If you are facing foreclosure due to the inability to make mortgage payments, it is important to consider ways of avoiding foreclosure—even if you cannot remain in your home. While a number of foreclosure avoidance options may not allow a struggling homeowner to keep the house, they can prevent a damaging foreclosure sale and everything it means for the debtor’s credit. Short sales are one option to avoid foreclosure in Oak Park and throughout Illinois. If you have never considered foreclosure prevention options in the past, the prospect of a short sale can be confusing. However, our experienced Oak Park foreclosure defense lawyers are here to assist you. The following are five things to know about short sales.
Short Sales are One Option to Avoid Foreclosure
As we mentioned above, short sales are one option to avoid foreclosure. Other options may include, for example, a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure or even a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing if you are eligible. Unlike a short sale and a deed-in-lieu, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy can allow you to remain in your home and to get back on track with mortgage payments. When Chapter 13 is not an option, a short sale or deed-in-lieu can allow you to avoid dealing with the more severe consequences of a foreclosure.
Short Sales Can Still Damage Your Credit, But to a Lesser Extent Than Foreclosure
You should know that a short sale will still result in some damage to your credit. However, its effects will be much less significant than a foreclosure.
You Will Need Lender Approval to Do a Short Sale
You cannot simply decide to do a short sale on your own and move forward with the process. Instead, you will need to seek approval from the lender, and it will be critical to ensure that the lender agrees to forgive any remaining debt after the sale goes through.
Short Sales Can Take Some Time
Since short sales are complex, you should not expect that they will necessarily be quick. While short sales can happen relatively quickly, they can take many months.
Short Sales Tend to Fall Through More Often Than Traditional House Sales
If you are trying to sell your home through a short sale, it is essential to keep in mind that these are complex transactions and that there are often more routes for the lender or the buyer to back out, according to Bankrate. As such, while short sales are frequently strong foreclosure avoidance options for struggling homeowners, it is important to know that short sales do fall through with some frequency.
Contact Our Oak Park Foreclosure Defense Lawyers
Do you have questions about avoiding foreclosure or about short sales more specifically? One of our experienced Oak Park foreclosure defense attorneys can speak with you today about your options. We routinely assist homeowners with a variety of foreclosure defense strategies, including short sales, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Contact the Emerson Law Firm today for more information about how we can assist you.
See Related Blog Posts:
What is a Consent Foreclosure?
My Home is Going Into Foreclosure: Should I Consider a Short Sale or Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure?
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