Sellers take as big a hit on their credit report by going through foreclosure as giving the lender a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.
Points lost on a FICO score are:
Foreclosure or Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure
Both of these solutions affect credit the same. Sellers will take a hit of 200 to 300 points, depending on overall condition of credit. This means if a seller's FICO score before foreclosure was 680, it could dip as low as 380.
Short Sale
The effect of a short sale on a seller's credit report is identical to that of a foreclosure. The hit on your credit will show up as a pre-foreclosure in redemption status, This results in a loss of 200 to 300 points. This means a short sale with a previous FICO of 720 will see it fall from 520 to 420.
Showing posts with label Foreclosure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreclosure. Show all posts
Friday
Should I do a short sale instead of foreclose?
Short sales happen when a lender agrees to accept less than the amount owed against the home because there is not enough equity to sell and pay all costs of sale. Not all lenders will negotiate a short sale, and that is why a real estate agent or a lawyer can be a tremendous help by contacting the lender's loss mitigation department to find out.
You can't just wake up one morning and decide you're going to sell your home at a loss by asking for a short sale. It used to be that lenders wouldn't even consider a short sale if your payments are current, but that is changing. However, realize that lenders will be more agreeable to negotiation if your payments are in arrears. Plus, if you have cash assets, the lender might try to tap those accounts.
You can't just wake up one morning and decide you're going to sell your home at a loss by asking for a short sale. It used to be that lenders wouldn't even consider a short sale if your payments are current, but that is changing. However, realize that lenders will be more agreeable to negotiation if your payments are in arrears. Plus, if you have cash assets, the lender might try to tap those accounts.
How can I stop a foreclosure?
When the lender files a Notice of Default, your options are few. That is why it is better for you to call your lender before falling behind on your payments, because lenders are often reluctant to work out repayment schedules after foreclosure proceedings have been commenced.
You will be given a certain time period to bring the payments current, pay the costs of filing the foreclosure and stop the foreclosure. This is called reinstatement of your loan. If you cannot make up the missed payments and the lender will not work with you, but try these options to stop foreclosures:
Sell Your Home.
Interview real estate agents to get an opinion of market value and average DOM to sell your home. You might be tempted to hire a discount broker, but many sellers feel they need the exposure and marketing that full-service brokers offer. Compare both to determine which best meets your needs and time frame.
Consider a Short Sale.
If your home is worth less than the amount you owe, you might be a candidate for a short sale. A short sale affects credit but it's not as bad as a foreclosure. You or your agent will need to negotiate with your lender to find out if the lender will cooperate on a short sale. This is called a pre-foreclosure redeemed.
Sign a Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure
This is called deeding the home back to the lender. The homeowner give the lender a properly prepared and notarized deed, and the lender forgives the mortgage, effectively canceling the foreclosure action. Lenders tell me that deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure affect credit the same as a foreclosure.
The lender might also work an arrangement where a home owner can remain in the home until finding a place to move into. Owners in default should negotiate the right to retain occupancy, arguing that if the lender followed through on the foreclosure, an owner would still enjoy the right of possession during that procedure
You will be given a certain time period to bring the payments current, pay the costs of filing the foreclosure and stop the foreclosure. This is called reinstatement of your loan. If you cannot make up the missed payments and the lender will not work with you, but try these options to stop foreclosures:
Sell Your Home.
Interview real estate agents to get an opinion of market value and average DOM to sell your home. You might be tempted to hire a discount broker, but many sellers feel they need the exposure and marketing that full-service brokers offer. Compare both to determine which best meets your needs and time frame.
Consider a Short Sale.
If your home is worth less than the amount you owe, you might be a candidate for a short sale. A short sale affects credit but it's not as bad as a foreclosure. You or your agent will need to negotiate with your lender to find out if the lender will cooperate on a short sale. This is called a pre-foreclosure redeemed.
Sign a Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure
This is called deeding the home back to the lender. The homeowner give the lender a properly prepared and notarized deed, and the lender forgives the mortgage, effectively canceling the foreclosure action. Lenders tell me that deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure affect credit the same as a foreclosure.
