Saad Khadher v. PNC Bank, National Association

577 F. App'x 470
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedAugust 18, 2014
Docket13-2708
StatusUnpublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 577 F. App'x 470 (Saad Khadher v. PNC Bank, National Association) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Saad Khadher v. PNC Bank, National Association, 577 F. App'x 470 (6th Cir. 2014).

Opinion

HELENE N. WHITE, Circuit Judge.

Saad Khadher (Khadher) appeals the district court’s grant of summary judgment to Defendants PNC Banks, N.A. (PNC), and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) in this action arising out of a foreclosed mortgage on real estate. We AFFIRM.

I. BACKGROUND

On July 2, 2004, Khadher applied for a $155,200 loan from National City Mortgage Services Company (National City) 1 to finance his purchase of a residence at 2624 Rhodes Drive, in Troy, Michigan (Property). That same day, Khadher received and signed a Truth in Lending Disclosure Statement that stated the loan was an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), and received a document entitled Good Faith Estimate of Closing Costs in accordance with 12 U.S.C. § 2604(c). 2 On July 9, 2004, Khadher received and signed the Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Program Disclosure that outlined the features of the ARM and explained that “monthly payment[s] can increase or decrease substantially based on annual changes in the interest rate.”

Khadher’s loan application was approved on July 23, 2004 and closing was held. Khadher signed an updated loan application for the same $155,200 loan (Loan), and signed an Adjustable Rate Note (Note) that outlined the provisions for changes in his interest rate. Khadher’s Loan was a 30-year ARM with a three-year 4.875% fixed interest rate. Under the Loan terms, the interest rate was subject to change beginning August 1, 2007 and could change every year thereafter (Change Date). The interest rate could not increase or decrease on any single Change Date by more than 2% and could not exceed 10.875%. Khadher also granted a mortgage (Mortgage) on the Property to National City, giving National City the power to sell the property to secure repayment of the Loan. The Mortgage included provisions to accelerate the debt if Kha-dher defaulted on his loan, and to collect expenses incurred in pursuing remedies in accelerating debt, including reasonable attorney’s fees. Khadher also received and signed a Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Servicing Disclosure that explained Khadher’s rights regarding mortgage loans. At his deposition, Kha-dher testified that he understood at the *474 time he was approved for his loan that he had an ARM.

For the first three years, Khadher made complete and timely monthly $821.34 principal and interest payments. On June 19, 2007, PNC notified Khadher his 4.875% interest rate would increase to 6.875% effective September 1, 2007. On June 19, 2008, Khadher received a notification that his rate would decrease from 6.875% to 5.875%. On June 19, 2009, Khadher was sent a notice that his rate had dropped to 4.000%. Consequently, Khadher’s payments decreased from $1,004.07 a month in 2007, to $912.50 in 2008, and to $755.60 in 2009, Khadher made all monthly payments up to this point. On June 21, 2010, Khadher received notice that his interest rate again dropped to 3.500% and his payment would be $717.90 effective September 1, 2010. Khadher made his September and October 2010 payments; however, he made his November 2010 payment approximately one month late and made no payment in December 2010, January 2011, or February 2011.

In the beginning of February 2011, Kha-dher applied to the Making Home Affordable Program (MHAP), seeking hardship assistance offered by PNC. On February 8, 2011, PNC denied the request because the application was incomplete but sent information concerning a workout package. On February 28th, 2011, PNC contacted Khadher to discuss a potential workout package alternative and on March 11, PNC sent Khadher a workout package. Kha-dher claims that on March 14, he worked with Greenpath, a housing counseling agency, to obtain a loan modification but that PNC did not approve the loan modification. PNC sent a notice dated March 17, 2011, stating Khadher’s Loan had been reviewed by the foreclosure committee and was approved for referral to the foreclosure department. The next day, PNC sent another letter stating the Loan had been referred to PNC attorneys who would proceed with the foreclosure. Around March 20, Khadher left for Afghanistan to work as an electrical contractor with the United States Department of Defense. PNC’s attorneys, Trott & Trott (Trott), by letter dated March 24, 2011, informed Khadher that PNC had elected to accelerate the total indebtedness. Trott also sent a letter stating the reason for default, the amount owed, the contact information for the mortgage agent, and a statement of Khadher’s rights. Additionally, PNC provided Khadher with a list of housing counselors. The March 24, 2011 letter explained that Khadher had fourteen days to contact Trott with a request for an in-person meeting to discuss foreclosure relief, but Khadher did not contact Trott for a meeting during this time.

In March and April 2011, Khadher sent his $717.90 monthly payments, but did not pay any arrears. PNC deposited these payments but then returned the combined amount to Khadher in a $1,435.80 PNC check because it would not accept partial payment on the accelerated debt. Undeterred, Khadher sent PNC a $717.90 check every month through December 2011. PNC deposited the checks "and then returned the amounts sent to Khadher by check, again refusing to accept partial payment of the accelerated debt. In response, Khadher resent PNC the returned checks writing on them, for example, “Sorry, I can not deposit this check because these are my house mortgage payments.” PNC then forwarded the unclaimed checks to the State of Michigan pursuant to Michigan’s Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 567.221 et seq.

During this time, by letter dated May 23, 2011, Trott informed Khadher that the reinstatement amount for the Loan was $5,928.90 (for total monthly payments, late *475 charges, inspection fees, and legal fees). Khadher claims the reinstatement amount included double charges for attorney fees and that on June 27, 2011, a PNC representative told him during a telephone conversation that he could send PNC $5,362.00 to reinstate the Loan. However, PNC’s internal phone log records reflect that on June 24, 2011, a PNC representative told Khadher that his account was in foreclosure and that PNC did not accept partial payments. The records do not indicate any contact between PNC and Kha-dher on June 27. Khadher sent a check for $5,362.00 in June 2011 attempting to meet his outstanding payments. Just as it had with the prior payments, PNC deposited the check but then returned the amount to Khadher through a PNC check.

PNC published the foreclosure sale in the Oakland County Legal News for four consecutive weeks. PNC foreclosed on the Property on April 3, 2012 by a sheriffs sale at which Freddie Mac purchased the Property. The redemption period expired on October 3, 2012. Khadher brought the instant action in Oakland County Circuit Court on September 27, 2012. PNC and Freddie Mac removed the case to the Eastern District Court of Michigan on October 26, 2012. The district court granted PNC summary judgment on November 27, 2013, and Khadher appealed to this court.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review a district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo. Gecewicz v.

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Bluebook (online)
577 F. App'x 470, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/saad-khadher-v-pnc-bank-national-association-ca6-2014.