September 23, 2006
Homeowners in Financial Trouble
Homeowners in Financial Trouble - There is New Hope
If you're a homeowner and you find yourself in financial distress, perhaps missing a house payment (or more than one), there are several some things you can do to avoid foreclosure.
First and foremost, don't ignore your lender. The earlier you tell your lender about your situation, the better chance you'll have of saving your home. Depending on your circumstances, the lender may offer you a couple of options.
A repayment plan tacks a portion of the missed payments onto subsequent payments. This will allow some breathing room for homeowners who have run into a short-term cash-flow problem, such as a medical emergency or an unexpected expensive repair to a car, or even the home itself.
Loan modifications are most often used when borrowers have a more serious problem, such as overextending themselves with credit or losing their jobs. The modification plan may lengthen the amortization schedule for the loan, lower the interest rate or cut monthly payments.
Of course, nobody wants to lose their home to foreclosure. Not only does foreclosure rob you of the equity you've built in your home, it can take years to undo the damage late payments and a foreclosure do to your credit rating.
That's why it's so important, when buying a home, to make sure you don't overbuy–spending more than your budget can realistically handle. To ensure against foreclosure, you should also have a reserve fund that would cover several months of mortgage payments in case unexpected events play havoc with your finances.
If you're just thinking about buying your first home, avoid some of these possible future headaches by talking to your agent and your lender before you buy, making sure you don't buy more home than you can realistically handle.
