Foreclosure

A situation in which a homeowner is unable to make principal and/or interest payments on his or her mortgage, so the lender, be it a bank or building society, can seize and sell the property as stipulated in the terms of the mortgage contract.

How to avoid Foreclosure

If you are having problems making your payments, call or write to your lender's Loss Mitigation Department without postponement. Explain your situation to them. Be prepared to provide them with financial information, such as your monthly income and expenses. Without this information, they may not be able to help. To avoid foreclosure, consider these three rules:

Rule #1: Contact your lender as soon as you know your payments will be late.

Rule #2: Never ignore the lender's letters or phone calls. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away.

Rule #3: Never assume your situation is hopeless