As the coronavirus has put hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work, many are struggling to pay necessary living expenses, including rent and mortgage payments. At the start of the pandemic, many states, as well as the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a temporary ban on foreclosures and evictions to help alleviate this burden.
This week, the FHFA has announced that they will be extending this ban on foreclosures and evictions through at least August 31.
The order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis offering Floridians facing eviction or foreclosure relief has been extended through July 1, 2020. The order was issued at the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to help individuals facing financial stress. Given that the economic fall-out from COVID-19 is ongoing, Governor DeSantis has extended this relief into mid-summer.
This news comes at a good time, as unemployment is still at a record high. Florida’s unemployment system has still been failing many who have applied for benefits. Thousands of individuals are still waiting to receive their unemployment so that they can pay necessary living expenses, arguably the most important of these being rent and mortgage bills.
When someone is at risk of losing his or her home, that person may be willing to take any offer, even one that sounds too good to be true. Many foreclosure scams exist, built on false promises and deception. It is important that consumers be aware of these scams and recognize the red flags in advance.
While the types of foreclosure scams vary, they do have one thing in common. They are built on false promises, and prey on financially distraught homeowners who fear losing their homes. These companies swoop in and take advantage of someone when they are at their most vulnerable and are desperate for any type of assistance.
When someone is facing a difficult financial situation, one of the main concerns that person may have is losing his or her home. If a person is not able to pay day-to-day expenses, one of the biggest bills that will go unpaid is the mortgage bill. However, if the mortgage is not paid on time for more than 180 days, the lender may decide to proceed with a foreclosure action. The key is to respond quickly to avoid losing your home through foreclosure.
The national foreclosure rate has fallen to the lowest levels seen in two decades following housing reports from July 2019. Financial experts believe this drop is due to a stronger job market and a lower unemployment rate.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate fell to a 50-year low of 3.5 percent as of September 2019 with 136,000 jobs being added to the market. In addition, the hourly earning for all employees has gone up 2.9 percent from the prior year. As Americans have more money to spend, the chances of them falling short of meeting their monthly expenses also goes down.
