Mortgage Abuses & Predatory Lending Lawyers

Protecting Homeowners from Unfair Loans and Illegal Foreclosures in West Virginia & Virginia

Owning a home should be a source of pride and stability — not stress and fear. Unfortunately, many homeowners across West Virginia and Virginia have been taken advantage of by predatory lenders and abusive mortgage servicers. These companies often target hardworking individuals and families, trapping them in unfair loans, unlawful fees, and wrongful foreclosure proceedings.

At Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner, PLLC, we stand up for homeowners who’ve been deceived or mistreated by mortgage lenders and servicing companies. Our attorneys fight to hold financial institutions accountable and help clients protect their homes, credit, and financial future.

Understanding Mortgage Abuse

Mortgage abuse comes in two common forms:

• Predatory Lending: When lenders deceive borrowers into taking out loans with unfair, inflated, or hidden terms.
• Abusive Servicing: When mortgage servicers mishandle payments, apply unauthorized fees, or mislead homeowners during loan modification processes.

These practices often leave hardworking families facing impossible payments, damaged credit, or the loss of their homes.

Predatory Lending Practices

Predatory lenders often target low-income families, seniors, and minorities with misleading promises and high-risk loan products. Many victims are persuaded to take on mortgages that exceed their home’s actual value or include steep adjustable rates that later skyrocket.

These unfair practices can result in unmanageable monthly payments, home devaluation, and foreclosure. Our firm represents homeowners who have been:

• Misled about their loan terms or interest rates.
• Pressured into taking out loans larger than their home’s value.
• Charged excessive or undisclosed fees.
• Trapped in loans with unfair adjustable rates.
• Sold defective or overvalued mobile and manufactured homes.

In many cases, these loans are designed to fail — leading to default and foreclosure. We help clients challenge these practices and hold lenders accountable.

Abusive Mortgage Servicing

Even after a mortgage is approved, homeowners can fall victim to abusive servicing practices that increase the risk of foreclosure. These abuses often occur when lenders transfer servicing rights between companies that mismanage or manipulate payment records.

Our attorneys assist clients who have experienced:

• Payments that were lost, misapplied, or refused.
• Unauthorized or excessive fees.
• False claims that a loan was in default.
• Harassment through phone calls or third-party disclosures.
• Broken promises regarding loan modifications or assistance.

Many homeowners are told to stop making payments during a modification review, only to face foreclosure shortly after — a practice that violates both state and federal laws.

Signs You May Be a Victim of Mortgage Abuse

You may be a victim of mortgage abuse if:

• Your monthly payments increased unexpectedly.
• You were not told your loan was adjustable.
• Your interest rate is unusually high.
• You were told to stop paying during a modification.
• Your payments were rejected without reason.
• You were foreclosed on while awaiting a modification decision.

If any of these apply, contact our firm immediately to discuss your legal rights before foreclosure occurs.