Why should you avoid a foreclosure?

Real estate can be a tricky sea to navigate for homeowners, especially with respect to mortgages. Keeping up with steep monthly payments can be extremely challenging for many. The sub-prime crisis of 2008 had the economy flooded with cases of foreclosures. A foreclosure is the legal process that terminates an owner's right to a property. Foreclosures typically follow payment defaults by the borrower and usually results in the property being sold at a public auction, with the proceeds being used to cover the mortgage debt.

Impact of a Foreclosure

A foreclosure can have a severe impact on your life. The adverse impact can have several different facets, including:

• You lose the property: After having made the down-payment as well as some contribution towards your mortgage, you are left with no property in your name.

• Trauma of losing your home: You may have been living on the property. A foreclosure will necessitate that you move out. The label of being “homeless” can be extremely traumatic for you as well as for your partner and kids.

• Credit rating will deteriorate: A foreclosure tarnishes your credit record. Your credit score may be lowered by more than 300 points. Foreclosure unarguably has a devastating effect to your future credit availability. The option that you choose to take will impact your chances of securing a loan or getting credit cards for the next five to ten years.

• High interest rates: You have to list your foreclosure on any mortgage application that you make, which can significantly affect interest rates.

• Employment: Your chances of getting a job may be jeopardized because of a poor credit record. Foreclosures hamper your security clearance status, if you have one. It may be impossible to attain this status after a foreclosure. This means you will not be able to get a job in any federal or defense agency. You may find it difficult to keep a job following a foreclosure. A foreclosure can even be the reason for your termination from employment.

• You will not be eligible for any government insured loan for five to seven years after a foreclosure.

• A lender can take you to court in case the proceeds from the foreclosure are insufficient.

• Your tax liability will be higher in a foreclosure due to a higher amount of canceled debt.

It is best to seek professional guidance for your foreclosure issues. For accurate information and expert advice, please visit www.floridashortsaleshelp.com.