Cape Coral Real Estate Brokerage | SW FL Property

Late on Payments -- Facing Foreclosure?

 There are ways out. That's the #1 thing to know.

There are options available to homeowners who have missed mortgage payments & facing foreclosure.

Many homeowners do not realize that they could get out & save their credit too.

You have to know: The bank does NOT want your home. Especially not in the current buyer's market that most of the nation is in.  (This is true for MOST banks. I have recently ran into a few local banks who are thinking differently for some reason)

According to Freddie Mac the average cost for a bank to take back a property is $59,000! Why would a bank choose to lose so much? Wouldn't they rather work with you? Of course...

Typically, you can contact your lender & work something out. Thats the first place to start. Call them as soon as you know there may be a problem, don't wait until after you've missed more payments. Often times they will work out something with you to save you some time & money while times are tough. This may include an adjustment to your current loan or a grace period/forebearance.

If that doesn't work & you think you may risk losing your home, contact a real estate professional. Make sure you interview a few & find out what their experience with pre-foreclosures or short sales are. Some may have never dealt with this type of circumstance before.

You need to make sure you are honest with the agent so they can devise a plan for the sale of your home. Even if you owe more than the current market value, an educated agent can assist you in selling your house & saving your credit. Banks often times take a loss (also called a short-sale) on a property to avoid having to go through the expensive foreclosure proceeding. Short sales are all too common right now in our area.

Another option, if your credit is still intact, is to refinance (if you still have some equity). Again, contact a real estate professional for a referral to a mortgage broker or bank - or contact them directly if you know of someone. There may be a better loan available for you that will ease the monthly cost. Your current lender may even be willing to refinance you depending upon circumstances. Again, ASK. You don't know until you do.

The last option is to find a real estate investor who buys pre-foreclosures. Often times they have access to cash to remedy the situation quickly. Be advised though that they will be making a profit. That's expected but its something to keep in mind. Be careful if they ask you to sign a deed or trust. Have your attorney preview any/all paperwork first.

In conclusion, its pretty scary to be facing foreclosure on your home that you've worked so hard to purchase & maintain but keep in mind that there are many options available so be proactive as soon as you know there is a problem.

Don't give up until you explore all of your options.

We have assisted many homeowners with short sales and of course, traditional sales. We always advise that each homeowner contact both a real estate attorney and a tax accountant to make sure a short sale is their best option. There are other options available including deed-in-lieu, foreclosure and bankruptcy. Each comes with its own set of problems but one may be right for you if a short sale isn't.

Feel free to review our website for more information on this, or any other, real estate transaction.

To have us contact you to learn more about how short sales work -http://www.findcapecoralrealestate.com/short-sale-help