Foreclosure Listings

Courts Launch Program for Early Foreclosure Intervention

August 11th, 2008 by Jason Westmann

In New York, troubled homeowners are getting additional help from their respected state courts. In line with the state’s efforts to curb the rising foreclosure rate, a new program involving early intervention will be launched. The said program will be tested first in Queens by this summer, where foreclosure filings have soared by 223 percent compared to 2005.

New York Court, New York

According to the proponents of the program, distressed homeowners will be receiving a letter from the county office informing them that their lenders have filed a Notice of Default against them. In addition to this, the letter will also include advices for getting a lawyer or foreclosure counselor.

It is not unknown that many distressed homeowners fail to address their mortgage problems properly. Many of them choose to ignore the letters they receive from their lenders, forcing the latter to file for foreclosure.

On the other hand, there are homeowners who lack the information necessary to make informed decisions regarding their financial problems. If only they have seeked assistance from professionals or experts on the foreclosure process, they could have avoided foreclosure successfully.

Housing advocates are delighted with the state court’s decision to launch such a helpful program. Hopefully, it will be effective in slowing down the foreclosure rate and prevent the number of homes entering some stage of foreclosure from increasing. Likewise, homeowners facing foreclosure are pleased with this kind of assistance being given to them so that they could stay in their homes.

This initiative comes right after the signing of a new state legislation this week that gives troubled borrowers an additional 90 days to work with lenders and stop foreclosure. Previously, the entire foreclosure process in New York takes about 440 days. This is considered to the longest foreclosure process in the entire nation.

Mortgage Lending Industry Urged to Delay Foreclosure

August 7th, 2008 by Simon Lindsay

With the new housing legislation expected to provide relief for many troubled homeowners, it is not surprising that lawmakers are urging mortgage lenders to delay foreclosure filings until after the new law has taken effect on October 1.

Mortgage Lending Industry Urged to Delay Foreclosure

A public hearing is being scheduled on September 17 in order to measure whether or not mortgage lenders accommodated their request to hold off foreclosure. Members of the House Representative’s Financial Services Committee are hoping that forbearance demonstrated by the mortgage lending industry will give distressed borrowers more hope and somehow slow down the rising tide of foreclosures.

In addition, mortgage lenders are being called upon to review their delinquent borrowers’ loan documents as early as now and determine if any of them are qualified for the refinancing program, which is a part of the foreclosure rescue legislation. If they think that the homeowner is eligible, then lenders should really make an effort to hold off foreclosure and initiate communication with the borrower.

On the other hand, homeowners struggling with their mortgage payments should also try to contact their lenders and find out if they too, will be qualified. Among the requirements is lender’s approval to refinance the existing mortgage into a government-backed loan. The refinanced loan feature 30-year fixed interest rates, which makes paying them more manageable compared to the other exotic mortgages.

The new housing legislation is actually a first of its kind and targets about 500,000 troubled homeowners. Many state governments have even signed several forbearance legislations into law, hoping that they could further give these distressed borrowers more time to work out their mortgage problems with their lenders and comply with the requirements of the new mortgage relief program.

With everyone pitching it, the entire nation is fervently hoping that the foreclosure crisis will finally be addressed satisfactorily.

Auction of Florida Foreclosures Offer Opportunities for Buyers

August 6th, 2008 by Donald Hanz

National foreclosure rate continues to be high, resulting to decline in home prices as well as large inventories of bank foreclosures for sale. Considering that market conditions are just perfect for buyers, you can bet that foreclosure auctions in states like Florida are well-attended.

Miami, Florida

Foreclosure auctions are considered to be the best venue to own a foreclosed home. These auctions involve the sale of repossessed homes at great discounts especially since lenders are more than eager to unload these properties to avoid high holding costs.

On August 12 to 17, the foreclosure auction company Hudson & Marshall will be auctioning off almost 700 Florida bank foreclosure homes. All foreclosed properties have title insurances which have already been paid by the mortgagor/seller. Bidders who are lucky to own one of these foreclosures are required to deposit $2,500 worth of certified funds or cash.

The foreclosure auction firm is quite excited with the scheduled auction considering the increasing popularity of foreclosure properties among real estate investors and first time buyers.

Foreclosed homes offer greater return potential since they are sold below their current market prices. In most cases, the asking price is based on the mortgage debt owed on the property. For buyers, buying a home that resembles the property next door but sold at a lower price us certainly a good deal.

Of course, buyers should never forget to consider the physical condition of these properties since they are sold ‘as is’. Because of this, it is recommended that buyers set aside money for repairs and renovation. It would help that the property has been professionally-inspected before the buyer joined the auction and made the bid. Most auctions are announced and the list of foreclosure properties is included in the announcement.

In this case, an open house is scheduled on August 9 and 10, allowing interested buyers to get a glimpse of the foreclosure properties for sale. If attending this auction is not possible, buyers can still check out foreclosure homes for sale from other foreclosure brokers in the area.

Florida remains to have one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country with one filing for every 78 homes.

Foreclosure Rescue Bill: Will it Trigger Buying?

August 5th, 2008 by Jason Westmann

Many real estate experts and analysts are comparing the present housing market condition to the housing crisis experienced during the Great Depression. With the large inventory of bank foreclosure in the market, declining home price index and sluggish home sales, it is easy to conclude that the nation is in the worst crisis experienced in the housing industry.

Continue Reading: Foreclosure Rescue Bill: Will it Trigger Buying?

Foreclosure Alternatives Worth Considering

August 5th, 2008 by Simon Lindsay

It is a sad fact that the new housing law signed earlier this week will only be able to accommodate around 500,000 troubled borrowers. This means that millions of homeowners will still have to face their foreclosure dilemmas without the benefit of assistance from the government.

Among the foreclosure alternatives you can explore if you are [...]

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Will the New Housing Rescue Program Help Many Distressed Homeowners?

August 1st, 2008 by Donald Hanz

When the controversial housing bill became a law last Wednesday, millions of troubled homeowners breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the new housing legislation contains provisions that are supposedly designed to assist homeowners by allowing them to shift to government-backed mortgages.

Continue Reading: Will the New Housing Rescue Program Help Many Distressed Homeowners?

Winning the Battle against Foreclosure

July 31st, 2008 by Peter Vernon

For the Massachusetts Alliance against Predatory Lending, the foreclosure crisis has claimed enough victims. It is definitely time to perform an emergency action that will finally address the issue and help millions of distressed homeowners nationwide.

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Pets: Latest Casualties of Foreclosure

July 30th, 2008 by Peter Vernon

Animal shelters have been experiencing an increase in activity these past months as numerous distressed homeowners in the brink of foreclosure decide to give up their pets. According to the American Humane Association, there is a possibility that about 1 million pets will be given by their homeowners by the end of this year considering that the foreclosure crisis could affect approximately 4 million homes.

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Avoiding Foreclosure: How to Save on Home Repair Costs

July 28th, 2008 by Simon Lindsay

For troubled homeowners, one option that can be explored in order to avoid foreclosure is to sell. of course, this is easier said than done considering the tough market. but if you are really keen on attracting potential buyers, it would help if you spend some of your money on home repair projects that could improve your home’s value and appeal.

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California Home Defaults Slow Down

July 25th, 2008 by Simon Lindsay

For the second quarter of the year, the number of home defaults in California increased but it was less dramatic than what most experts expected. Receiving a default notice is actually the first step in the foreclosure process.

Continue Reading: California Home Defaults Slow Down