The Mortgage Field Services Industry is one of the most heavily dependent consumers of US government funds today. In upwards of 80 percent of all payments originate from a US government agency or insurance policy implemented by the US government. And with the St Louis Federal Reserve Board’s FRED data pegging the current default rate for Q2FY2023 — the latest data available — and confirmed by Reuter’s at 3.37% that equates to $2.37 Billion in serviceable distressed assets. That is not the value of the assets, but the money out there currently being paid to service them at all levels. Building on that is the tsunami of defaults in commercial real estate is in a perpetual doom loop. In fact, office REIT’s have fallen the most since 2020.

The reality is that a government shutdown on Saturday is virtually inevitable. Technically, we call this a lapse in Appropriations Payments. The White House already has a page up showing the contingency plans located here. Bearing in mind that FHA – HUD, USDA, and VA are all quintescential US government agencies whom pump in money to pay for both pre and post conveyance, the reality is that it is far different than in 2018 as one reader asked me earlier. Interest is currently hovering between 6 – 8 percent depending what level of loan you are working with. In fact, it was the interest rates on loans that forced MCS to default on over $400 Million in debt during COVID — interest was around 3 percent then. Second, FEMA is funding multiple large scale disasters and no replenishment in sight as multiple hurricanes are barreling towards the US and two have already hit the east coast in the past week. And when it comes to Congress and its polarization vis-à-vis Gaetz, et al., threatening a Motion to Vacate against the House Speaker, no matter what the Senate may push out, the House will kill it on arrival.

So, do the Big Boys have the money to weather a storm? It is a good question and one that virtually no one seems to care about — that are not rich NAMFS members. Government shutdown-related Google searches on Social Security, veterans benefits spike over 5,000% Monday morning. Building on that, many of the people I have been speaking with since 0530 EDT today simply assumed that the money just magically appears in accounts somewhere and then Prime Vendors pay it out. But it doesn’t work that way. In fact, in 2018 when one of the longest modern US government shutdown happened, the lack of payments to National Field Network by Fannie Mae kicked off the first Involuntary Bankruptcy — against National Field Network — in the history of our Industry.

Whether or not the company you work for wants to answer the question, the law requires that they do. And bluntly, whether or not you ask the question depends on whether you have a pair or not. The reality is that there is no safe space to go run to and weather the storm. And the reality is that if you are fearful of asking a basic question like will you pay me if you are not being paid it is a perpetual sword of Damocles hanging above your head.

Fact of the matter is that even if the Senate sends the House a CR this week, McCarthy is unlikely to bring it up for a vote. And building on that, the only other alternative is a Discharge Petition wherein only two in history have ever become law. To that point, there simply is not enough time to enact a Discharge Petition before 01 October 2023.

Now, what the Prime Vendors are hoping is that you do not read the news let alone understand finance. Because it is far easier to tell you after the fact that HUD did this or Fannie Mae did that. Or, perhaps, the Prime Vendor uses AI — they all do now — and it kicks back your work for weeks for unneeded extra photos based upon the Prime Vendor’s inability to get credit at EIGHT PERCENT to pay you what they owe. The reality is that these companies only pay when paid and do not have the capital reserves to float what they owe you for more than 72 hours or so without incurring extreme debt loads.

Thus far, not a single NAMFS member has committed to paying Labor if the US government shutdown occurs. The entirety of the International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST) has. It shows you the light years of distance between the two Associations.

Of all Prime Vendors queried, only Guardian Asset Management stated that they will continue paying Labor during a government shutdown. This is a most concerning thing as they are the ones with direct Doctrine of Privity. Building on this, Labor needs to be extremely careful of whom they work with over the next several weeks as we are anticipating an extremely high margin of chargebacks, requests for more photos, and ultimately non payments. If Prime Vendors choose to advise us of their commitment to pay, we will add it to this article as an edit below.

Over the past decade, I have been privy to some of the most elaborate criminal conspiracies which the Mortgage Field Services Industry has had to offer. Recently, as I was arranging some of my articles and notes for a publishing house who pitched me on a book deal, I was astonished by the length and breadth of NAMFS’ audacious activities — NAMFS being the National Association of Mortgage Field Services (NAMFS). Have no fear, they have appointed a ghostwriter to clean up much of the profanity and keep the wheels on the tracks so to speak. We are ironically diametrically opposed; while I focus on the sheer weight and effect of anti Labor tactics which NAMFS and its membership have deployed, she appears heavily interested in the stories of the leaders I have personally been involved with. And while I have final say in how the material is finally bound together, the reality is that I would probably be worse off were it not for her ability to perform due diligence apparently to keep the publisher out of courtrooms. I digress.

