Business & Finance
Wed, October 3, 2012 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is hosting a free Home Preservation Workshop for Jacksonville area Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Wells Fargo Financial, and Wells Fargo Home Equity customers facing financial hardships. Wells Fargo has invited more than 4,000 mortgage customers to the free workshop which will be held on Wednesday, October 10 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville. Parking is free.
"During this free workshop, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage customers who are faced with payment challenges will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with our home preservation specialists to explore the options available to them. Our goal with this workshop is to help as many people as possible preserve homeownership."
At the event, customers who meet basic guidelines may begin the process of applying for Floridaas Hardest Hit program, which provides up to 12 months of mortgage payments for those who are unemployed or underemployed.
Some Wells Fargo customers a" those whose loans are both serviced and owned by Wells Fargo a" may be eligible for options created by a settlement with attorneys general in Florida and elsewhere. Homeowners whose loans are aunder watera a" meaning they owe more on their mortgage than the value of their home a" may be eligible to refinance their loan based on criteria including demonstrating ability to repay. Depending on eligibility for a loan modification, homeowners who are behind on their payments may also receive a principal reduction on their mortgage.
How to register for Wells Fargoas Jacksonville Home Preservation Workshop
Walk-ins are welcome, although registration is strongly recommended in order to guarantee the ability to meet one-on-one with a representative. Customers should register by Monday, October 8, 2012 at [ www.wfhmevents.com/leadingthewayhome ] or call 1-800-405-8067 for more information.
aAlthough less than 2 percent of homeowner-occupied loans in our servicing portfolio have resulted in foreclosure sale over the past year, we understand that some of our customers are going through difficult times during this economic recovery,a said Hugh Rowden, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage regional servicing director. aDuring this free workshop, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage customers who are faced with payment challenges will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with our home preservation specialists to explore the options available to them. Our goal with this workshop is to help as many people as possible preserve homeownership.a
Where possible, borrowers will receive a decision on a workout, loan modification, or other options, on site or shortly following the workshop. Options include Wells Fargoas own loan modification program and the federal governmentas Home Affordable ModificationProgram (HAMP). About 75Wells Fargo homepreservation specialist team members, including bilingual specialists, will be on hand at the upcoming workshop to assist customers.
This is the second large-scale Home Preservation Workshop Wells Fargo has hosted in the Jacksonville area and is the 77th the company has hosted since September 2009; Jacksonvilleas first workshop was held in November of 2011. The Jacksonville event will be the 27th workshop hosted by Wells Fargo in 2012. The company has met with more than 37,000 customers at its workshops since September 2009 nationwide.
Other upcoming Wells Fargo Home Preservation Workshops in Florida include Tampa (October 18), Orlando (November 14), and Sarasota, FL (November 29), West Palm Beach (December 6), and Miami (December 12 & 13).
Customers facing mortgage payment difficulties also can call 1-800-678-7986 for more information about potential options to avoid foreclosure.
About Wells Fargo Home Loans
- Wells Fargo originates one in every four home loans in the country, and services one of every six.
- In the second quarter of 2012, more than 93 percent of Wells Fargoas mortgage customers nationwide remained current on their loan payments.
- From January 2009 through July 31, 2012, Wells Fargo has modified 792,602 mortgage loans. Of those modifications, 84 percent were done through Wells Fargoas own modification programs and 16 percent were through the federal governmentas Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).
- As of the second quarter in 2012, Wells Fargoas delinquency and foreclosure rates remain significantly below the industry average.
- Less than 2 percent of the loans secured by owner-occupied homes and serviced by Wells Fargo resulted in a foreclosure sale in the last 12 months.
- Just 7.14 percent of the first mortgage and home equity loans Wells Fargo services were past due or in foreclosure in the second quarter of 2012 compared to an industry average of 11.37 percent. Wells Fargoas totals are down from a peak of 8.96 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bankas customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 full-time equivalent team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortuneas 2012 rankings of Americaas largest corporations. Wells Fargoas vision is to satisfy all our customersa financial needs and help them succeed financially.
