STOP YOUR JACKSONVILLE FORECLOSURE!

After a few missed payments your lender will no longer accept a single monthly payment, but you have up until the foreclosure law day to bring the loan current. Partial payments won’t be accepted, but you have the option to bring the loan current by paying all the back payments, late fees and legal fees in one lump sum. 

A forbearance reduces or suspends your mortgage payments for a period of time and may be used in conjunction with a loan modification. A loan modification is a permanent change to your mortgage that may lower your payments and the delinquent payments may be added to the mortgage balance. You may or may not qualify for a loan modification and the process can be difficult and time consuming, but it is an option if you want to stay in the house. 

Keep in mind it is almost impossible to arrange new financing when you’re already in default on your existing mortgage. Refinancing will depend on your income, credit report, value of your home and the amount of your mortgage. If you’re not sure of the value of your home, contact me. I will be happy to help and I can usually give you a pretty good estimate right away with just some basic information.

If your financial situation has improved or will shortly, filing bankruptcy will halt your foreclosure proceedings temporarily. Unfortunately, without repayment, you will be right back to facing foreclosure after the bankruptcy discharge. You may also want to note that filing bankruptcy does not change ownership of the home and it will still belong to you. The lender would still have to foreclose to take back title to the home, leaving you with not just a bankruptcy but also a foreclosure.

A deed in lieu of foreclosure is basically a voluntary foreclosure. You would have to apply and be approved by your lender for this option and a deed in lieu is not generally available if you have more than one loan on your property. As lenders prefer other workout options, even if you do qualify for a deed in lieu, the lender may first require that you attempt to modify the loan or sell the home. 

By far, your worst option! Many folks feel they should just walk away, but foreclosure has very serious consequences.  Foreclosure can easily take a year or longer, and Florida is a recourse state. That means your debt doesn’t just disappear with the home. A lender that suffers losses in a foreclosure has the right to file a deficiency judgment against you and pursue you for the remaining debt. A foreclosure is just the beginning of a new and larger set of problems.