All About Debt Relief

Home Equity - Foreclosure Often Not Necessary in Current Market


While driving around your community, you may have seen signs posted on telephone poles that offer "foreclosure help." These seemingly generous offers to help financially troubled homeowners who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure are actually scams. Typically, the "help" comes in the form of an offer to buy the home for a reduced price from the homeowner. The scammer offers to pay off the homeowner's existing debt and to rent the home back to the homeowner until they can afford to buy the home back. The scam comes after the owner signs the paperwork and the offer to rent the home to them abruptly disappears, leaving the scammer with an inexpensive house and the homeowner without a house or a place to live. Fortunately, the current booming real estate market has made it possible for financially troubled homeowners to avoid foreclosure on their home and the scammers.

Foreclosure usually occurs after a homeowner fails to make his or her mortgage payments for a period of several consecutive months. Lenders are often willing to accommodate minor financial troubles from their borrowers, but sometimes, they have no choice but to evict the homeowner and sell the home. This is usually done at a public auction, as lenders place more importance on getting money back quickly than in getting the highest price the property can yield. While the national foreclosure rate has been fairly steady, it has been increasing in several states, notably Texas and Florida. While losing a home due to lack of payment is generally financially catastrophic for homeowners, the current market has offered many financially troubled homeowners a simple way out - they can sell the home.

The price of homes nationwide has skyrocketed in the last few years, and in many markets, values have doubled or ever tripled. Many homeowners now have huge amounts of equity in their homes and that equity often exceeds the amount owed on the primary mortgage. That may be little consolation to a homeowner who has just lost his or her job, but the homeowner now has another option besides watching the bank sell the home from under their feet. The homeowner can now sell the home, pay off the mortgage and often pocket some cash at the same time. In most markets, this can be accomplished rather quickly, before foreclosure proceedings take place. The debtor will no longer have a place to live, but the debt will be repaid, and he or she will often have quite a bit of cash left over. This is certainly a better option than either dealing with a scammer or losing the home to foreclosure.

Anyone with financial troubles that prevents them from making their house payments should consult with their lender first. Lenders aren't really interested in removing people from their homes unless it's absolutely necessary. Still, it is comforting to know that the current market may provide a somewhat more attractive alternative that may actually yield some cash.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a Website devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling information and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information on mortgages and home equity loans.


MORE RESOURCES:

Nigeria: N360 Billion Debt Relief Fund - So Long a Tale of Many ...
AllAfrica.com, Washington - Nov 17, 2008
This is a newly built hospital under the primary healthcare scheme sponsored by the government under the debt relief funds scheme. ...


Debt Relief for Impoverished Nations
Columbus Free Press, OH - Nov 17, 2008
Debt relief or debt cancellation gives the opportunity for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) to reprioritize funds and focus on development, ...


Legislation to target deceptive debt relief
Norwalk Plus Magazine - Nov 14, 2008
By Governor Rell's Office Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that she will propose legislation aimed at protecting consumers from the predatory practices ...


San Mateo County district attorney, California officials sue debt ...
TMCnet - Nov 12, 2008
At attorney for the companies -- which include Bills.com, Freedom Debt Relief, Freedom Tax Relief, Freedom Student Loans and Freedom Mortgage -- said the ...


Give students real debt relief
Telegraph-Journal, Canada - Nov 18, 2008
New Brunswick has a remarkable opportunity to become a leader in post-secondary education. The provincial government, in their June 2008 Action Plan to ...


Debt Relief Offers Families a New Direction in Life
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - Nov 17, 2008
Due to the advent of debt relief, many families have found themselves in a much better position than they would've ever imagined before going into debt ...


Companies offering debt- relief services can be risky
Arizona Daily Star, AZ - Nov 8, 2008
Each year, thousands of consumers nationwide sign up with so-called "debt settlement," "debt relief" or "debt negotiation" companies. ...


Commission to identify distress areas
Hindu, India - Nov 16, 2008
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Fishermen Debt Relief Commission has been empowered to identify and recommend as distressed any district or part of a ...


Summary Box: Banks ask for credit card debt relief
Forbes, NY - Oct 30, 2008
By AP 10.30.08, 5:45 PM ET CREDIT CARD CALAMITY: Consumers, even those with solid credit records, have been defaulting at high levels on their credit cards. ...


Centre brews debt relief package for marginal coffee growers
Economic Times, India - Nov 10, 2008
BANGALORE: A debt relief package for the small and marginal coffee growers is being prepared and will be finalised in another two-three weeks, according to ...
Debt-relief package for coffee industry on the anvil Economic Times
all 7 news articles

Debt-Relief - Google News

home | site map
tons-of-articles.com © 2006