Frost v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

901 F. Supp. 2d 999, 2012 WL 4755023, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 143584
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedOctober 4, 2012
DocketCase No. 1:10-cv-1213
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 901 F. Supp. 2d 999 (Frost v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frost v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 901 F. Supp. 2d 999, 2012 WL 4755023, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 143584 (W.D. Mich. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION

JANET T. NEFF, District Judge.

Plaintiffs Walter and Annette Frost filed suit in Michigan state court to challenge a foreclosure of their property, and Defendant Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (Wells Fargo) removed the matter to this Court. Now pending before the Court is Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 59), to which Plaintiffs filed a Response (Dkt. 64), and Defendant filed a Reply (Dkt. 68). Also pending is Plaintiffs’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (Dkt. 61), to which Defendant filed a Response (Dkt. 66), and Plaintiffs filed a Reply (Dkt. 67). Having conducted a PreMotion Conference on this matter and having now fully considered the written briefs and accompanying exhibits, the Court finds that the relevant facts and arguments are adequately presented in these materials and that oral argument would not aid the decisional process. See W.D. [1001]*1001Mich. LCivR 7.2(d). For the reasons that follow, the Court concludes that Defendant’s motion is properly granted and Plaintiffs’ motion is properly denied.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Material Facts

1. May 2002-September 2009: Loan Origination and Default

On May 23, 2002, Plaintiffs executed a note, listing Northern Mortgage Services, Inc. as Lender, and evidencing a debt of $87,000.00 for their property (Dkt. 71, Joint Statement of Material Facts [JSMF] ¶ 1). Pursuant to the note, monthly payments of $578.81 were due on the first of each month, beginning on July 1, 2002 (id. ¶ 2). The interest rate stated on the note is 7 percent (id. ¶ 3). Plaintiffs also executed a mortgage on May 23, 2002, granting a security interest in the real property commonly known as 1460 Cody Lake Road, Trufant, Michigan, as security for the note (JSMF ¶ 4). Since 2002, Defendant has serviced Plaintiffs mortgage (id. ¶ 6). Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) held an interest in the mortgage from at least November 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010 (id. ¶ 7).

In 2009, Plaintiff Walter Frost was laid off from his job, and as a result of the loss in income, Plaintiffs defaulted under their mortgage by falling behind in their mortgage payments (JSMF ¶ 8). Plaintiffs’ last regular loan payment was in September 2009 (id. ¶ 9).

2. November 2009-May 2010: Loan Modification Request

On or about November 12, 2009, Plaintiff Walter Frost contacted Defendant to discuss Plaintiffs’ payment options (JSMF ¶ 10). Plaintiffs provided certain financial information over the telephone and were pre-qualified for a modification under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) (id. ¶ 11). On or about November 13, 2009, Defendant sent a HAMP package to Plaintiffs (id. ¶ 13). The November 13, 2009 package contained two letters dated November 13, 2009 and enclosures, including: (1) “Complete Your Checklist,” (2) “Important Program Information,” (3) “Frequently Asked Questions,” (4) two copies of a 3-page Trial Period Plan (TPP) agreement, (5) “Important Information About Your Trial Period Plan,” (6) payment coupons, (7) a fax cover sheet, and (8) a hardship affidavit (id. ¶ 14). The first November 13, 2009 letter, immediately following the language, “If you have any questions, please contact us at (800) 416-1472,” concluded with the following typed language:

Sincerely,
Ben Windust
Senior Vice President

(id. ¶ 15 [DEF 00026]). The second November 13, 2009 letter, immediately following the language, “If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact us at 1-800-416-1472,” concluded with the following typed language:

Sincerely,
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

(id. [DEF 00038]). Plaintiffs returned a signed copy of the TPP agreement to Defendant by the December 1, 2009 deadline (id-¶ 16).

Defendant sent Plaintiffs a “Request for Additional Information” dated November 30, 2009, in which it stated that additional information was needed before Defendant could “move forward with the mortgage payment relief’ (JSMF ¶ 20). The November 30, 2009 letter concluded with the following typed language:

Sincerely,
[1002]*1002Amy Mong-Xuan Vu Underwriter/Mortgage Specialist

(id [DEF 00046]).

Defendant never executed the TPP agreement or any other written modification agreement with the Plaintiffs (JSMF ¶ 17). The TPP agreement stated that trial payments were to be made in the amount of $417.26 on December 1, 2009; January 1, 2010; and February 1, 2010 (id ¶ 18). Plaintiffs timely made all three trial payments (id. ¶ 19).

On Friday, December 4, 2009, Plaintiff Walter Frost called Defendant, and spoke to a representative named Rubin (JSMF ¶22). At some point in the call, Rubin suggested that Mr. Frost call back on Monday, December 7, 2009 (id. ¶24). Walter Frost called Defendant on Monday, December 7, 2009 and spoke with a representative named Danny, who advised Mr. Frost to send in bank statements from the two most recent months (id. ¶ 25). On December 8, 2009, Plaintiffs sent Defendant a three-page fax to the number provided in the November 30, 2009 letter (id. ¶ 27). On December 8, 2009, Plaintiffs sent Defendant a second fax of two pages (id. ¶ 28).

On February 5, 2010, Walter Frost called Defendant and spoke with an agent named Christa, who advised him to continue making his trial payments and that Defendant needed updated documentation including proof of income, hardship letter, and a completed financial worksheet (JSMF ¶ 29). Christa also advised Frost that the documents were needed because the previous documents they supplied were more than thirty days old (id ¶ 30). Defendant’s process notes likewise show that on February 5, 2010 at 13:27:58: “BRRW RETURNED CALL. ADVISED NEED UPDATED POI, HL AND FW” (id. ¶ 31). Defendant’s representative, Susan Rowles, testified at her deposition that these notes reflected that the borrower returned a call and was advised that he needed to submit updated proof of income, hardship letter and financial work-sheet (id.).

Defendant did not receive the documents that it requested on February 5, 2010 (JSMF ¶ 32). Annette Frost never sent any documents to Defendant (id. ¶ 33). Walter Frost kept notes showing dates he called or had contact with Defendant, and his notes do not show that any documents were sent to Defendant between December 2009 and May 2010 (id. ¶ 34). Similarly, Plaintiffs’ fax history shows that they did not fax any documents to Defendant between December 9, 2009 and May 2010 (id. ¶ 35). Plaintiffs continued making payments in the trial amount of $417.26 for March, April and May 2010 (id. ¶ 36).

On or about May 13, 2010, Defendant denied Plaintiffs’ request for a permanent loan modification request because Plaintiffs failed to provide requested documents (JSMF ¶ 37). Defendant notified Plaintiffs of its decision in a letter dated May 13, 2010 (id. ¶38). The May 13, 2010 letter was signed by Windust (id. ¶ 39).

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Bluebook (online)
901 F. Supp. 2d 999, 2012 WL 4755023, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 143584, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frost-v-wells-fargo-bank-na-miwd-2012.