Stopping Foreclosure in Houston and Securing Your Credit Ratings Simultaneously

The knowledge of stopping foreclosures is very crucial to people who are already in debt or periodically miss their payments. It can also come handy to people who do not regulate their finances or have less or no savings. There are many Americans who live from one month’s salary to another and whose annual expenditure is much more their yearly income. They are all susceptible to foreclosures which may snatch away their house any moment from them.

In recent times, Houston is one of the cities in the US with a large number of foreclosures happening annually. People in this Texan city are losing their homes due to lack of carefulness and often due to the lack of carefulness. The HUD in the USA is in charge of foreclosures and has laid down several guidelines to ensure that both creditors’ and debtors’ interests are safeguarded. Still, most people are unaware of the laws and protocol to be followed to stop foreclosure in Houston.

The role of honestly and negotiation is often undervalued in these cases and debtors are often reluctant to contact their creditors when behind on payments. The last thing that they would like to do is to pick up calls from their lender and tell them what is really going on. It can be quite embarrassing to let people know that you would be behind on payments but it only fair since you made a deal and are breaching a contract by not paying the money on time. The most pragmatic thing would be to sit and talk with your creditors, explain that there is a possibility of delay or that you are going through a rough situation presently and you can strike a deal with them. By coming to an understanding and explaining your situation, you can alter the conditions of the contract, get extra time and pay smaller installments.

There are many other ways of stopping foreclosure in Houston and declaring bankruptcy is one of them too; however you would need a capable property lawyer by your side. If you are significantly behind on your payments, you should file Chapter 13 or Chapter 11 bankruptcy if you want to keep the assets. While filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy will stop a foreclosure or repossession, you would have to become current on your payments right away if you want to keep your property.

Some items often repossessed by lenders include vehicles and tools. In both cases, the repossession can be devastating on the owner. Without tools, you may be prevented from earning a living. Without a car, you may have no way of getting to work. Even if the item has already been repossessed, you can get it back if the lender has not yet sold it. In Texas, you are still the owner of the item if it has not been sold. Obviously, you need to act quickly to stop the lender from selling the item and averting foreclosures. Taking professional help and not doing anything rash would also safeguard your credit ratings from falling.

Precautions Necessary If We Buy Houses In Houston Under Foreclosure

Houston is a place which has a booming realty sector which has got a boost in past years due to the growing employment opportunities and rapid industrial growth. Already the most populous city in all over Texas, the city’s realtors are always under a great pressure to provide the best accommodations to the people.

Also, the city has a lot of foreclosures happening throughout its length and breadth which provide enough opportunities for realtors to present new and fully renovated properties to people needing homes. If we buy houses in Houston which are either in foreclosure or approaching it, there are several advantages that we may get.

Firstly, people who are in foreclosure in Houston get merely 120 days (according to Texas state law) to either repay the outstanding or else lose their homes. Hence they have very limited time to collect money and save their house. By buying a house from them, you not only get a good house for a good price but also get a chance to people in need.

Secondly, defaulters have very limited options before them and one of the principle outcomes is to go for a short sale of their property. This involves a defaulter selling his/her house to pay the outstanding debt. Both debtors and creditors prefer it because both have to bear fewer costs and to a person already in arrears, hiring an agent to look for properties would not be conducive since it involves extra costs. Though the process of a short sale is quite different from how we buy houses usually as it often involves auctioning with several other competitors, it can be quite profitable and a good investment to make.

Thirdly, buying homes in Houston which are foreclosed allow buyers to go through less competition from other properties. There are lesser people interested or even familiar with them and one has to go through less number of agents.

Such properties can be brought from the banks who have lent the money or from the lenders themselves. However, there are a few precautions that one must take:  

If the defaulting homeowner is still living in the home when the auction takes place, the buyer has two potential problems to worry about, i.e. evicting the former owner, and the potential for vandalism which may be caused by enraged house owners. Also, buyers have to pay fully in cash, which isn’t an option for many people. Hence, a safer option is to buy homes from the bank itself. The bank itself pays the taxes of the property, does its repair, you can bargain with them and you do not personally have to throw out anyone. However, one should always be prepared for some extra charges on maintenance.

To get ahead of the race, you can always contact the owners directly which saves you the fee of going through an agent. Thus, with the right knowledge and precautions you can easily avail a good property in Houston within your budget and fulfill your dream of having a house in the city.

How to Stop Foreclosure in Houston, Texas and Avoid being Scammed

With the growth of the employment scene in Houston in the past few years, there has been a surplus demand for accommodations due to the purchasing capacity of the people having been increased. Since it is the fourth most populous city in America, there is always a lot of pressure on land and the demand for good plots is higher than ever.

In such situations, where the demand is much more than the supply, certain realtors and investors use unscrupulous means to meet the demand of their clients and annex good properties within their area. One of the best methods that they know to take possession of good properties at fair prices is by getting hold of properties under foreclosure.  Since buyers are nervous and often clueless about what to do in time of foreclosures, taking advantage of them is much easier. Also, the people are unaware of the laws and regulations of Texas State, which make them prone to scams. Thus, in their fight for stopping foreclosure in Houston, some defaulting homeowners very easily lose their house due to panic and carelessness.

There are many housing companies in Houston who come to defaulting homeowners in time of foreclosures. They are wolves disguising themselves in the skin of sheep and claim to help you. They claim that if you offer to try and hand over the property to them, in exchange they will help you get back your house. They also claim that after the mortgage is current they will re-sign the property back over to you, which may sound like a great offer to people in financial distress.

When you don’t know how to stop foreclosure in Houston, Texas; scammers in the form of housing councilors can also trick you saying that they have come across some secret law that can help in acquiring back your property. In reality, they are just scam artists working for a real estate company or on their own who are secretly trying to win your trust and take acquisition of your house discreetly. 

The HUD approves housing councilors only for this purpose and it is therefore safe only to take advice from approved councilors. When such ads are displayed in classifieds, one should also check if they are approved and are suitable for the job.  Choosing a bad counselor may completely sabotage your deal and make avoiding foreclosures very hard. Some of them charge a heave fee for themselves and negotiate with your lenders to come to terms which initially sound great but can be harmful in the long run.

Averting foreclosures and regaining the possession of your house is however easy if you are vigilant and well-informed. Firstly, plan you finances carefully and have enough savings for emergencies. Even if you run into any difficulty in paying the outstanding, you should explain your situation beforehand to the lender or try to make a different payment plan that works for both of you. Even a short sale is a good idea to gain pays the outstanding, improve credit ratings and get good value for the house. It is a good idea however to take help from a qualified lawyer.