The lender might also work an arrangement where a home owner can remain in the home until finding a place to move into. Owners in default should negotiate the right to retain occupancy, arguing that if the lender followed through on the foreclosure, an owner would still enjoy the right of possession during that procedure
How can I avoid foreclosure?
The best way to avoid foreclosure is to prevent the filing of a Notice of Default. Lenders do not want to foreclose but will file a Notice of Default to protect their interests, if necessary. If you know you are unlikely to meet your mortgage obligation, the first thing you should do is call your lender.
Don't put it off, be embarrassed or ignore letters from your lender because those responses will make the situation worse, not better. Depending on your particular situation and hardship circumstances, here are some options your lender might propose to you:
Make up your payments.
Lenders might agree to wait before taking legal action against you and let you work out a repayment plan that is affordable for you. This is called forbearance.
Forgive a payment.
If you can agree on a way that you will be current after missing a payment or two (without the means to pay it back), the lender might give you a break and waive your obligation. This is called debt forgiveness, and it rarely happens.
Spread out the missed payments over a longer term.
For example, if your payment is, say, $1,200 a month, the lender might let you add $100 a month to each payment for a year until you are caught up. This is called a repayment plan.
Change the terms of your loan.
If your mortgage is an adjustable loan, the lender might freeze the interest rate before it increases or change the interest rate to a more manageable rate for you. A lender might also extend the amortization period. This is called a note modification.
Add the back payments to your loan balance.
If you have sufficient equity and meet the lender's lending guidelines, the lender might increase your loan balance to include the back payments and re-amortize the loan. This is called a refinance.
Make a separate loan.
Certain government loans contain provisions that let borrowers who meet specific criteria apply for another loan, which will pay back the missed payments. This is called a partial claim.
Don't put it off, be embarrassed or ignore letters from your lender because those responses will make the situation worse, not better. Depending on your particular situation and hardship circumstances, here are some options your lender might propose to you:
Make up your payments.
Lenders might agree to wait before taking legal action against you and let you work out a repayment plan that is affordable for you. This is called forbearance.
Forgive a payment.
If you can agree on a way that you will be current after missing a payment or two (without the means to pay it back), the lender might give you a break and waive your obligation. This is called debt forgiveness, and it rarely happens.
Spread out the missed payments over a longer term.
For example, if your payment is, say, $1,200 a month, the lender might let you add $100 a month to each payment for a year until you are caught up. This is called a repayment plan.
Change the terms of your loan.
If your mortgage is an adjustable loan, the lender might freeze the interest rate before it increases or change the interest rate to a more manageable rate for you. A lender might also extend the amortization period. This is called a note modification.
Add the back payments to your loan balance.
If you have sufficient equity and meet the lender's lending guidelines, the lender might increase your loan balance to include the back payments and re-amortize the loan. This is called a refinance.
Make a separate loan.
Certain government loans contain provisions that let borrowers who meet specific criteria apply for another loan, which will pay back the missed payments. This is called a partial claim.
Can a quitclaim deed save my home from foreclosure?
Transferring ownership of a house while facing foreclosure is almost never a good idea unless a sale or refinance of the property is also taking place. The defaulted mortgage must be paid off in full or at an agreed price in order for the foreclosure to be ended. If the homeowners are simply executing a quitclaim deed in a misguided effort to save the house from foreclosure, they will quickly realize that this does nothing to affect the original mortgage, and will only leave them in a potentially much worse situation.
If title is transferred out of the homeowners' names and the mortgage is not paid off, there is a good chance that the situation will go from bad to worse. They will no longer have control over the property, and the Due on Sale clause may push up the time frame in which they need to pay off the mortgage.
If title is transferred out of the homeowners' names and the mortgage is not paid off, there is a good chance that the situation will go from bad to worse. They will no longer have control over the property, and the Due on Sale clause may push up the time frame in which they need to pay off the mortgage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)