Foreclosure - Top Ten Things NOT To Do

So you have been served a foreclosure complaint with a court summons.  Here is a list of the top ten things NOT to do if you receive a lis pendens.  

10.  Get the matches.  - No, that looks suspicious and could put you in criminal court instead of dealing with just a civil case.  

9.  Put all your drugs in the toilet and Flush!  Flush!  Flush!  - Nobody asked you to clean out your locker; besides, you may need those drugs.  

8.  Spend all your remaining money on lottery tickets.  - That might work, but you have a better chance of being struck by lightning.  

7.  Stop mowing the lawn.  - Upkeep your house even during foreclosure proceedings.  You still live there, and it will help the sale value of the property if you short sell it.  

6.  Stop talking to your lender.  - In a freak reversal of intuition, keep talking with your lender, keep trying to work out a deal.  Even if that lender has sent you a foreclosure lawsuit, continue to seek a modification.  

5.  Quit your job.  - Keep working as a source of income and a basis of credit.  Your credit score is going to take a hit, but if you can maintain a job, there are programs open to you for financing.  

4.  Move out immediately.  - You own your home until after the foreclosure sale on the courthouse steps, even then you usually have about ten days before the certificate of title is issued, at which point you lose ownership.  You do NOT have to move immediately once you have been served a foreclosure complaint.  If you choose to start a foreclosure defense, you have nearly a year of proceedings…and that is if your case goes badly.  

3.  Discontinue paying association fees.  - Even if you cannot make your mortgage payment, pay your association dues.  Generally the judge is more favorable towards a homeowner if the association fees are paid up.  It shows the homeowner’s interest in the value of the property through its continued upkeep.  

2.  Tear up the papers in little tiny pieces and eat them.  - Lawsuits generally cause enough distress without indigestion.  You need to answer the complaint, and quickly too because you only have 20 days once you have been served.  Now is a good time to seek legal counsel if you have not already, and to review your options.  

1.  Climb under a rock because you cannot afford legal representation.  - Fear not for behold, Legal Aid provides a wealth of justice to those who have neither.  Legal Aid information is attached with the summons, and you can visit http://www.jaxlegalaid.org/stjohns.html.  

There are a lot of dumb things you can do if you receive a foreclosure complaint, and there are a lot of smart things.  Stay positive and look for your best solution with competent legal guidance.  No one should go through foreclosure alone.  

Article from Rusty Collins Blog