Abuse of the Homeowner
In this article I explore how the mortgage industry abuses the homeowners before and then after a bankruptcy case is filed. Our homes are supposed to be our castles, yet if we are not careful, the mortgage companies can quickly dethrone us.
During these rough economic times, many of us can find ourselves facing financial difficulties at some point. It could be that there were unexpected medical bills, a business downturn or a loss of income. Sometimes, the mortgage “momentarily” takes a backseat to the emergencies in our life.
What we have seen practiced by some mortgage servicers is that, when a homeowner gets behind in payments, the servicer begins two processes aimed at protecting its interest in the property. On one hand, it may offer the owner an opportunity to refinance/restructure the note, and on the other hand, it may initiate foreclosure proceedings.
The difficulty for the homeowner is to understand that the loan servicer could be executing both processes in parallel. This confusion is due to misrepresentations or misunderstandings occurring during the frantic phone calls between the homeowner and the different service personnel in the servicer’s customer service department. The difficulty is made worse when the homeowner does not seek legal advice early in the process for a myriad of reasons, often involving pride in being able to handle one’s own problems.
Fortunate few, however, at some point before the foreclosure make themselves get legal advice that can save their homes. For others who try to work it out on their own, they sometimes learn after the fact that their homes were foreclosed on during the time that they were sending in the piles and piles of the paperwork required for refinancing, paperwork that the mortgage company conveniently loses.
Consulting with a bankruptcy attorney early in the process when a homeowner gets into financial distress can be beneficial more often than not. Bankruptcy attorneys can quickly develop insights into your situation and can plan actions to take so that an orderly bankruptcy process is undertaken. Most people do not like the stigma of filing for bankruptcy; however, those who truly consider all options will be more likely to come up with a better plan for getting a fresh start in life while keeping their home.
Review your cash flow situation months ahead if possible. However, if you foresee a negative cash flow situation, consider talking to a bankruptcy attorney prior to using up your savings and other resources that you and your family may need to meet your basic needs. The consultation is free and there may be other options. Until you sit down with an experienced attorney, you will not know if bankruptcy can help. Come see us.