bankruptcy – Page 5

Problems With Foreclosure Affirmation Requirement

January 5, 2011 by Elliot S. Schlissel

“Posted by Elliot S. Schlissel, Esq.”

Anne Reynolds Copps is the chairperson of the real property law section of the New York State Bar Association. On behalf of members in her section, she has filed objections to the Office of Court Administration regarding new requirements for attorney affirmations for foreclosure proceedings. She claims that the new affirmation requirements violates the attorney/client confidentiality privilege. She also feels that it unfairly blames New York attorneys for inappropriate practices that exist in other parts of the country.

The Office of Court Administration has recently made some minor changes requiring that attorneys must submit affirmations under penalty of perjury with regard to the truthfulness of documents that they file.

The letter Ms. Copps submitted to the Office of Court Administration questioned the preamble to the original affirmation which said “Numerous and wide spread insufficiencies in foreclosure filings in various courts around the nation.” Ms. Copps demanded that said preamble be removed. She further stated “Mandating the inclusion of this preamble in the affirmation creates an unfair and prejudicial connection between any attorney who submits the documentation and the unidentified attorneys around the nations who have allegedly committed this specific wrongs.”

The courts are now insisting that attorneys report their communications with lender representatives and attest to the best of their knowledge and belief that the statements made in all applications related to foreclosure proceedings in the State of New York be true and correct.

In a related note, Steven P. Younger, the president of the New York State Bar Association, stated that the State Bar has not rendered an official position with regard to the new requirements attorneys must meet with regard to all applications in foreclosure proceedings.

Foreclosure Defense Lawyers

The new requirements in foreclosure proceedings relate to the widespread practices that have existed in the United States in foreclosure cases. When appropriate, we counter sue the financial institution related to defective foreclosure lawsuits and predatory lending issues. We defend our clients from all types of foreclosure proceedings. We also help our clients obtain mortgage modifications. We also advise our clients as to whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcies would be the appropriate way to eliminate the foreclosure and save their home. Should you have questions regarding foreclosure defense or bankruptcy, feel free to contact us 24/7 at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802.

Also Visit – Nassau County Divorce Attorney

Filed Under: Foreclosure Defense Tagged With: attorney client confidentiality, bankruptcy, Chapter 13, Chapter 7, foreclosure attorney, foreclosure defense, mortgage modifications, New York attorneys, New York State Bar Association, NYC lawyer

Defenses to Foreclosure Proceedings

December 31, 2010 by Elliot S. Schlissel

Until fairly recently, it has been difficult to submit defenses in foreclosure proceedings. However, new information that has recently surfaced and been made public with regard to banks and other financial institutions mishandling initial paperwork regarding the obtaining of mortgages, fraud on behalf of mortgage brokers and financial institutions, the loss of important documents regarding mortgages and the generally sloppy procedures utilized by financial institutions. The new information has opened up a new wave of defenses to foreclosure proceedings.

Challenge the Foreclosure Proceedings

Homeowners and their attorneys have taken a very aggressive stance in New York in challenging foreclosure proceedings. The following are a list of some of the common defenses used in foreclosure proceedings:

1. Unconscionability of the mortgage. Unconscionability basically indicates that the mortgage was simply unfair. The terms of the mortgage must be so unfair as to “shock the conscious” of the court. A homeowner’s inability to pay the mortgage does not, on its own, make it unconscionable.

2. The failure of the financial institution to follow the appropriate procedures in the foreclosure proceeding. New York State law lays out the obligations a financial institution has to its customers. The financial institution must prove all aspects of its case to the court. The loss of documents, the failure to maintain adequate records or the failure of an employee of the financial institution (who signs the affidavit regarding the case) to have sufficient knowledge of the case are defenses to foreclosure proceedings.

Action to be Taken by Homeowner

The best thing a homeowner should do if they receive notice of a pending foreclosure proceeding is to research what attorneys in their area handle foreclosure defense. The homeowner should then have an initial consultation with the attorney and discuss how the homeowner’s rights can be protected.

Foreclosure Conferences

In New York, after a foreclosure proceeding is initiated, there must be a foreclosure conference held with the court. In the event the homeowner has a pending mortgage modification application, the court will usually adjourn the case to see if the application is granted. If the homeowner’s attorney presents a very vigorous defense, pressure can be placed upon the financial institution to be more reasonable in the granting of the mortgage modification.

About Our Firm

For more than 45 years, our law office has represented individuals in lawsuits involving creditors. We handle foreclosure defense, mortgage modifications and bankruptcies throughout the New York metropolitan area. We have had a high degree of success in fighting off foreclosure lawsuits.

Should you have questions or problems concerning a foreclosure lawsuit, feel free to call us at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802.

Filed Under: Foreclosure Defense Tagged With: bankruptcy, foreclosure conference, foreclosure defense, foreclosure proceedings, mortgage modifications, mortgages, New York State Law, NY foreclosure defense attorneys

Home Ownership Hits Lowest Level in a Decade

December 13, 2010 by Elliot S. Schlissel

There is weak demand for purchasing homes in the United States. At the same time, banks have taken a very conservative approach with regard to giving new mortgages to perspective home owners. There are also record amounts of homes going into foreclosure in the United States.Currently, 66.9% of the households in the United States own their own home. This is the lowest percentage of home ownerships in the United States in the last 10 years.

There are currently approximately 19 million homes, or 14.4% of all homes and apartments in the United States, that are unoccupied. During the past five years, there has been a significant increase in the amount of homes that have remained unoccupied.

Foreclosure Crisis

The foreclosure crisis in the United States has significantly added to the number of homes that are either unoccupied, in foreclosure or have been taken over by the bank. The real estate market in the United States is based on supply and demand. There is currently a large supply of homes that people seek to sell or that have been taken over by banks in foreclosure situations. The demand by individuals to purchase these homes is not in sync with the supply. This causes a reduction in the prices of houses being sold.

About Our Law Firm

The Law Offices of Schlissel DeCorpo is a general practice law firm that has extensive experience in handling foreclosure defense. In addition to foreclosure defense, our office handles litigation concerning defective foreclosure lawsuits. We also assist our clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, as well as preparing and submitting mortgage modifications on their behalf. Should you have a problem, feel free to contact us. Our phones are answered 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Our phone numbers are 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802, or contact us by email.

Filed Under: Current Events, Foreclosure Defense Tagged With: attorneys, bankruptcy, Chapter 13, Chapter 7, defective foreclosure lawsuits, foreclosure crisis, foreclosure defense, home ownership, lawyers, New York bankruptcy law firm, real estate market

Problems With Foreclosure Affirmation Requirement

Defenses to Foreclosure Proceedings

Home Ownership Hits Lowest Level in a Decade

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