The ebb and flow of fraud, waste, and abuse of US taxpayer money is rhythmic in this Industry.  In fact, were it not for the tens of billions of dollars thrown at the black hole of distressed asset maintenance, there would be no story at all to discuss. It is that, you know. It is a black hole of epic proportions which gobbles up cash much like a black hole does stars as it approaches its singularity. The reality is, cyclic in nature, all bets are off and the laws of what are right and wrong become quantumly entangled into a perversion of verbal gymnastics in order to justify the means to the end of the asset lifecycle. Ergo, by any means necessary, the asset must be rejuvenated so as to provide a tax base injection from which Banksters are capable of loaning money against — again, and again, and again.

Everyone whom was around during the 2008 Financial Crisis remembers American Mortgage Field Services. Tammy Roaderick and Dean Counce, both prominent NAMFS members, would bilk about $1 Million per month between 2007 – 2009 from Bank of America, et al. Foreclosurepedia covered it in a lengthy article here when NAMFS refused to kick him out. And it was all the usual suspects that we see today: FHA, HUD, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac. Here, let the Department of Justice lay the story out because it sounds identical to how the collapsed Assero and currently collapsing GIS Field Services sounds today,

As the real estate market declined, Counce, Roaderick, and AMFS began to receive an increasing number of requests for inspections on properties in foreclosure.  Most or all of the mortgages on the properties were owned or insured by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or FHA. The requests far exceeded AMFS’s capacity to deliver.  As a result, Counce, Roaderick and other AMFS employees acting at their direction began fabricating inspection reports.  AMFS employed individuals, many of whom were unskilled teenagers, to use previous months’ photographs to fabricate subsequent inspection reports on properties.  Counce and Roaderick also instructed AMFS employees to fabricate inspection reports by using publicly-available websites, such as property appraiser sites, to obtain data about properties that were not inspected.  Employees who produced large numbers of false inspection reports were often rewarded with cash bonuses.

And are you curious what Counce is doing today? Glad you asked! He is the CEO and President of United Mortgage Field Services. Yeah, now the bells are starting to ring, huh? Now, the company appears to be inactive; however, that name sure does sound fucking familiar. Now, based on how these folks worm their way deleting pages like Chestnut Hill Partners just did in the brokerage of the sale of GIS Field Services to Littlejohn & Co. we made a copy of the webpage. Building on that, though, you have to look at the people whom are coddling this guy after his 97 month federal prison sentence. Chris Slaughenhoupt, National Senior Client Project Manager at A2Z Field Services, is a big time one that comes front and center. Not surprisingly when we look at how the red carpet rolls out for Jonathan Dedman Dietz over at GIS Field Services, I suppose.

Don’t take it from me, though, that letting Counce back in the NAMFS game is a bad idea. Here is what the Secret Service’s Special Agent in Charge had to say,

“In my opinion, Mr. Counce’s greed-driven deception is an example of the worst type of criminal behavior,” John Joyce, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Tampa office, said in a released statement.

Nothing new under the sun. And we all remember Heather Berghorst. A simple Google search of her name HEATHER BERGHORST still shows that Foreclosurepedia controls two of the listings on Page One. Here is a good starter article on the former NAMFS Secretary that NAMFS Executive Director Eric Miller refused to remove from the NAMFS Board of Directors. Yeah, starting to see that trend, yet? But remember, all good criminal havens must have a kingpin that they pay to keep the wheels greased and rolling. A simple Google Search of ERIC MILLER NAMFS will show Foreclosurepedia controls two of the listings on Page One of Google, as well. This will catch you up on precisely how much money NAMFS pays their kingpin to keep the fraud going. And remember, that was based on their IRS 990 from 2018 that #TwoForVerisk Miller and NAMFS President Matt Zoldowski have refused to provide since then.

It is a well established fact that being on the NAMFS Board of Directors virtually ensures that you have been or will be involved in bankruptcy. Heather Berghorst had her second bankruptcy while NAMFS Secretary. And Labor should take note of that! Millions upon millions of dollars in financial fraud — err, bankruptcies that ensured Labor was never paid like the Involuntary Bankruptcy of Shari Nott and National Field Network — is what you have to look forward to if you work for folks keeping that kind of company. Hey, I get it. Blood in and blood out. All good.

