Timothy E. Lockhart - YOU HAVE OPTIONS: YOUR GUIDE TO AVOIDING FORECLOSURE

that you can afford to make the new, lower payments.

To apply for a loan modification, get in touch with your lender’s loss mitigation department or what is also known as the “home retention department.” Check out the Making Home Affordable (MHA) website for details on everything you need to apply for a loan modification.

REINSTATEMENT

You can halt a foreclosure — and get your mortgage back on track — if you can make a single payment to pay off your delinquent amount. As soon as you are all paid up to the point where you should be, you can resume your old mortgage payment schedule and get on with your life. Keep in mind that this amount will not only be the sum of delinquent payments — it must include any fees and other expenses you have incurred because you were late. To make sure you pay everything necessary, you must contact whoever is servicing your mortgage account to receive a quote for the amount needed to cure your default. The quote will be valid through a specific payoff date. Once you have that deadline, don’t wait until the last minute to pay. You’ll be expected to pay not only the back payments you owe but also any expenses the lender incurs through the process of getting you back on track. For example, the quote might include: • all back payments you owe • current payments projected through the payoff date • late fees, if applicable • cost of any property inspections • fees or other costs for the lender’s attorney or the trustee, possibly including a recording fee for the Notice of

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