Hurricane Harvey

[mister d]

Yeah, its hilarious to think that after the reelection I was convinced we'd bottomed out and GWB would be the dumbest president of my lifetime.

[Johnnie]

We need another Kanye moment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYjIF29H1u4/

[howard]

Mike Myers reaction sealed the moment

[Johnnie]

If anything though, Desus and Mero are doing a great job calling Osteen on his bullshit.

https://youtu.be/BNYW-4y9VxU

https://youtu.be/yiQMmb5LHEg

[Pruitt]

The EPA Under People Who Don't Give A Shit

The EPA had put out a statement on Saturday saying that 11 of the Houston Superfund sites were still inaccessible because of floodwaters, but that agency personnel would be on the scene as soon as possible.

Follow
Julie Pace ✔ @jpaceDC
EPA says Superfund sites around Houston aren't accessible to its personnel. @AP got to 7 by boat, vehicle, on foot https://apnews.com/27796dd13b9549b0ac76aded58a15122 …
6:32 PM - Sep 2, 2017

[Giff]

https://twitter.com/Geo_GIF/status/9048 ... 3339848704

[govmentchedda]

Crazy

[Giff]

Holy shit the traffic, you guys. In case anyone still had any second thoughts about not evacuating the city, I'd suggest they come do my commute for the foreseeable future.

[elflaco]

and i'm still coming out next week!

[Giff]

and i'm still coming out next week!

Don't go anywhere west.

Left at 5:55 this morning and my 22-mile commute took 90 minutes. Normally 45. Yesterday was 2 hours in, 75 minutes out. And going home I left an hour early which normally would be a 30-minute drive at that time. I'm letting my folks WFH if they want, and definitely leaving early if they come in.

[Giff]

A friend of mine is getting unreliable info from his mortgage company about disaster relief on his payments. They've set it up where he doesn't have to pay until 11/25, but isn't sure if a) he needs to stay up to date on insurance/taxes and b) if on 11/25, he owes the payments he missed or does he just pick up where he left off.

Any thoughts?

[tennbengal]

A friend of mine is getting unreliable info from his mortgage company about disaster relief on his payments. They've set it up where he doesn't have to pay until 11/25, but isn't sure if a) he needs to stay up to date on insurance/taxes and b) if on 11/25, he owes the payments he missed or does he just pick up where he left off.

Any thoughts?

On the former, he should stay up to date on those...but I am guessing they are wrapped into his monthly mortgage payment as part of his escrow, right?

He needs to call his mortgage company and ask specifically if he should make payments to keep his escrow account with the balance needed to meet the minimum required to be in there for his tax and insurance draws. There are usually pretty clear requirements about how much needs to be in escrow at any given time. As for the second part, that should also be asked in a call.

Tell him to call. ASAP. Tell him to politely get name of whoever he talks to and have him write down everything. Is Texas a state where you need permission from other parties to record calls? If not, record that sucker. And if they automatically record on their end (via announcement) then he should definitely tape it too...

ETA: Texas is a one-party consent state. So if I were him I would tape the conversation.

[Giff]

A friend of mine is getting unreliable info from his mortgage company about disaster relief on his payments. They've set it up where he doesn't have to pay until 11/25, but isn't sure if a) he needs to stay up to date on insurance/taxes and b) if on 11/25, he owes the payments he missed or does he just pick up where he left off.

Any thoughts?

On the former, he should stay up to date on those...but I am guessing they are wrapped into his monthly mortgage payment as part of his escrow, right?

He needs to call his mortgage company and ask specifically if he should make payments to keep his escrow account with the balance needed to meet the minimum required to be in there for his tax and insurance draws. There are usually pretty clear requirements about how much needs to be in escrow at any given time. As for the second part, that should also be asked in a call.

Tell him to call. ASAP. Tell him to politely get name of whoever he talks to and have him write down everything. Is Texas a state where you need permission from other parties to record calls? If not, record that sucker. And if they automatically record on their end (via announcement) then he should definitely tape it too...

ETA: Texas is a one-party consent state. So if I were him I would tape the conversation.

Really appreciate it.

[mister d]

My very strong guess is a mortgage company can't impose a hold on insurance or taxes and this would only apply to principal + interest.

[Shirley]

Taxes are usually paid only once a year - at the end of the year. And insurance is commonly twice. If he has an escrow, the mortgage company makes those payments and they just hold on to his monthly payments. I can't see how skipping two months would make that big of a difference (although he may have to make up the missing escrow payments).

[mister d]

This is probably where property tax differences comes into play pretty big. 2 months is a not insignificant amount.

[brian]

Taxes are usually paid only once a year - at the end of the year. And insurance is commonly twice. If he has an escrow, the mortgage company makes those payments and they just hold on to his monthly payments. I can't see how skipping two months would make that big of a difference (although he may have to make up the missing escrow payments).

Not saying you're wrong because I have no idea how most places work but taxes are paid twice yearly in Michigan and quarterly in Nevada (the only two places I've lived).

[Shirley]

Fair enough. Do those states have state property tax? I've only paid local, and I guess only in a few places. It has always been yearly for me.

[brian]

Fair enough. Do those states have state property tax? I've only paid local, and I guess only in a few places. It has always been yearly for me.

In Nevada it's county property taxes. In Michigan if I remember right you pay the state but those payments include your county taxes (so guessing the escrow/mortgage company distributes to each appropriately?)

[Giff]

Thanks for the help guys.

[Pruitt]

We need another Kanye moment.