We are right back where we started, though. Here is how  Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Craig Karnes, Acting Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, put it last week,

Yes, the pre and post-conveyance servicing is still considered a Conflict of Interest, and we’re dealing with it on several fronts, including both the current Bridge contractors and the new awardees.  I can’t confirm specifics, but can say we are aware of possible issues with both that need to be mitigated.

Nothing will come of it, to be sure what with the revolving door in Washington and the laying out of cash everywhere for that green carpet that SF Housing walks upon. What is different today, though, is that there is an enormous push by almost all Prime Vendors to bring on employees. In fact, Littlejohn & Co. who owns MCS and GIS Field Services, made no bones about it through MCS recently. And the reality is startlingly clear: If you run employees the Union will come a calling. In fact, even if you do not run employees, the recent cases with Uber, et al., have demonstrated that chances are almost 100% you have misclassified employees. After all, MCS, ServiceLink, PK Management, Assurant Field Asset Services — hell virtually all Prime Vendors have paid to settle litigation in the tens of millions of dollars that contractors,  were in fact, employees.

It has been far too long since we have run through the names of the NAMFS Offender Members. And over the coming days, we are going to revisit the wreckage left behind by NAMFS Executive Director Eric Miller in addition to his over One Million Dollars in salaries recently. Think about that, just for a moment. Over ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Miller and $3.50 for inspections from NAMFS Board Member Jonathan Dedman Dietz who runs GIS Field Services for Littlejohn & Co. Sure as hell is starting to sound like an ongoing criminal enterprise to me.

Earlier today, I had a great discussion with a second Prime Vendor leaning towards joining the International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST). There is a lot to be said for that as there are only five Primes left in the Industry and two of those are now owned by institutional investors and one by a public REIT. To that point, what continued to come up, over and over, was how is the GIS Field Services issue handled while saving face. The simple answer is that you cannot address the antitrust issues presented by GIS and MCS, under their owner Littlejohn & Co., without addressing how NAMFS operated with Jonathan Dedman Dietz on their Board. Dietz, the head of GIS Field Services, is looking more and more like Sen. Bob Menendez and the reality is that both of them have lost their teflon sheen and are becoming more and more pedestrian each and every day.

Our discussion hit on quite a few points, Dietz’s NAMFS Board membership included. I was pointed about the problems of NAMFS hegemony in the Industry and over technology. Surprisingly, it was pointed out to me that NAMFS membership rolls where at all time lows. In fact, the below photo, taken from NAMFS Executive Director Eric Miller’s LinkedIn page with Miller at the podium, shows roughly 55 people in attendance at their most recent NAMFS Annual Conference earlier this year.

#55 has been trending lately on many deeper pool social media private groups representing the fall from grace of NAMFS. And while many firms, such as ZVN Properties are going all in on NAMFS by and through their planting of Denia Ray as NAMFS Vice President. And while Bryan Lysikowski, co founder of ZVN Properties, has created a closer relationship with the NAMFS Regime and continued his support of GIS Field Services, the reality is that many of his Clients and colleagues are distancing themselves. Lysikowski is fully committed to the communist type insurance demands by Jonnie Rumbaugh for only the Big 3 under NAMFS control, while his colleagues are realizing the antitrust and monopolization concerns of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are talking about in their meetings. While Lysikowski is demanding the use of the Aspen Grove Solutions ABC Number, almost all other Regional and National providers no longer require it realizing that the background check solution is ineffective and overpriced — Simply ask ServiceLink or the most recent firm to leave, Altisource. Old traditions die hard, though, and with the obvious financial pressures of paying for Denia Ray’s extravagant lifestyle as ZVN Properties Vice President and her jet setting around the US, the reality is that pricing at ZVN Properties is at the lowest rates ever with nearly SIXTY DAYS before payment.

ZVN Properties are the minority, these days, when it comes to embracing the antitrust and fraud which is rearing its ugly head again in the Industry. When it comes to education, for example, the International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST) has recently been accepted to utilize the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and the Credential Registry provide critical solutions for data transparency. The Pathway Builder tool builds off the data in the Credential Registry. CTDL allows the IAFST to communicate learning and career pathways. The tool enables publishing existing or creating new CTDL pathways. And no matter the role in creating, supporting, and sharing learning and career pathways, the CTDL is beneficial to both Labor and Management. Users for this tool, but not limited to, are education, training, and other credentialing organizations, employers, and professional associations.

