Nevermind Prayer: With giant sign, woman begs: 'Obama, save my home'

Posted: Sep 21, 2012 5:28 PM
Updated: Sep 21, 2012 5:30 PM
By: Tanya Arja, FOX 13 News


TAMPA (FOX 13) -

Angela Agrippa is an emotional wreck.

"This home just means everything to us, it's just going to be so hard to walk away," she said.

That is her worst nightmare, but it could happen in just four months.

Agrippa bought her home back in 1991 for $61,000. She took a couple of home loans out on it over the years. But the sale of a rental property helped her pay off much of those loans years later.

Now the payoff is roughly $89,000. Realtors have told her she could sell it for $140,000.

So Agrippa is not like other homeowners who are underwater in their homes. That's why she's so confused as to why she is still begging her mortgage company for a loan modification.

"Once they serve those papers and file them, that's it. You're in for the battle of foreclosure, and you're at their mercy. They're in complete control," Agrippa continued.

Back in 2006, her partner of 11 years, Jimmy Martino, got injured on the job. He was eventually let go and over time, the part-time work dried up.

Agrippa suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which has costly medication. The family fell into foreclosure.

Then this past March, Jimmy died from a massive heart attack.

"The last thing he would have wanted is for me to lose this home. But he just couldn't maintain employment. He was in pain -- a lot."

Agrippa says she has sent every piece of paperwork Chase has asked for and resubmitted it when they needed it again. So, as she waits for word from Chase, she decided to get creative: She secured a 16-by-20 tarp on her roof. Big white letters read, "Obama Save My Home."

"I want to ask President Obama, why aren't I being granted a HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Program) modification. I qualify, I meet all the criteria."

President Obama flew into Tampa on Thursday. She was hoping on that trip or one of his many other campaign stops here, Air Force One might fly over her house.

"That I'd get his attention, that maybe he'd help me. That's what he's campaigning for and that's who he's supposed to be helping, the poor person, or the person that's trying really hard in their life."

Tampa foreclosure attorney Mark Stopa says it's rare to have loan modifications. He says the way the system is set up, banks have no incentive to modify a homeowners loan.

Stopa says that's because the government pays the banks back for foreclosures, plus back money owed.

He says smaller banks are more likely to modify loans because they don't get the insurance from the government.

If she doesn't get the modification, Agrippa and her 6-year-old daughter must be out of their home by January 21.