Foreclosure Process: What's to do if your House is in Foreclosure
We are so involved in foreclosure investing and finding foreclosure deals that we forget the person in foreclosure.
Sometimes it is good to put ourselves in their position and try to understand what the foreclosee is going through. Mainly to be compassionate and understanding of their problems but also to see what processes they must go through to solve their immediate problem.
For this, I utilized this guest article that eloquesntly outlines the foreclosure process.
If you are behind on your mortgage payments for any reason -- job loss, medical expenses, and/or unexpected emergencies -- don't panic! You CAN save your home and you don't have to spend a lot of money to do it.
It happened to me. I am extremely grateful I still have my home. After losing two jobs during the dot com bust and 9/11, I found myself unemployed and unable to pay my mortgage, not to mention any of my other bills. I was alone and afraid. I didn't know whom to turn to and I didn't have a lot of money to pay an attorney or seek other help. I sincerely hope that you don't find yourself in this situation, but if you do, immediately take the steps that I took so you can also avoid losing your precious home. This list is in order of importance.
1. Contact Your Mortgage Company
Call your mortgage company immediately, even if you are technically not yet behind on your payments.Your lender is not in the business of taking homes; believe me, they make far more money lending your mortgage payment to other homeowners. Your lenders may work out a payment plan that will help you until you get back on your feet. There are many different plans they may offer you -- a temporary grace period, a temporary reduction of payments, or, if you have already missed payments, stretching those missed payments for a period of time.
If you are already in foreclosure, you can still work with your mortgage company! I did. I worked out a "forebearance agreement". I had to pay my regular mortgage payment plus a portion of the missed payments every month. I also had to agree to send the funds certified or else they would have taken my home.
2. Speak To An Attorney
Attorneys are expensive. I wouldn't advise paying one at first. Try to find an attorney that will give you a free consultation, or consult Legal Aid. The money that you do have should be earmarked to pay your mortgage. That being said, if you cannot find free or cheap advice, I would then spend the money for an attorney. I was lucky. I asked around and I spoke to a friend of a friend for free. You don't need an attorney until you have to go to court --- then, please hire one!
3. Reduce Your Other Expenses
I immediately cut off my cable, reduced my cell phone plan minutes (I still needed mine for job searching), and made other cuts to my spending until I got back on my feet. For me, that also meant temporarily changing my dietary habits and purchasing cheaper food. I travelled less so I spent a lot less on gas and train fare. If you can, cancel your registration and insurance on your car so you can save those payments. Little changes go a VERY long way. Remember, it's only temporary.
4. Rent Your Rooms
I had three extra rooms in my house and immediately furnished and rented all of the them. This single step helped me save my home. I checked with my town to verify it was legal for me to do so. I used VERY little money to get this going. Once I was started receivng rent from my tenants, I was able to give more to the mortgage company. The benefit of this is that you will get money without working and you can deduct your expenses as a business!
5. Have A Yard Sale
Sell some of your things. I'm not talking about the family heirlooms here; I'm talking about extra pieces of furniture, used books, clothing, CDs, movies, etc. You'd be surprised how much money you can raise!
6. Spend Full Time Hours Looking For A Full Time Job
I have to tell you, for me this step was very hard. I did not want to look for another job, but I had to in order to save my home. For some, this step may take longer than others -- your mileage may vary. Looking for a job is numbers game - network, post your resume on the job boards, look in the classifieds. It may seem like it will take forever, but you will find something. I promise.
7. If Feasible, Work Part Time
Unemployment checks did not pay my bills in the slightest. In addition, receiving rent for your rooms and collecting unemployment may be prohibited under law. Check with your local unemployment office. In the meantime, find a part time job -- even if you are making only minimum wage -- and get some cash in your pocket. This will probably get you more than unemployment will give you anyway! Some part-time jobs have limited benefits as well. Plus, getting out of the house is a big energy booster. Having your home in jeopardy is very stressful and depressing. You NEED to get out of the house!
For some of you, health problems may prevent you from working, or you may have suffered some other unfortunate event that may not allow you to do all the steps above. At the very minimum, contact your mortage company and try to rent your rooms. If you can find a temporary place to live, you may want to consider renting your house in full. You may find a smaller or cheaper apartment or you may be able to stay with family and friends.
If all else fails, you may be faced with the choice of selling your home. Before you call a real estate agent or speak with an investor, call around and check the references of any agents or investors you consider. Not all investors are out to steal your equity or your home; many can make incredible deals with you that may even allow you to still live in your home and purchase it back, if push comes to shove. You may in fact be able to sell your home to an investor and save costly realtor fees. Be careful! Never make any decisions on the spot. Now would be a good time to pay for an attorney's advice.
I made an agreement with my mortage company and rented out my rooms. I found a job, and then kept my tenants to help "catch me up" on my other bills. Then, I just enjoyed the passive income that allowed me to pursue my other dreams. Unfortunately, to get to this point, I did spend money on services that didn't do anything I couldn't do myself -- and, in fact, they ended up not helping me at all. There are plenty of free resources and articles that you can read to help you make the right decision. Good luck. You will be fine.
Annika Smith is dedicated to teaching others how to be not only financially free, but wealthy and happy. Want to be rich? It’s easier than you think. Follow the exact path Annika took to massively improve her life by checking free information at http://cluestocash.rentrooms4cash.info.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A._Annika_Smith
Visit House Foreclosure and Investing Blog to read Forclosure Experts discuss Foreclosure Investing and Strategies on a daily basis.
