Foreclosure Strategies
May 10 2018
The best way to deal with a foreclosure is to take aggressive legal action when the foreclosure laws... [Read More...]
July 28, 2015 By
New York Civil Practice Law and Rules section 3408(a)(1) requires both the homeowner and the financial institution negotiate in good faith. Lawsky finds that there is a lack of a clear definition of what is “good faith.”
Bank’s Representatives Having No Authority To Settle
In many situations, courts are confronted by bank attorneys appearing at foreclosure court conferences who do not have authority to enter into settlements or mortgage modifications with homeowners. In these situations the courts often simply keep adjourning the case until someone shows up who has greater authority to enter into mortgage modifications on behalf of the banks.
Lawsky believes the law creating foreclosure court conferences is flawed. He stated “the unintended consequences of this legal flaw are unproductive conference sessions, useless delays, waste of court resources, and most importantly, needless foreclosures.” Lawsky wants there to be new legislation which will define what negotiating in good faith means to both homeowners and financial institutions. He also feels courts should have greater authority to impose sanctions on the parties to these proceedings who do not negotiate in good faith.
Zombie Homes
Lawsky feels there is a special problem in the courts with the processing of foreclosures on “zombie homes”. Zombie homes are homes which have been abandoned by the homeowners. These homes create a blight in communities. They are vacant. Sometimes they are vandalized. Vandals remove the pipes from these homes. Lawsky wants the foreclosure process on vacant homes to be streamlined to allow them to be expedited. Lawsky has specifically suggested a new non-judicial process for either uncontested foreclosures or foreclosures on vacant homes be established.
Courts Flooded With Foreclosures
Approximately one-third of all the cases brought before the Supreme Court Civil Parts throughout the State of New York are now foreclosure cases.
Conclusion
The foreclosure process should be set up in a manner to help homeowners who have the wherewithal to keep their homes and obtain mortgage modifications.