Foreclosure Defense, Foreclosures

Florida Second in the Nation for Evictions and Foreclosure Moves

As the number of evictions and foreclosures have increased across the country, these types of legal actions have increased more in Florida. As a result, Florida now has the second highest rate in the country when it comes to evictions and foreclosures.

According to figures from ATTOM, American consumers are facing a significant increase in both evictions and foreclosures. They reported that a total of 324,237 foreclosures were in the court system in the U.S last year.

In 2022, a total of 204,000 American consumers reported that they were facing eviction or foreclosure in the U.S. During this year, the rate of evictions and foreclosures increased by 56 percent (56%).

Foreclosure Defense, Foreclosures, Zombie Debt

‘Zombie Debt’ Homeowners Face Foreclosure on Old Mortgages

A number of homeowners are facing the possibility of losing their homes over second mortgages that they had taken out over a decade ago. Many of these homeowners believed that their second loans were either rolled in with their first mortgage payments or were forgiven. Unfortunately, these loans did not go away and now are legally collectible, even if they are years old. This type of debt is often referred to as “zombie debt.”

What are zombie debts? Essentially these debts are old loans being pursued with new collection actions.

Foreclosure Defense, Foreclosures

Florida Foreclosure Filings Increase by 71 Percent Since 2021

Foreclosure rates in the State of Florida are on the rise by over 71 percent since 2021, according to new foreclosure data released by real estate company, ATTOM. As a result, Florida now ranks number two for the top five states with the highest level of foreclosure starts.

Rates have been steadily increasing throughout the year as pandemic relief programs have ended.  ATTOM reports that 9,284 foreclosure filings were made in the past quarter with 6,671 of these being foreclosure starts. Fortunately, foreclosure starts are still behind where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, even though numbers are starting to rise.

Foreclosures

Experts Warn of New Foreclosure Crisis in South Florida

With the federal moratorium on evictions and foreclosures set to expire, housing experts are predicting a new foreclosure crisis in South Florida.

The crisis began for many last year as COVID-19 forced thousands of Floridians out of jobs. It was not until April 2020 when the Trump Administration and many states hit the pause on all foreclosure and eviction proceedings on federally backed loans. States and the federal government extended these moratoriums throughout 2020 and into 2021. These extensions allowed individuals to remain in their homes and postpone the foreclosure process. 

Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Florida House Bill Would Expand Lienholders’ Rights in Foreclosure Cases

A bill filed this week in the Florida House, would expand the rights of lienholders in foreclosure actions.  Florida H.B. 471, proposed by State Senator Jay Fant, “Authorizes certain lienholders to use certain documents as admission in action to foreclose mortgage; provides that submission of certain documents in foreclosure action creates certain presumptions; authorizes lienholder to make request for judicial notice,” according to the language of the bill.

The bill authorizes a lienholder to use any documents from the mortgagee’s bankruptcy case that indicates an intention by the defendant to surrender the property. If the defendant does not withdraw the document in question, that document submitted along with a bankruptcy discharge, “creates a rebuttable presumption that the defendant has: 1. Surrendered to the lienholder the defendant’s interest in the mortgaged property; and 2. Waived any defenses to the foreclosure.”

The defendant’s legal remedy in such a case includes: “raising a defense based upon the lienholder’s conduct subsequent to the filing of the document filed in the bankruptcy case that evidenced the defendant’s intention to surrender the mortgaged property to the lienholder.”

The bill was filed with the Florida House on January 24, and would go into effect on July 1, 2017, if it passes.

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 website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Related Resources:

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/230882-florida-house-bill-expand-bank-rights-foreclosure-cases
http://www.dsnews.com/daily-dose/01-24-2017/florida-bill-expand-lienholders-rights https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2017/0471/BillText/Filed/PDF

Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

New Jersey Senator Introduces New Bill to Address Zombie Foreclosure “Crisis”

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ, recently introduced a bill to the Senate that addresses the nationwide crisis – zombie foreclosures. The bill is called “Preventing Abandoned Foreclosures and Preserving Communities Act of 2016.” This crisis refers to homes that sit vacant, sometimes for years, while in “legal limbo” throughout the process of foreclosure. The zombie foreclosure crisis has negatively impacted economies across the country by lowering property values in neighborhoods. According to Menendez, the vacant homes “scare away new homebuyers and investors,” which eventually impacts surrounding neighborhoods, and so on.

While introducing the new bill, Sen. Menendez stated that New Jersey had the highest foreclosure rate in the country in 2015, with 35,000 foreclosure filings. He went on to say that it also has the highest rate of vacant “zombie foreclosures,” with 4,003, according to RealtyTrac. However, his new bill would address the zombie foreclosure crisis across the country.

