The punchline is the Lipkins merely got a reamortized loan over 40 years (so a 45 year total term) and a reduced rate slowly building to ~4.5%

And this is described as a victory for the homeowner?

It’s a good thing people are bad at math I guess. The bank won.

If the Lipkins didn’t spend $1 on lawyers and tried short selling (turn around on access to loans is faster).. they’d be way ahead financially by now. And depending on a host of factors (if the demonstrated hardship was enough) they could even have purchased another home by now for lower cost and a 30 yr term.