For those who have fallen behind on their house payments, losing their home may seem inevitable. Even at the last minute, however, there are steps that can be taken in order to stop foreclosure. Although laws vary from state to state, Florida has a few options that a homeowner could execute to keep his or her home off of the auction block.
One of the ways that a person can stop a foreclosure on his or her home is to catch up on the payments. Each state has its own laws on how long into the foreclosure a homeowner has to pay the delinquent payments. This is a feasible option in states where funding is available to help those facing the loss of their home. In other states that do not have this funding assistance, however, this option is not very realistic.
Another way to stop a lender from foreclosing on a home is to apply for a loan modification. Once this paperwork is filed, the lender must stop all foreclosure proceedings until the application has been reviewed. If it is approved, the foreclosure is stopped permanently. If it is denied, the process is still on hold during any appeals, which could take months. For some, this provides enough time for other arrangements to be made.
In Florida, one might also choose to file bankruptcy if he or she is behind on the payments. A bankruptcy lawyer can walk the homeowner through the process of filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy to stop foreclosure. Once the motion is filed, the lender has to stop any proceedings or attempts to collect money and take the property. Consulting with a bankruptcy attorney could provide a delinquent homeowner with information needed to save his or her home.
Source: homeguides.sfgate.com, “Last-Minute Steps to Avoid a Foreclosure Auction“, Jayne Thompson, Accessed on July 4, 2017