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Credit Consequences of Foreclosure and Deficiency Judgments

March 29, 2011 by

Foreclosure And Deficiency JudgmentsFamilies facing foreclosure are concerned about being thrown out of their homes. Credit issues and concerns about deficiency judgments are secondary. When a bank initiates a foreclosure proceeding, they file a lis pendens on the property. A lis pendens filing notifies all prospective purchasers that the property is in foreclosure. This has the effect of making the title to the home unmarketable. This means the foreclosure proceeding must be dealt with before the house can be sold.

Late Mortgage Payments

Each time a mortgage payment is paid late, the financial institution notifies credit reporting agencies concerning this late payment. When mortgage payments are not made, credit reporting agents are also provided this information. Each late payment and each non-payment has a negative effect on credit ratings.

Sale of Property

At the end of the foreclosure proceeding the home is sold. Courts usually appoint referees in New York to sell these homes. If the financial institution does not receive enough funds from the foreclosure sale to pay off the mortgage in total, they may enter a deficiency judgment against the homeowner. The deficiency judgment is the portion of the mortgage that was not paid from the proceeds of the foreclosure sale. For example, if your home sells for $200,000 in the foreclosure sale and you owe $250,000 on your mortgage, the bank can enter a judgment against you for the $50,000 deficiency. This is called the deficiency judgment.

Avoiding Deficiency Judgment

There are a variety of ways to avoid deficiency judgments. You can enter into an agreement with the bank to have a short sale. This is when the bank agrees to forgive the balance of the mortgage not covered by the sale. You can also turn your house over to the bank by a deed in lieu of foreclosure, with the bank agreeing to forgive any deficiency from the sale of your home. Should your house be in foreclosure, it is important to consult with a knowledgeable attorney to avoid being subject to a deficiency judgment.

New York Foreclosure Defense

Losing your home in foreclosure is a scary prospect. Having an experienced foreclosure defense lawyer will not only help you in court it will give you piece of mind. Our office litigates foreclosure defense matters on behalf of our clients. We attend foreclosure court conferences. We litigate all types of real estate related issues including, but not limited to, predatory lending, defective foreclosure lawsuits, defective mortgages and bad faith on behalf of financial institutions. We maintain a foreclosure blog to update the general public concerning issues involving foreclosures, mortgage modifications and real estate matters. We also file Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies to deal with foreclosure problems. Call us we can help you!

Filed Under: Current Events, Foreclosure Defense, Mortgage Modification Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

In January 2011, Fewer Mortgage Modifications Were Granted

March 25, 2011 by

Mortgage Modifications Were GrantedFinancial institutions granted fewer mortgage modifications in January of 2011 than in previous months. Throughout the country, approximately 101,000 mortgage modifications were granted in January, while more than 111,000 mortgage modifications were granted in December. Of the modifications granted in January, seventy-three thousand were modifications done with lenders and twenty-eight thousand were new modifications under the HAMP program.

Republicans seek to cancel HAMP. The Republican majority in the United States House of Representatives has approved a statute that would end the HAMP program. The democrats in Congress oppose this measure. In the unlikely event that the elimination of the HAMP anti-foreclosure program is approved by Congress, President Obama has stated he will veto this statute.

Mortgage Delinquencies Increase

While the amount of mortgage modifications went down in January of 2011, the number of mortgage delinquencies rose. There were three million home loans that were more then sixty days overdue in January of 2011.

There were 200,000 new foreclosure proceedings in January of 2011. This is down from the 230,000 foreclosure proceedings in December of 2010. In January 2011, 73,000 homes were sold in foreclosure. This was a major increase from the 56,000 homes that were sold in December of 2010.

Long Island and New York City Foreclosure Defense Lawyers

Should you be facing a foreclosure, it is important that you have high quality legal defense as early in the proceedings as possible. We provide foreclosure defense for our clients. We attend foreclosure court conferences. We litigate issues involving defective foreclosure lawsuits, defective mortgages, predatory lending, bad faith on behalf of financial institutions and other real estate matters. We assist our clients in mortgage modifications and, when necessary, we will file either Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcies on behalf of our clients. Call us at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802 for a free consultation.

