DH,
Being in the mortgage biz, I am on the consumers side. Most people in my industry aren’t, and I am vocal about it.
Many are/were overcompensated salespeople and nothing more.

Breeze, it wasn’t the “pros” that “led” people into the mess. It WAS the assholes. They were accomplices. Nobody forced the greedy buyer/speculator to sign loan docs, but many WERE misled, lied to and screwed by friends, family members and neighbors on their loans.

There are few real advocates out there, but I am one. Believe what you will. I have chased more business away by telling people the truth, and I don’t care. (Some people don’t want to listen OR hear the truth)

It’s not a surprise that you have the attitude that you do.

DH, the fact is that many people just cannot be helped. They have fallen off a cliff, but have not landed yet.
Foreclosure will be the best option for many, but they refuse to accept it, until it’s forced on them.
None of the “govt/lender sponsored help lines” actually encourage people to walk away, that I know of.

The ignorance of so many people about their financial situation is beyond what you would imagine.
I work with them one on one.