Lost in the System That Took the House [Central Florida]
Luis Fernandez’s foreclosure documents never looked quite right.
Critical papers regarding his Orlando home were missing dates, and some signatures appeared to him to be forged. The mortgage had been sold so often — including once in the middle of the foreclosure process — that at times it was hard to tell which company was trying to seize the house. He
challenged the foreclosure in court but failed.
Now, as Fernandez seeks to appeal his eviction and get his home back, he has learned that the law firm representing the banks is under investigation for fabricating foreclosure documents. And his file was signed by Jeffrey Stephan, a document processor who made headlines last week for approving what could be hundreds of thousands of cases without verifying whether the foreclosures were justified.
Fernandez says he longs for the days when homeowners knew the bankers holding their mortgage and could work out a compromise when hard times hit. Today, he said, it’s like “fighting a machine.” “You feel like you’re alone and getting beaten up by the system,” said Fernandez, 59, who missed three monthly payments after a heart attack nearly ruined his greeting card business.