Sometimes it is good to put ourselves in their position and try to understand what the foreclosee is going through. Mainly to be compassionate and understanding of their problems but also to see what processes they must go through to solve their immediate problem.
For this, I utilized this guest article that eloquesntly outlines the foreclosure process.
If you are behind on your mortgage payments for any reason -- job loss, medical expenses, and/or unexpected emergencies -- don't panic! You CAN save your home and you don't have to spend a lot of money to do it.
It happened to me. I am extremely grateful I still have my home. After losing two jobs during the dot com bust and 9/11, I found myself unemployed and unable to pay my mortgage, not to mention any of my other bills. I was alone and afraid. I didn't know whom to turn to and I didn't have a lot of money to pay an attorney or seek other help. I sincerely hope that you don't find yourself in this situation, but if you do, immediately take the steps that I took so you can also avoid losing your precious home. This list is in order of importance.
1. Contact Your Mortgage Company
Call your mortgage company immediately, even if you are technically not yet behind on your payments.Your lender is not in the business of taking homes; believe me, they make far more money lending your mortgage payment to other homeowners. Your lenders may work out a payment plan that will help you until you get back on your feet. There are many different plans they may offer you -- a temporary grace period, a temporary reduction of payments, or, if you have already missed payments, stretching those missed payments for a period of time.
If you are already in foreclosure, you can still work with your mortgage company! I did. I worked out a "forebearance agreement". I had to pay my regular mortgage payment plus a portion of the missed payments every month. I also had to agree to send the funds certified or else they would have taken my home.
2. Speak To An Attorney
Attorneys are expensive. I wouldn't advise paying one at first. Try to find an attorney that will give you a free consultation, or consult Legal Aid. The money that you do have should be earmarked to pay your mortgage. That being said, if you cannot find free or cheap advice, I would then spend the money for an attorney. I was lucky. I asked around and I spoke to a friend of a friend for free. You don't need an attorney until you have to go to court --- then, please hire one!
3. Reduce Your Other Expenses
I immediately cut off my cable, reduced my cell phone plan minutes (I still needed mine for job searching), and made other cuts to my spending until I got back on my feet. For me, that also meant temporarily changing my dietary habits and purchasing cheaper food. I travelled less so I spent a lot less on gas and train fare. If you can, cancel your registration and insurance on your car so you can save those payments. Little changes go a VERY long way. Remember, it's only temporary.
4. Rent Your Rooms
I had three extra rooms in my house and immediately furnished and rented all of the them. This single step helped me save my home. I checked with my town to verify it was legal for me to do so. I used VERY little money to get this going. Once I was started receivng rent from my tenants, I was able to give more to the mortgage company. The benefit of this is that you will get money without working and you can deduct your expenses as a business!
5. Have A Yard Sale
Sell some of your things. I'm not talking about the family heirlooms here; I'm talking about extra pieces of furniture, used books, clothing, CDs, movies, etc. You'd be surprised how much money you can raise!
6. Spend Full Time Hours Looking For A Full Time Job
I have to tell you, for me this step was very hard. I did not want to look for another job, but I had to in order to save my home. For some, this step may take longer than others -- your mileage may vary. Looking for a job is numbers game - network, post your resume on the job boards, look in the classifieds. It may seem like it will take forever, but you will find something. I promise.
7. If Feasible, Work Part Time
Unemployment checks did not pay my bills in the slightest. In addition, receiving rent for your rooms and collecting unemployment may be prohibited under law. Check with your local unemployment office. In the meantime, find a part time job -- even if you are making only minimum wage -- and get some cash in your pocket. This will probably get you more than unemployment will give you anyway! Some part-time jobs have limited benefits as well. Plus, getting out of the house is a big energy booster. Having your home in jeopardy is very stressful and depressing. You NEED to get out of the house!
For some of you, health problems may prevent you from working, or you may have suffered some other unfortunate event that may not allow you to do all the steps above. At the very minimum, contact your mortage company and try to rent your rooms. If you can find a temporary place to live, you may want to consider renting your house in full. You may find a smaller or cheaper apartment or you may be able to stay with family and friends.
If all else fails, you may be faced with the choice of selling your home. Before you call a real estate agent or speak with an investor, call around and check the references of any agents or investors you consider. Not all investors are out to steal your equity or your home; many can make incredible deals with you that may even allow you to still live in your home and purchase it back, if push comes to shove. You may in fact be able to sell your home to an investor and save costly realtor fees. Be careful! Never make any decisions on the spot. Now would be a good time to pay for an attorney's advice.
I made an agreement with my mortage company and rented out my rooms. I found a job, and then kept my tenants to help "catch me up" on my other bills. Then, I just enjoyed the passive income that allowed me to pursue my other dreams. Unfortunately, to get to this point, I did spend money on services that didn't do anything I couldn't do myself -- and, in fact, they ended up not helping me at all. There are plenty of free resources and articles that you can read to help you make the right decision. Good luck. You will be fine.
Annika Smith is dedicated to teaching others how to be not only financially free, but wealthy and happy. Want to be rich? It’s easier than you think. Follow the exact path Annika took to massively improve her life by checking free information at http://cluestocash.rentrooms4cash.info.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A._Annika_Smith
Visit House Foreclosure and Investing Blog to read Forclosure Experts discuss Foreclosure Investing and Strategies on a daily basis.
posted by Mr. Foreclosure at 12:11 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home