Idaho AG Is Ensuring Boise Real Estate Market Is Secure

Posted by Gavin J. King

With foreclosures on the Boise real estate market increasing in 20009, consumer complaints of homeowners seeking loan modifications did too. As foreclosure rates have gone through the roof, so have fraud claims against people who supposedly do loan modifications, according to him Idaho attorney generals office. Of the total number of complaints filed this year, this type comprised about 20% of them.

Idaho’s Attorney General has gone so far to say that the types of fraud being reported are outrageous. To make things worse, many home loans are not being modified by these companies, even though the property owners pay them lots of money to do so. The Attorney Generals office rapidly sought out and received three settlements and filed two lawsuits on behalf of citizens and victims. Many Boise real estate holders have been left without a plan when it comes to foreclosure because of these types of behaviors.

In order to help many Boise real estate owners receive the loan modifications they were hoping for, the Attorney Generals office even brought in a counselor as a resource. Additionally, free foreclosure guides were also printed up and handed out.

Efforts last year netted the largest amount of restitution ever recovered by the office - $7.4 million, about $12.14 for each taxpayer dollar budgeted for consumer operations, Wasden said. Collecting $5.9 million in additional civil fines, penalties and fees for the Idaho tax payer, the Idaho Attorney Generals office set records in that category too. The office also reached an agreement with the tobacco industry which brought in $31 million to state coffers from negotiations made in 1998. So far, this agreement has brought Idaho $254 million it wouldn’t otherwise have.

While only costing the state of Idaho $833,000 and bringing in a total of $44 million, the consumer affairs operations are a very positive force for citizens in general, but specifically for those who own Boise real estate. The office worked in a number of areas last year. Regardless of the size of the business, the attorney general pursued claims against pharmaceutical giants and small businesses alike. Refusing to be a respecter of monopolies or price fixing criminal groups, Idaho’s Attorney General allowed no slack. Not even price fixing vitamin companies were immune from their pursuit.

With over 900,000 phone numbers added to the “do not call” list, residents reported getting fewer and fewer calls from solicitors and marketing firms. The office also updated its ProtecTeens DVD to protect children from Internet sexual predators and plans to release it soon.

Tags: Real Estate

Under Real Estate Tags: Real Estate