When mortgage borrowers fail to make their monthly payments as agreed upon, a lender may seize their property and sell it to a new buyer to help recover the mortgage balance. This is called a foreclosure Foreclosures occur due to non-payment, and though the process and timelines vary by state, the end result is the same: The mortgage borrower loses his or her home. Once the lender takes control of the property, it can sell it off to make up for financial losses on the home. Investors and consumers can purchase these homes—often at auctions or directly from the bank or government agency that owns them. Why Foreclosures HappenForeclosures, at their most basic, occur because the homeowner has failed to make agreed-upon payments with their mortgage lender. The reasons behind this non-payment can vary. Sometimes, job or income loss is the culprit; for other borrowers, medical bills or credit card debt made it impossible to stay afloat. In some cases, it may be due to bankruptcy, divorce, disability, or other personal or financial issues. Pros & Cons of Foreclosed PropertyPros That’s about where the perks end, though. Foreclosed properties often come in poor condition and require many repairs—repairs the seller is typically unwilling to make (the majority are sold as-is). Additionally, you may not be able to finance the purchase via a traditional mortgage loan, especially if you buy it at auction. In most cases, property auctions require all-cash bids. Finally, there are concerns regarding the previous homeowners. These include: Stages of ForeclosureThe actual foreclosure process that a lender must go through to seize a property varies by state. In some places, foreclosures must advance through judicial proceedings before the home can be seized. In others, there are non-judicial options. Legally, a foreclosure cannot be initiated until a borrower is at least 120 days behind on their mortgage payments. How to Negotiate With SellersWhen buying a foreclosure, you’re often purchasing from a large financial institution like a bank or private lender. Because of this, offers usually require multiple approvals and may take longer to move through the pipeline. You can generally expect negotiations to be slower and more difficult than they would be with a traditional seller. Additionally, banks are looking to recoup as much of their losses as possible. As such, they’ll usually present a counteroffer during negotiation which, again, must be approved by several people. When purchasing in a traditional home sale, you can include a home inspection contingency and negotiate on repairs and pricing based on the inspection’s findings. When buying a foreclosed property at auction, individual buyer contingencies (and thus the negotiations based on them) are not allowed. Your best bet for negotiating a foreclosure purchase is to engage a real estate agent—ideally one with foreclosure experience. He or she will be able to help you craft a competitive offer based on comparable sales and market conditions. Phases Of A ForeclosurePhase 1: Payment Default Throughout the foreclosure process, many lenders will attempt to make arrangements for the borrower to get caught up on the loan and avoid foreclosure. The obvious problem is that when a borrower cannot meet one payment, it becomes increasingly difficult to catch up on multiple payments. If there is a chance that you can catch up on payments—for instance, you just started a new job following a period of unemployment—it is worth speaking with your lender. If a foreclosure is unavoidable, knowing what to expect throughout the process can help prepare you for the six phases of foreclosure. How Do Foreclosures Work?Foreclosure is generally a slow process. If you make one payment a few days or weeks late, you’re probably not facing eviction. However, you may face late fees in as little as 10 to 15 days. That’s why it’s important to communicate with your lender as early as possible if you’ve fallen on hard times or expect to in the near future—it might not be too late to avoid foreclosure. The foreclosure process itself varies from lender to lender and laws are different in each state; however, the description below is a rough overview of what you might experience. The entire process could take several months at a minimum. You will generally start to receive communications as soon as you miss one payment, and those communications might include a notice of intent to move forward with the foreclosure process. In general, lenders initiate foreclosure proceedings three to six months after you miss your first mortgage payment. Once you’ve missed payments for three months, you may be given a “Demand Letter” or “Notice to Accelerate” requesting payment within 30 days. If, by the end of the fourth month of missed payments, you still have not made the payment, many lenders will consider your loan to be in default and will refer you to the lender’s attorney. This is when things get critical. Consequences of a ForeclosureThe main outcome of going through foreclosure is, of course, the forced sale and eviction from your home. You’ll need to find another place to live, and the process could be extremely stressful for you and your family. How foreclosures work also makes them expensive. As you stop making payments, your lender may charge late fees, and you might pay legal fees out of pocket to fight foreclosure.9 Any fees added to your account will increase your debt to the lender, and you might still owe money after your home is taken and sold if the sales proceeds are not sufficient (known as a “deficiency”). A foreclosure will also hurt your credit scores. Your credit reports will show the foreclosure starting a month or two after the lender initiates foreclosure proceedings, and it will stay on the report for seven years. You’ll have a hard time borrowing to buy another home (although you might be able to get certain government loans within one to two years), and you’ll also have difficulty getting affordable loans of any kind. Your credit scores can also affect other areas of your life, such as (in limited cases) your ability to get a job. How to Avoid a Foreclosure?The act of taking back your home is the last resort for lenders who have given up hope of being paid. The process is time-consuming and expensive for them (although they can try to pass along some of those fees to you), and it is extremely unpleasant for borrowers. Fortunately, you can follow some tips to prevent foreclosure: Foreclosure AttorneyWhen you need a Residential Property Foreclosure Attorney, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.
Ascent Law LLC
8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506
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