Warner visits Stafford deli

STAFFORD — On Wednesday between 9 and 10 a.m., U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner made a visit to Stafford to discuss foreclosure issues with the people who have dealt with them directly, either by actually facing foreclosure or counseling people dealing with this dire threat.

At Botta Bing deli on Garrisonville Road, the former governor met with Donald Willis, Cheri Miles, and Steve and Veronica Waterholter. After meeting everyone in the small deli, Warner ordered a bagel and sat down with Willis, Miles and the Waterholters.

Willis is a hardworking man. After he retired from the U.S. Army and everything seemed to be going well, he and his wife bought a "dream house."

Unfortunately, a downward spiral began soon afterward. He was laid off from a couple of jobs, and mortgage rates started to climb. He and his wife were getting
very worried, he said, as they were contacted through numerous phone calls, e-mails, and letters to let them know that their first mortgage had been sold to another company, and then that a number of companies had access to their information, and wanted to "help."

After finally accepting one company’s promises to help lower their monthly rates, Willis said he found himself under an obligation to pay even more money than before. He said he found himself dipping into his retirement funds just to begin paying for some bills, and desperate for help.

"We want to grow old in our house,” said Willis. We want to raise our grandkids in it.”

Soon, he found the Central Virginia Housing Coalition, a nonprofit, charitable company that addresses housing issues in Planning District 16, which encompasses the city of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George and Caroline counties. Willis took several classes and spoke with a certified housing counselor, and was able to get a fixed-rate mortgage on his dream house.

Willis has now taken several classes at the CVHC and teaches some of the classes, and is a certified Housing Counselor as well as a Project/Property Manager.

Steve and Veronica Waterholter have also lived through some terrible times, they say. Their house was almost foreclosed. When the Waterholters bought their house, it was in pretty rough shape, and they had an adjustable fixed rate mortgage.

Unfortunately, that meant that as they fixed their house, their mortgage level went up. After seven years, the Waterholters were caught by the higher mortgages. To help them deal with this they searched the Web, and found a service corporation. The service corporation advertised a $1,200 per month mortgage, but after the Waterholters had “signed on the dotted line,” the corporation failed to produce the promised results. Veronica Waterholter commented: “Our payment went up — everything went up.”

Warner added that these corporations were just, “Baloney. And that’s polite.”

The Waterholters next found Cheri Miles, and the CVHC. Miles was able to help them find a better mortgage and reverse a bit of the service corporation’s failure. This enabled them hold their heads above water, they said.

Cheri Miles is a certified housing counselor with the Central Virginia Housing Coalition. All of the terrible stories she’s listened to, and happier stories she’s
been able to help out with, have made her want to tell those stories and do something about it, she said. Warner was able to commiserate with the Willis’ and
the Waterholters because something similar happened to his sister, he said. He was able to help her out, but is trying to find a way to assist people who don’t
have brothers or coalitions who can lend a hand.

Miles brought up changing 30-day freezes to one-, three-, or more year freezes - just until people are able to do something about it. Fixed mortgage rates and reverse rates were discussed.

Warner reminded everyone that Congress is considering providing more counselors like Miles, and recommended fixed-rate mortgages - and not betting on the economy. As Warner stated, “It feels like this shouldn’t be happening to you. You [Willis] have a nice house, and you [Waterholter] have your own company.”

He stressed that working with local companies - from banks to counseling services - really helps.

The Waterholters said “just having an informed counselor” was a huge assistance. Warner added that homes that are foreclosed affect the whole neighborhood.

He said he recognizes that places like Los Angeles and southern Florida are worse, and feels that “this is something we can get fixed.”

Megan Sweeney can be reached at info@staffordcountysun.com.