According to Menendez, his new bill would:

  • Require mortgage servicers to tell borrowers at the beginning of the foreclosure process they can remain in the home until state law requires them to leave
  • Require the servicer to make clear to the borrower that he or she remains responsible for the payment of any taxes, assessments, and other fees during the foreclosure process
  • Require the mortgage servicer to make prompt notifications to both the borrower and the municipality where the property is located when it walks away from the foreclosure
  • Prohibit mortgage servicers on loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and insured by the Federal Housing Administration from walking away from an initiated foreclosure unless the servicer releases the lien on the property and provides proper notice to the borrower and municipality
  • Require the Government Accountability Office and the CFPB to study and report on the prevalence and impact of abandoned foreclosures

Click here to read more on the story.

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 website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

 

Debt Relief, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

RealtyTrac Reports Foreclosure Activity “Flat” in May

Foreclosure filings, which include default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions were reported on 100,841 properties in May, a number virtually unchanged when compared to April and a decrease of 21% from a year ago.  RealtyTrac’s U.S. Foreclosure Market Report reveals May was the eighth consecutive month with a “year-over-year” decrease.

Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Nevada were the states with the highest number of foreclosure filings for the month.

A total of 42,279 properties started the foreclosure process in May, down 3% from the previous month and down 18% from the previous year, according to RealtyTrac’s report. It was the 11th consecutive month with a year-over-year decrease.

A total of 34,014 bank repossessions were completed in May, up 1% from the previous month but still down 24% from a year ago. It was the third consecutive month with a year-over-year decrease in bank repossessions.

Click here to read more on this story.

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 website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Former Miami Heat Star Glen Rice Facing Foreclosure

Glen Rice, former Miami Heat player and his ex-wife Cristy, who starred on The Real Housewives of Miami, are facing the loss of a downtown condo they still own together.  Miami-Dade County records show the couple quit making payments on the condo they purchased in 2006 as an investment, following Glen’s retirement from the Los Angeles Clippers after 15 years in the NBA.

Property records show Glen and Cristy paid $317,000 for the condo, which is on the 27th floor of the Neo Vertika building on SW 1st Ct. in downtown Miami.  Reportedly, the couple took out several mortgages on the condo totaling $500,000.

M&T Bank’s loan is supposed to be paid back at the rate of $1,401 a month.  According to the lawsuit, the Rices stopped making payments in February.  Cristy’s lawyer struck back at the bank with a defense claiming M&T has not followed the proper procedures in the foreclosure attempt.

The Rices’ originally filed for divorce in 2006.  The couple also owns a $468,000 suburban home together.  Glen Rice played for the Miami Heat from 1989 to 1995.

Click here to read more on this story.

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 website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.

Bankruptcy Law, Foreclosures, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Mortgage Balance, Default and Foreclosure

Statistics show that the wealthy may be able to stay in their homes longer after default than the average homeowner. The length of time that a homeowner may be in default before the bank takes action may depend in part on the value of the property. A new report suggests that banks may be more lenient with homeowners who live in million-dollar homes than the average homeowner with a mortgage of $250,000 or less. These homeowners have been able to stay in their homes an average of 792 days without making a payment, while a homeowner with a $250,000 mortgage will likely be required to vacate their home up to six months sooner.
The exact reason for the difference is unclear. Some speculate that several factors weigh into the bank’s decision to initiate foreclosure proceedings, including:
• The expense in maintaining these types of homes during the foreclosure process
• The greater likelihood that the wealthy individual will regain the ability to repay the mortgage in the near future
• The fact that a lot of banks do not package and sell larger mortgage loans, loans which may be made to individuals who banks feel are important citizens in the community or with whom they have a long-standing relationship.
All of these factors may play a role in the bank’s decision to initiate foreclosure proceedings.
Bank foreclosures are happening everywhere in this country. Many homeowners are faced with the reality of losing their homes. But homeowners may have options that will stop or delay the process. One of these options is filing for bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy allows debtors to get a fresh start. Essentially wiping the slate clean, individuals can start over and begin the road to recovering financial stability. Once an individual files for bankruptcy, the court implements an automatic stay. This “automatic stay” requires creditors to hold off on their collection actions while the bankruptcy is pending. Whether individuals are able to keep their homes following the bankruptcy may depend on what type of bankruptcy was filed. But often debtors are able to keep their home and vehicle so they have a place to live while rebuilding credit.
Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. 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, P.A. website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.