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.
Thousands of Florida seniors are facing foreclosure, even homelessness due to being stuck in reverse mortgages now going into foreclosure. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), nearly 15,000 Florida seniors out of the 85,000 currently holding reverse mortgages are at risk of losing their homes.
A reverse mortgage is also often referred to as a home-equity conversion mortgage. Reverse mortgage lenders normally target individuals over the age of 62 who are living in homes with larger amounts of equity. The reverse mortgage allows the homeowner to borrow against the equity in his or her home. Instead of monthly mortgage payments, the balance only becomes due when the borrower dies, moves away from the home permanently or sells the home.
When someone receives a foreclosure notice, the first thought that often comes to that person’s mind is the fear of losing their home. A foreclosure notice does not mean that someone is automatically out of his or her home. As a homeowner in Florida, you have rights. It is important that any person in this situation understands clearly what those rights are.
Understanding the Timing
A notice of foreclosure does not mean that it will happen immediately. The homeowner has the legal right to remain in the home until the lender successfully completes all foreclosure procedures and sells the home, which can take several months, depending on the circumstances involved.
An alarming trend is emerging when it comes to foreclosures among the senior population. A number of them have been the victims of reverse mortgage schemes resulting in their homes being foreclosed on. Consumers 62 years of age and older face a unique set of financial difficulties- one of their main concerns is servicing issues with reverse mortgages, according to the Monthly Complaint Report released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Reverse mortgages allow the homeowner to borrow against the value of their home, receiving money through a lump sum, a fixed monthly credit or line of credit. However, a reverse mortgage does not require the individual to make any loan payments. Instead, the entire balance becomes due when the borrower either dies, moves away permanently or sells the home.
The problem with reverse mortgages is they can be quite expensive and complex if you need to get out of one. Additionally, many lenders put themselves out there as reputable reverse mortgage service providers while offering what are essentially scams to homeowners.
For the most part, the reverse mortgages that elderly homeowners are struggling with come from more than a decade ago when the recession first hit. All it takes is for the homeowner to miss one simple deadline or to fall behind on homeowner’s insurance payments or taxes before the lender moves into foreclose on the home.
Elderly homeowners who are at or below the poverty line and are living in urban areas, have been hit the hardest. USA Today recently published a story regarding reverse mortgages and the effects they have had on the aging population. Their study showed a notable disparity and a trend that subprime lenders tend to target certain areas where the loans are almost always doomed to fail, including fixed incomes and lower income areas.
Miami is one of the cities that has been hit the hardest. Not only does the Miami metropolitan area have pockets of neighborhoods where the population falls below the poverty guideline, it is also an area where many seniors come to retire.
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Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade Garcia McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
Related Resource: https://www.investopedia.com/mortgage/reverse-mortgage/
While the nation is seeing a drop in the number of foreclosures, Florida is seeing the opposite. For the 12th month in a row, Florida has seen a double-digit annual increase in foreclosure filings.
These figures come from a study published by ATTOM Data Solutions, which reviewed foreclosure starts from May 2018, comparing these figures to those reported in May 2019. On a national scale, foreclosure filings were down nine percent when compared to figures from May 2018. Florida, on the other hand, saw an increase in foreclosure starts of 23 percent when compared to the previous year.
As of May 1, 2019, one in every 1,238 homes had a foreclosure filing in Florida. These numbers are the third highest in the country, behind New Jersey and Maryland. Of the metropolitan areas in Florida, Jacksonville reported the second highest foreclosure rate, reporting that one in every 764 homes were involved in some stage of foreclosure proceedings.
Since January 2019, these numbers have been increasing incrementally. One of the contributing factors for these high foreclosure numbers has to do with the fact that while the cost of living in Florida has gone up, wages have stayed stagnant for several years. Not only have the cost of purchasing a home gone up, but so have insurances and taxes that come with owning a home.
Other factors leading to higher foreclosure rates could have to do with natural disasters that hit the sunshine state more than others, namely hurricanes. Depending on the severity of the storm, homeowners could lose their jobs or even their homes after a hurricane. Insurance can also skyrocket following a natural disaster, also making it difficult for the person to maintain payments on the home.
Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade Garcia McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
Related Resources:
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/06/17/florida-bucks-trend-sees-increases-in-foreclosures/
One of the biggest fears people have after going through a foreclosure is how it will hurt their chances of purchasing a home again in the future. While the effects of foreclosure can be far-reaching, it does not mean that all hope is lost for that person ever owning a home, again.
What Are the Consequences of a Foreclosure?
A foreclosure can affect different aspects of a person’s life. It can make finding and purchasing a new home more difficult. Many consumers also suffer from the hit their credit scores take from a foreclosure. Some can be hit with a surprise tax bill following a foreclosure. Even more pervasive are the emotional effects that come with a foreclosure. Our Miami foreclosure defense attorneys fight for homeowner rights, help alleviate these concerns and get you back on track financially.
Rebuilding Credit
Following a foreclosure, a consumer should expect to see his or her credit take a significant hit. If that person wishes to purchase a home or car in the future, it is important that he or she works to rebuild his or her credit so that the consumer can get loans with decent interest rates in the future. Credit can be rebuilt, although it takes time and effort. The first step is to review your credit report. Consumers can get free copies of their credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus annually. Reviewing your credit report gives you a chance to monitor your progress when it comes to improving your credit score. It can also help with making sure that no mistakes exist on the report that could hurt the consumer later.
It may seem counter intuitive, but credit can be rebuilt through using a credit card. Many consumers find success in using a secured card initially after a bankruptcy or foreclosure, which requires a deposit be paid by the cardholder. Many banks offer secured credit cards for their customers. The deposit for the card usually limits how much the person can charge on the account, but secured cards are not normally meant for the long-term. They can help a person establish a credit base before transferring to a regular credit card with a lower interest rate. If the consumer uses a credit card, it is important to ensure that the balance does not get out of control. Make sure payments are made on time. Many financial experts recommend that consumers pay their balances off in full every month to boost their credit scores.
Financing a Home
Lenders normally require a certain period of time pass after a consumer goes through a foreclosure. A mandatory waiting period for a conventional mortgage is usually seven years. However, a consumer may be able to get a mortgage sooner than seven years, depending on that person’s life circumstances and the type of mortgage he or she wants. Fannie Mae does allow a shortened waiting period of three years if the purchaser can show that the foreclosure was due to circumstances beyond his or her control, such as a sudden job loss, death in the family resulting in loss of income, or major medical crisis. The requirements for obtaining a three-year waiting period are much stricter and do require a larger down payment.
Another option is an FHA loan for consumers wishing to purchase a home after foreclosure or bankruptcy. The minimum time period between foreclosure completion to purchasing a home is three years. If extenuating circumstances exist, it is possible to request an even shorter waiting period, although these situations are rare. FHA borrowers do need to show that they have been exercising good financial habits since foreclosure to qualify for the loan, demonstrating that they are not a financial risk to the lender.
If the borrower had his or her mortgage discharged through bankruptcy instead of foreclosure, the waiting period is shorter. Fannie Mae guidelines allow a lender to approve a new mortgage for someone who had their mortgage discharged in bankruptcy to receive a new loan after four years or two, with extenuating circumstances.
Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade Garcia McMaken website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
Related Resources:
https://www.bankrate.com/mortgage/life-after-foreclosure/