Filed Under: Current Events, Foreclosure Defense, Mortgage Modification Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Foreclosures Represent 12.5% of all Real Estate Sales on Long Island

March 10, 2011 by

Real Estate Sales On Long IslandIn 2009, there were 2,836 foreclosure sales of homes on Long Island. This represented 10.7% of all sales of single-family homes on Long Island. In 2010, there were 2,571 homes sold related to foreclosure proceedings on Long Island. Even though the number of homes sold in foreclosure was less in 2010 than the prior year, the percentage of real estate transactions on Long Island related to foreclosure sales grew in 2010.

Foreclosure Home Sales Dominate the Real Estate Market in the U.S.

In 2010, 25% of all home sales throughout the United States were the result of foreclosure proceedings. It is anticipated that the percentage of home sales related to foreclosure proceedings will increase in the year 2011. It is expected that foreclosure sales will increase in 2011 because lenders are getting their act together with regard to providing their attorneys with the appropriate paper work to facilitate foreclosure proceedings through the courts.

John Fitzgerald, a real estate broker in Hauppauge, New York, whose business focuses on foreclosure transactions, stated that he has been told by lenders in New York to “get ready because there are properties coming” with regard to increased foreclosure activity on Long Island.

Foreclosure Defense on Long Island and the Five Boroughs of NYC

Should you find your house in foreclosure, we can help you. We’ll assist you in obtaining a mortgage modification. If you don’t qualify for a mortgage modification and you are sued in a foreclosure proceeding, we can represent you in court.

We will see to it that your rights are protected. We are experienced in dealing with mortgage modification programs that fail to provide the homeowner with the promised relief. We maintain a foreclosure blog to educate our clients and the general public with regard to the foreclosure crisis in the United States.

When foreclosure ensues, we attend foreclosure court conferences on behalf of our clients. We litigate defective foreclosure lawsuits, predatory lending issues, bad faith on behalf of financial institutions and defective mortgages.

Our law office has been handling real estate litigation for more than three decades. Should a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy be appropriate to deal with your financial situation, we will discuss this issue with you and assist you in filing bankruptcy, if necessary. The filing of bankruptcy will stop foreclosure proceedings from moving forward and in some situations eliminate the security interest created by second mortgages. We can also assist you in reestablishing your credit after you have been discharged in bankruptcy.

Feel free to call us at your earliest convenience at 516-561-6645, 718-350-2802 or 1-800-344-6431. Our phones are monitored 24/7.

Filed Under: Current Events, Foreclosure Defense, Mortgage Modification Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Real Estate Market

March 8, 2011 by

The Real Estate MarketFor the past few years, home prices in the large majority of the United States have been falling. I am happy to report that in an article recently published by the National Association of Realtors, it showed that in seventy-eight markets throughout the United States, representing most major metropolitan areas, housing prices have started to stabilize. Stabilization of the housing market is good news. However, stabilization is indicative of the slowing of the downward valuation of homes and not their increasing in value.

Buyers’ Market

We still have a buyers’ market for single family homes. Sellers are reluctant to commit to buying homes when home values are decreasing. Perspective home purchasers are always looking for bargains. Will housing prices continue to go down or will they rebound? No one can be absolutely sure as to when the housing market will hit its absolute bottom.

Is this a Good Time for Selling?

Are you interested in selling your home? Many prospective home sellers have kept their homes off the market with the hope that there would be a rebound in the housing market in the United States. The stabilization of the real estate market should not be considered a rebound. However, there is no guarantee homes will be worth more in the near future.

Location, Location, Location

There are three rules concerning the valuation of real estate. Those three rules are known as “location, location, location”. The valuation of real estate is a local issue. The market value of homes and commercial real estate changes from state to state, city to city, suburb to suburb and locale to locale. It could even be different from one block to the next in the same neighborhood. It behooves you if you are a purchaser to use due diligence and to become familiar with the area in which you seek to purchase a home.