The democratization of the Industry hinges on Labor being able to obtain certifications that are accepted across the US and internationally. For example, here are a few credentials that the IAFST offers today. To that point, these are the Open Badge Credentials you will commonly see on LinkedIn and require both a verified process and JSON distribution point. These, in turn, link to the IAFST’s CTDL Pathway. The ability to democratize education doesn’t stop with those men and women performing the services in the field. We are pending our approvals for training office personnel and certifying HUD P260 data entry, as well. This is what happens when you remove the yoke of monopolization and encourage participation at multiple levels from a plethora of cross industry trades.

Well paid personnel not only provide a higher quality of work product firm like Guardian Asset Management, but provides dignity and pride for those servicing their assets. By way of comparison, the subsidization of NAMFS member’s payment of low wages means that US taxpayers pay for the low wages these US government awardees pay out. An easy way to understand this is that Walmart is the largest private employer in the United States, with over 1.6 million employees. But many of those employees are underpaid, and many rely on government assistance programs like food stamps and Medicaid to make ends meet. The same is true of those working for NAMFS member firms such as ZVN Properties. A 2020 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that Walmart is one of the top employers of Medicaid and food stamp beneficiaries. The report estimated that taxpayers contribute $6.2 billion each year to support Walmart workers and their families through these programs.

This means that taxpayers are essentially subsidizing Walmart’s low wages. The company is able to pay its workers less because they know that the government will make up the difference. This is not fair to taxpayers, and it is not fair to workers. Workers deserve to be paid a living wage, so that they can support themselves and their families without having to rely on government assistance.

NAMFS members like ZVN Properties and Walmart are not the only company that subsidizes its low wages through government assistance programs. A 2013 study by the University of California, Berkeley found that low-wage workers at large corporations cost taxpayers an estimated $152.8 billion each year. This study found that the top five employers of low-wage workers who rely on government assistance are: Walmart, McDonald’s, Kroger, Dollar General, and Target. These companies are all making billions of dollars in profits each year, yet they are still paying their workers such low wages that they have to rely on government assistance to survive.

This is a problem that needs to be addressed. Ironically, NAMFS Vice President Denia Ray is doing her best to keep Jonathan Dedman Dietz on the NAMFS Board. And it is Dietz’s GIS Field Services whom is paying $3.50 for inspections that are paying between $30 and $45 each! We need to raise the minimum wage and make it easier for workers to organize and bargain collectively. We also need to hold corporations accountable for paying their workers a living wage. What can be done? Glad you asked! There are a number of things that can be done to address the problem of subsidizing underpaid Labor abused by NAMFS Vice President Denia Ray and her fellow #TwoFor Verisk NAMFS Executive Director Eric Miller and NAMFS President Matt Zoldowski. at Walmart and other companies,

One solution is to for NAMFS members to guarantee the federal contractor minimum wage required on all federal projects. This would ensure that all workers are paid a living wage, regardless of where they work.

Another solution is to make it easier for workers to organize and bargain collectively. This would give workers more power to negotiate for better wages and benefits. In fact, employees at both MCS and Cyprexx have inquired of Foreclosurepedia how to proceed.

We can also hold corporations accountable by requiring them to disclose how much money their employees and Labor receive in government assistance. This would make it more transparent how much taxpayers are subsidizing these companies’ low wages.

Finally, we can support policies that promote economic equality, such as affordable housing, universal healthcare, and quality education. These policies would help to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or income level.

The easiest way, though, is to join the IAFST today. The IAFST is working day in and day out to ensure equal opportunities and equal pay for all. In combination with our reporting here on Foreclosurepedia, the reality is that Labor today not only has a seat at the table, Labor is capable of deposing those criminals in our midst. The successful involuntary bankruptcy of National Field Network and the bankruptcy of the former NAMFS Secretary, Heather Berghorst, are but two recent examples. The reality, though, is this costs money. And many of you out there benefit from what we do and refuse to help. You rely on our reporting to keep yourself safe and yet when it comes to keeping that information flowing to all, you bury your heads in the NAMFS sand. Why not take a stand today by Donating and standing with other men and women who are letting their voices be heard?