will keep the Regions Financial name, and will have about 2,000 branches across Texas, and 16 other states across the South and Midwest regions. Jackson Moore, president/CEO of Regions, will become chairman of the combined entity. C. Dowd Ritter, chairman and president/CEO of AmSouth, will become president/CEO. Regions Financial will remain headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.