The Improving Economy

Although the real estate market has been stabilizing, we are still in a recession. Will the rising stock market bring back the real estate market with it? I am hopeful, but I am also concerned that the problems in the real estate market in the United States are so severe that it may take several more years to sort this out.

house1Foreclosure Defense Lawyers in Long Island and New York

Our office assists our clients with mortgage modification applications. We are knowledgeable about the mortgage modification programs and why they fail. We maintain a foreclosure blog to update the public concerning various issues involving homes and real estate. We aggressively litigate foreclosure proceedings. We litigate defective mortgage lawsuits, predatory lending and we attend court conferences for our clients when necessary. We advise our clients with regard whether they should file a bankruptcy to deal with being behind on their mortgage and as to whether a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy would be appropriate. In the event you are behind on your mortgage or experiencing foreclosure problems, we can help you. Call us at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718- 350-2802.

Filed Under: Current Events, Foreclosure Defense, Mortgage Modification Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bank Acts in Bad Faith Regarding Mortgage Foreclosure

January 27, 2011 by

Posted by Elliot. S. Schlissel, Esq.

Justice Spinner, sitting in the Supreme Court in Suffolk County, recently had before him the case of U.S. Bank National Association v. Mathon. In this case, the bank had offered homeowners a three-month trial modification to their mortgage. The homeowners accepted the agreement and made the payments. The bank advised the homeowners, in writing, that a final modification would be forwarded to them in the very near future. The homeowners waited, and waited, and waited. They waited for an entire year. After a year had passed, they received notification from U.S. Bank National Association that their mortgage modification request had been turned down.

During the course of the one-year waiting period, the homeowners made ten additional mortgage payments. These payments were made on a timely basis and they were all accepted by the bank without protest. Thereafter, the bank made an application to the court to obtain a judgment in the foreclosure proceeding and sell the homeowners’ property. The homeowners brought an application by Order to Show Cause which motivated the bank to withdraw their request for a judgment of foreclosure and sale.

Hearing Held by Judge Spinner

Judge Spinner ordered a hearing regarding what had happened on this mortgage. The focus of the hearing was to look into whether the bank had acted in good faith or whether they acted in bad faith. If the bank acted in bad faith, the court was going to consider sanctions and other remedial measures against the financial institution. The court noted in its decision that the conduct of the bank in this matter was “rife with bad faith”. They had accepted twelve payments on a three-month trial modification. There had made the homeowner wait a year to find out that even making the twelve payments in good faith, they were getting turned down for their mortgage modification. There were both written and verbal assurances by the bank that the homeowners would receive a permanent loan modification.

Long Island and New York City Foreclosure Defense Lawyers

We defend homeowners whose homes are in foreclosure. We assist homeowners in obtaining mortgage modifications. We litigate bad faith procedures by financial institutions. We attend foreclosure conferences in court. We are familiar with the problems concerning mortgage modification programs that, instead of helping the homeowner, simply don’t work. We deal with predatory lending situations and defective foreclosure lawsuits. We are the New York Foreclosure Defense Law Firm that has presented innovative defenses for our clients. If your house is in foreclosure or you have financial problems related to your mortgage, call us at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802. We can help you save your home! Call us now!

Filed Under: Foreclosure Defense Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Foreclosure Rates Dip In November 2010

January 18, 2011 by

November 2010 marked the lowest level of foreclosure activity in the United States in the past eighteen months! This is not an indication that the economy is coming back, or that people are earning more money and homeowners are making their mortgage payments. The significance of lower foreclosure rates is most likely caused by a number of the largest banks in the country freezing their foreclosure process due to the fact that they are being investigated by attorney generals in all fifty states. The investigations concern the improper handling of foreclosure proceedings.

In the month of November 2010, 67,428 homes were taken back by lenders. This is the lowest rate since May 2009; however, as of the end of November, 980,000 homes in the United States have been lost in foreclosure sales. This is the largest amount of homes being taken in foreclosure since 2005.

