A Court Bars Enforcement of Mortgage Due to Violation of Statute of Limitations

A Court Bars Enforcement of Mortgage Due to Violation of Statute of LimitationsIn a case before Supreme Court Justice Debra Silber who sits in Kings County, a homeowner brought an action for a declaratory judgment. The declaratory judgment was pursuant to Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law Section 1501.4. The homeowner wanted the court to declare that the mortgage on the homeowner’s property was not enforceable. The homeowner’s claim was it was not enforceable because the six year statute of limitations had expired. The homeowner asked Judge Debra Silber to have the mortgage cancelled, discharged an struck from the records of the New York City Register

Summary Judgment

The homeowner asked the court pursuant to a summary judgment motion declaring that on the basis that there were no issues of fact disputed that a trial would not be required on the issue of the mortgage being unenforceable due to a six year statute of limitations acted as a time bar.

Acceleration of the Mortgage

Issues were raised in this case with regard to the acceleration of the mortgage and the deceleration of the mortgage. Judge Silber granted plaintiff’s application. She found that the plaintiff had shown on her papers that she was entitled to a summary judgment cancelling and discharging the mortgage on her property. The homeowner had shown that the mortgage had been accelerated on or about April 16, 2009. The homeowner commenced her action to discharge the mortgage and have it cancelled on February 10, 2018. Since more than six years had expired, the homeowner was entitled to a judgment dismissing and cancelling the mortgage of record on her property.

schlissel-headshotElliot S. Schlissel, Esq. is a foreclosure attorney. He has been representing homeowners in foreclosure cases throughout the Metropolitan New York area for more than 45 years. Elliot and his firm actively litigates the defense of foreclosure lawsuits against homeowners. He can be reached for a free consultation at 800-344-6431 or e-mailed at Elliot@sdnylaw.com.

Reverse Mortgages Explained

Reverse MortgagesA reverse mortgage is different than a conventional mortgage. A reverse mortgage is used by seniors who own homes. It seeks to allow them to utilize a portion of the home’s equity as collateral for a loan. The loan is usually not repaid until the homeowner or his or her surviving spouse dies or permanently moves out of the home. Most reverse mortgages give the estate of the homeowner 6 months either to sell the home and pay off the balance due on the mortgage or make other arrangements to satisfy the mortgage.

The Estate and the Reverse Mortgage

In the event there is not enough equity in the home to pay off what is owed on the reverse mortgage the estate and the heirs are not liable for the unpaid portion of the reverse mortgage.

Eligibility for Reverse Mortgage

A homeowner must be a minimum of 62 years of age to be eligible for a reverse mortgage. If the homeowner does not own the home free and clear, all existing prior mortgages must be paid off from the proceeds of the reverse mortgage. If there are other liens or judgments, they also must be paid from the reverse mortgage. There are also financial eligibility requirements necessary to obtain a reverse mortgage.

Obligations Involving Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages are usually only given on homes which are an individual’s primary residence. The homeowner is responsible for paying the property taxes on the home. In addition the homeowner must pay for the homeowner’s insurance and maintain the home according federal housing administration requirements.

Estate Issues

When both of the homeowners die or when the home is no longer the primary residence of either of the homeowners for a period in excess of a year the reverse mortgage can be called due. At that point the homeowners or the estate of the homeowners can either repay the reverse mortgage or have the house listed for sale. If upon the sale of the home more funds are received than are owed on the reverse mortgage, the balance of the funds received over and above the repayment of the reverse mortgage belong to the estate. If there are not sufficient funds to pay off the reverse mortgage, the bank loses out and can’t recover the portion of the amount owed which is in excess of the sale price of the home.

Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You

A reverse mortgage allows senior homeowners to access funds which are tied up in the equity of their homes. Sometimes this is an appropriate action to be taken. However, it is not always appropriate. A reverse mortgage will not give the homeowner access to 100% of the funds in the house. Reverse mortgages usually only give the homeowner 60 or 70% of the funds related to the equity in the house. In some cases it is simply better for the homeowner to sell the home, rent an apartment and move into a less expensive residence.

schlissel-headshotElliot S. Schlissel, Esq. is a foreclosure attorney who has been representing homeowners with regard to reverse mortgages, foreclosures and other real estate related issues for more than 3 decades. He can be reached for a free consultation at 800-344-6431 or e-mailed at Elliot@sdnylaw.com.

The Fantasy of Pre-approval of Mortgages

Pre-approval for mortgages is a fantasy. At our law office, our clients have been coming to us for years and advising us that they’ve spoken to their mortgage broker and they’ve been pre-approved. Pre-approval is a marketing device for mortgage brokers and financial institutions. It does not mean that you will receive a mortgage!Pre-approval is usually subject to underwriting, credit checks, validation of financial information and all types of other prerequisites. The following is an example of how pre-approval really works:

The prospective homeowner goes into the financial institution. A salesperson tells the perspective homeowner that he or she has been pre-approved for a mortgage. Based on this information, the prospective homeowner finds a house to buy and enters into a real estate contract. The financial institution does credit checks, checks employment, and thereafter underwrites the loan.

In the end, the financial institution can turn down the mortgage for numerous reasons, including not fulfilling the obligations of the underwriting process or by simply stating that the pre-approval was for only a limited period of time and that the prospective purchaser has exceeded that period of time in going from contract to closing on the transaction. This leaves the homeowner high and dry. You don’t have your mortgage until you are sitting at the closing table and the check from your financial institution is given to the seller.

Nassau County Foreclosure Defense Lawyer

Our law firm deals with the following issues: mortgage modification programs, foreclosure, court conferences, foreclosure litigation, defective mortgage foreclosure lawsuits, predatory lending issues, bad faith by financial institutions, defective mortgages and real estate issues in general. We also deal with the filing of Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Chapter 13 bankruptcy, re-establishing credit and stopping foreclosures. Should you have any of these problems, call us! We can help you.

Defenses to Foreclosure Proceedings

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.

Foreclosure Defense in Valley Stream, Lynbrook, Baldwin, Malverne, Freeport, Oceanside, Long Beach, Elmont, Lakeview, West Hempstead, Hempstead, Merrick and Bellmore, New York

We represent individuals throughout the New York Metropolitan area with divorce and child custody, personal injury, car accident, wrongful death, estate administration, nursing home and medicaid issues

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.

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