In a recent edition of Time magazine there is a featured article about some services that help home owners negotiate new rates with their banks, or even walk away from their homes.  Some of these services package information for local Cincinnati homeowners in distress and in some cases help advocate for the home owner.  Other services simply repackage and sell publicly available information.

Companies like the Walk Away Plan provide home owners who are in distress some counseling as well as assistance in negotiating with their bank for a new loan at a current interest rate, or renegotiating the loan all together. Other services, like Short Refi Me,  try to work with your bank to refinance your home based on current value.