Rick Shark, a senior vice president at Realty Tarc stated “It’s almost impossible to imagine we won’t break a million” (referring to foreclosed homes this year). He further stated, “Unfortunately, it’s a record that we’ll probably break next year.” Had there not been a problem with improper foreclosure procedures, it was likely that banks would have taken back 1.2 million homes in 2010.

Due to the problems seen in the courts and the investigations by attorney generals in all fifty states, banks temporarily ceased taking legal action against their borrowers who were behind on their mortgage payments. Some banks thereafter indicated they would proceed with the foreclosure process, but there are still a number of large banks who are not moving forward with foreclosures at this time.

Foreclosure Problems to Continue in 2011

Many of the factors that have been involved in this foreclosure crisis will still exist in 2011. High unemployment, falling home values and difficulty in obtaining new mortgages are several of the factors that are contributing to the current mortgage crisis.

It is estimated that almost 11 million homes, or 22.5%, of all homes that have a mortgage, were under water for the July through September quarter of 2010. This is according to housing data by the firm CoreLogic.

During November 2010, 262,339 homes received at least one foreclosure notice. Utah is now the number two state in foreclosures on a per-capita basis in the United States. It is estimated that 1 out of every 220 households in Utah received a foreclosure notice in November 2010. This is more than twice the average in the United States. Other states with very high foreclosure rates are California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Idaho, Illinois and Colorado. The foreclosure rate in New York is high, but not as high as some of the aforementioned harder hit states.

Foreclosure Defense Lawyers

If you’re behind in your mortgage or have been turned down for a mortgage modification, you need to think about foreclosure defense. The foreclosure defense lawyers at The Law Offices of Schlissel DeCorpo have been assisting their clients in dealing with foreclosure problems for more than 45 years. We also help our clients with mortgage modifications. We represent our clients in court appearances and foreclosure conferences in court. We stop the foreclosure from going forward!

We deal with defective foreclosure lawsuits, bad faith bank practices and predatory lending issues. If you have a foreclosure problem, call us at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802. We can help you!

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Foreclosure Action Dismissed, Bank Had No Standing to Sue

January 10, 2011 by

Posted by Elliot S. Schlissel, Esq.

Justice Madden, sitting in the Supreme Court of New York County, recently dismissed a foreclosure proceeding because the plaintiff financial institution had no standing to sue. The court held that they had no standing to sue because they could not document that the mortgage had been properly assigned to them. The case involved was LPP Mortgage Ltd. v. Sabine Properties, LLC.

LLP Mortgage claimed that Sabine had defaulted in making mortgage payments to them. They had accelerated the mortgage (called it due) and asked for a judgment for the entire mortgage balance.

Justice Madden noted that the complaint submitted by LLP Mortgage Ltd. did not specifically identify the original institution that granted the mortgage. It also didn’t state how the mortgage was assigned to LLP Mortgage Ltd.

The attorneys for Sabine alleged that the mortgage was originally given by Wall Street Mortgage Banks. They also claim that Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems was acting as a nominee and was not the mortgage holder filed with the Registrar of Deeds in the City of New York.

Sabine Properties contended that LLP Mortgage did not provide the courts with documentation that this mortgage had been assigned to them.The court ruled in favor of Sabine Properties. The court held that LLP Mortgage could not show the rightful owner of the note and mortgage. Sabine Properties could not show a continuing chain of title as to how the mortgage became their property. On this basis. the court dismissed the lawsuit because they had no standing to sue.

Foreclosure Defense Lawyers

Should you be facing a foreclosure situation regarding your home, it is important you have experienced legal counsel to defend you. For more than 45 years, the Law Offices of Schlissel DeCorpo has been representing individuals whose homes have been foreclosed upon. We litigate foreclosure cases. When necessary, we can file Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies to stop foreclosures from moving forward. We are adept at handling mortgage modifications as well as defending foreclosure lawsuits based on the banks using defective procedures , bad faith and assignments. We also deal with predatory lending cases. Call us should you need assistance at 1-800-344- 6431; 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802.

