Homeowners who are aspiring to prevent and stop foreclosure often have apprehensions when dealing with the facts that led them to the position of being in a foreclosure. Some homeowners end up depressed. They look back to the first time they bought their home, and losing their home was the last thing they want to happen.
What Is A Foreclosure?
Foreclosure refers to a legal process that authorizes a mortgage lender or district where you settle your property taxes to seize your properties. This process recompensates payments or back taxes your owe them. However, this does not mean that the lender or county that filed a foreclosure complaint will win the case.
You and anyone can be in this situation when you are unable to fully pay the principal and interest payments on your mortgage. If you fail to do so, you will be evicted and forced to sell your home as prescribed in the mortgage contract. The more months you fail to pay, the more challenging it will be to make up because lenders charge additional fees for late payments.
What Not To Do In A Foreclosure
You must be knowledgeable on the legal matters of foreclosure, which include what not to do in a foreclosure and how to stop foreclosure proceedings. Stopping foreclosure will help you save your property and keep a roof over your head.
- Do not avoid your lender or municipality you owe money to
If you refuse to speak and negotiate with your lender or municipality, it may trigger them to hasten the foreclosure proceedings. Likewise, the bank will assume that there is no hope for redemption. Moreover, refusing to meet your lender prevents the probability of negotiating and reaching a settlement in saving your home.
- Do not leave your home straightaway
Once you receive a foreclosure, do not pack your bags and leave right away. Foreclosure proceedings can conclude in a number of months. During that time, you can still stay in your home and save money you would rather use to pay rent or mortgage. Likewise, cash savings are helpful when you have to purchase another house or settle down deposits to live in a pad or apartment.
- Do not refuse to confront reality
Dealing with problems like a foreclosure should not be ignored. Never avoid to take actions to help yourself or refusing to prepare for the day when foreclosure comes. If you fool yourself into thinking that all your problems will go away, then you may be unable to act and stop the foreclosure or prepare yourself when the foreclosure happens.
- Do not vandalize or destroy your home
Some homeowners who cannot manage to deal their situation tend to damage their property. This is the worst idea and reaction. If you do this, the lender, municipality or bank may decide to take legal proceedings against you.
- Do not entrust the title of your property to another firm or company
Some businesses entice and lure desperate families. These firms promise to acquire your current mortgage and re-sign it back to you. Do not fall for their trap because this is rarely the case.
● They will dump your home: Usually, a company assures and vows equity out of your home, allows proceedings regarding foreclosure to continue, and in the end, dump your home like a rejected puppy.
● You cannot take it back: The unpleasant thing here is, there is nothing you can do to take it back. If you entrust your mortgage to another company, the title of the property will no longer be named after you.
- Do not ask for counsel from non-HUD (Housing Counselor/Housing and Urban Development) approved organizations
It is can be helpful to seek counsel from firms, especially for homeowners who are struggling in keeping control of their home. However, some firms take advantage of desperate homeowners by demanding interest rate hikes and steep up-front fees after the case has been settled. If you wish to seek counsel, ensure that the counseling service you choose is included on the list of approved housing counselors by HUD.
- Do not ignore court requests for documents
Avoiding requests of documents and demands from the court is not a good strategy in coping with your foreclosure problems. This is the least acceptable way of hanging on to your house. Instead, honor any court or lender requests in a prompt manner. Failure to do this may lead to excessive fees and legal trials.
- Do not assume foreclosure is the only option available
Just because you are in a foreclosure does not mean there are no other options. Alternatives to foreclosure range from renegotiation, short sales, filing a bankruptcy, or refinancing. Be proactive, not reactive. Do not just sit there and sulk, look for ways to help you redeem your home.
Conclusion
There are plenty of helpful actions you can do during the foreclosure proceedings, but there are also other things that you must not do in the process of a foreclosure. Likewise, there are things you can do to avoid a foreclosure. If you need help in legal matters relating to foreclosure, do not hesitate to consult with a foreclosure attorney by clicking here.
Author’s Bio: Cecille Cunningham loves writing for the average reader, especially on helping them make sense of various topics on the law. She currently writes for multiple law firms. In her spare time, she cooks for her family and friends.