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Defenses to Foreclosure Proceedings

December 31, 2010 by

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: , , , , , , ,

Defense of Incompetency in Foreclosure Lawsuits

December 29, 2010 by

JP Morgan Chase sued Mr. & Mrs. Haedrich in a foreclosure proceeding in Nassau County, New York. Judge Phelan was the Supreme Court judge assigned to the case.

A guardian was appointed for the Haedrichs. The guardian moved to vacate judgments of foreclosure, as well as the mortgage and notes. The guardian alleged that Mr. & Mrs. Haedrich executed the mortgages and notes accompanying said mortgages in 1999, when they were incompetent. He claimed they suffered from a mentally debilitating condition, including dementia, which deprived them of their ability to make a reasoned intelligent decision concerning the execution of the note and mortgage.

Homeowners Competent to Enter Into Mortgage

The court held that the evidence presented did not sufficiently show that Mr. and Mrs. Haedrich were incompetent at the time of the execution of the mortgage and note. The court also held that the lender was not on notice and did not have any knowledge as to any aspect of their incapacity. The court held that the record did not present appropriate medical evidence showing the Haedrichs were rendered legally incompetent due to mental illness or for other reasons when they executed the necessary documents related to the note and mortgage at the real estate closing. The application by the guardian on behalf of the Haendrichs was dismissed.

About Our Firm

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

Should you or a loved one have questions or problems concerning a foreclosure lawsuit, please contact us at 1-800-344-6431 or 718-350-2802.

Filed Under: Current Events, Foreclosure Defense Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

NY Courts Apply New Foreclosure Rules

December 27, 2010 by
Supreme Court Justice Meyer, sitting in Rockland County, New York, had an order of reference on a foreclosure action in the matter of City Mortgage Inc. v. McGee. Justice Meyer, upon reviewing the new administrative orders of the chief judge of the New York State Courts, took note that City Mortgage’s lawyer must file an affirmation in a form prescribed by the new administrative order.

The administrative order stated that attorneys for financial institutions involved in foreclosures must include in all such filings a mandatory affirmation that they have communicated with the financial institution’s representative. The representative must have advised them they have personally reviewed the documents and records relating to the case. The personal representative from the financial institution must also have confirmed the actual factual accuracy of the paperwork and filings. Furthermore, they also must confirm that the notarization of the documents submitted by the financial institution was proper and correct.

Justice Meyer stated that “the clear intent of the new rule was to assure accountability for and accuracy of all court filings in foreclosure actions”. The Judge’s position was that after October 20, 2010, the attorney for the financial institution must file an affirmation concerning all applications made at any and all stages of new and pending foreclosure proceedings. Justice Meyer didn’t believe the documentation submitted in this case complied with the administrative judge’s order. Justice Meyer took the position that if he discovers any wrongful filing or any wrongful prosecution of a foreclosure action, it may cause him to institute a disciplinary action and/or other sanctions against the attorney submitting these documents.

Justice Meyer’s position regarding the accuracy and truthfulness in foreclosure proceedings gives defense counsel a very important tool. Now the financial institutions and their attorneys are under the gun to see to it that they have all the correct paperwork before they can institute foreclosure proceedings.

Foreclosure Defense Attorneys

The foreclosure defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Schlissel DeCorpo have been representing homeowners in foreclosure proceedings for more than 45 years. Our office takes an aggressive stand in these proceedings. We often counter sue the financial institutions because of their failure to fulfill all of their responsibilities to comply with various statutes and regulations. Our office attends foreclosure conferences in court on behalf of our clients. We assist our clients in mortgage modifications. We discuss with our clients the problems concerning mortgage modification programs. We actively pursue foreclosure defenses for our clients. We also discuss with our clients defective foreclosure lawsuits and issues concerning predatory lending.

If your house is being foreclosed, we are the foreclosure defense attorneys for you. Call us at 1-800-344-6431, 516-561-6645 or 718-350-2802.

Filed Under: Foreclosure Defense, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

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Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this website is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your particular legal issue. This is attorney advertising.