So, you’re facing foreclosure? One of the best options you have is to sell your house fast when facing foreclosure. We can help with that!

Selling a house can be a daunting process for those inexperienced in the real estate business.

However, this article will help you break down and explain all questions you might have about how to sell your house fast when facing foreclosure.

I’ll teach you how to sell a house to avoid foreclosure, how the owner can sell a house fast when facing foreclosure, how to sell your house before foreclosure and selling your house during foreclosure.

Let’s go.

What is foreclosure?

Foreclosure is a legal process which is undertaken if the homeowner fails to pay his mortgage. If you’re from San Antonio, have a look at my Texas Foreclosure Process article to fully understand the laws and the consequences of the foreclosure process in Texas.

The trick most people aren’t aware of is, that you can sell a house fast when facing foreclosure.

Here’s how.

How to sell your house fast when facing foreclosure

There are several options you have when you want to sell a house fast:

• Sell with an agent at a reduced price
• Sell to cash home buyers
• Sell for sale by owner
• Marketing sale

Sell with an agent at a reduced price

Plenty of websites will tell you how to sell a house with an agent, but not many go into how to sell with an agent at a reduced price. There are a few tricks you can consider when you want to sell your house fast when facing foreclosure.

Trick #1: Lower the commission fees

Realtors usually charge 6% or more on commission. It’s what many accept as a standard fee, however, you are often able to negotiate this fee in half.

Trick #2: Compare agent fees

Don’t go with the first agent you find just because they’re the closest to you – they might be charging fees out of this world. Instead, shop around – find someone who you feel will be willing to lower the fees and still perform an excellent job.

Trick #3: Up the value of your property

Although this might not necessarily lower your agent fees, it will help you balance it all out and keep a steady cash flow.

Sell to cash home buyers

Selling your house fast to a cash home buyer is becoming a popular option in the USA and it’s slowly spreading around the world. There are many pros that come with this decision:

• Your house can be sold in a week – if you sell with Matt Buys Houses TX, we will aim to sell in just a couple of days if necessary.
• Sell without making any repairs on the house.
• Receive a cash offer within 24 hours.
• Hassle-free sale.

Sell for sale by owner

There are many reasons why someone might not want to go through a realtor to sell their house:

• It’s expensive.
• It takes time.
• It’s a gamble.
• It depends on the season.

If you’re real estate savvy and an excellent negotiator, you can sell your house fast when facing foreclosure by selling it by yourself. The truth is, you can save more than 7% of the property value if you decide to sell a house by owner.

Here’s how you can be your own real estate agent:

• Put a value on your home.
• Obtain a flat fee listing on the MLS
• Research laws in your state.
• Hold a house viewing.
• Sell, sell, sell!

Please note that selling your own home is not for everyone – it requires plenty of business skill and some marketing experience.

But don’t you worry – just move on to the next step in this article to find out how to correctly market your property and sell your house fast when facing foreclosure.

Must-do marketing tricks to sell your property FAST

So here’s how you should market your house to sell it fast when facing foreclosure.

• ‘For sale’ sign on your front yard.
• List your property on reputable services such as Zillow or any newspaper ads if you’re looking for a local buyer.
• Start a property auction!
• Create a website for your property. Use Google Adwords to attract more users.
• Put your property website in your email signature.
• Promote your property on Facebook and Facebook real estate / house buying groups.
• Do a tour of your house on Youtube.
• Network. Network. Network.
• Word of mouth – your buyer might be living next door!
• Use flyers to attract locals.
• Advertise at your local events.
• Find property buyers in your area.
• Email campaign!
• Open and friendly communication with everyone you come in contact with – be AWESOME!

Marketing tips: Don’t overdo it. Make sure your reputation is positive – sometimes too much marketing can bring bad reputation to your property and it will make it harder for you to sell. The best option is always to start locally – just ask around, you never know what or who you might find in your area. For more information about preventing foreclosure, please read this article.

Avoid Foreclosure By Selling Your San Antonio House Before Auction

Remember: Matt Buys Houses TX can make you a cash offer to buy the house as-is. Paying cash for houses allows us to close very quickly…in as little as 2 days if absolutely necessary.

Click here to get a cash offer for your house or just give us a call at 210-596-9669. We look forward to talking with you about what options you have.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.

Many homeowners feel powerless when their bank sends them a Notice of Default and might consider filing bankruptcy to stop foreclosure on their house. Knowing that they’re behind on mortgage payments can force borrowers to seek help in unlikely places.

If government loan modifications and repayment plans are unavailable to help a homeowner stop foreclosure, they can feel like their options are limited while going through a foreclosure.

With the threat of losing their family home and the stress related to major financial hardship, many homeowners will jump at any chance to stop foreclosure, no matter at what cost. Some homeowners might feel like their best option is filing for bankruptcy, but there are a multitude of problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure.

Bankruptcy Misconceptions

One of the main reasons homeowners choose to file bankruptcy on the cusp of foreclosure is due to the misconceptions associated with bankruptcy. Through misinformation and word-of-mouth exposure, people make assumptions on the bankruptcy process that are simply not true. These common misunderstandings contribute to the problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure.

A likely misconception is that bankruptcy can stop the foreclosure process completely.

This is simply untrue.

Although declaring bankruptcy will buy time during the foreclosure process, it isn’t a permanent solution.

If bankruptcy is filed before the Notice of Sale, homeowners will experience a foreclosure bankruptcy stay. This automatic stay bars lenders from pursuing collective activities on a homeowner’s assets to repay what they already owe and begins as soon as the borrower files.

However, mortgage companies have the right to file a relief from stay.

Their case is especially strong if the borrower has already stopped making mortgage payments.

If the bankruptcy grants the motion, lenders will be able to continue with the foreclosure process. Unless a borrower is able to continue to make mortgage payments, filing for bankruptcy isn’t a reliable method to stopping foreclosure. It temporarily halts the foreclosure process; it doesn’t stop it permanently.

You Still Have to Pay Back the Loan

Another common misconception is that homeowners who file bankruptcy can keep their residential property without having to pay back their loan.

Most borrowers file for bankruptcy to obtain a discharge, or release, from personal liability for their home loan debt. However, the foreclosure bankruptcy discharge is not guaranteed and is, thus, one of the ample problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure.

The foreclosure bankruptcy discharge differs between chapters. When filing for Chapter 7, for instance, lenders have the option to object during a four-month-long grace period. They can file a motion to dismiss the case for a number of reasons and force borrowers to pay missed mortgage payments while continuing the foreclosure process.

With a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, however, homeowners can see a discharge only after successfully completing a payment plan, which usually lasts between three to five years. Before completing it, homeowners are vulnerable to foreclosure.

Amy Loftsgordon, contributor to a site all about national laws, wants homeowners to remember “that even though the borrower is no longer personally liable for the mortgage debt [with a successful bankruptcy discharge], the lender still has the right to foreclose if the borrower isn’t making mortgage payments.” Don’t count on a foreclosure bankruptcy discharge to save your home.

Foreclosure Bankruptcy Laws

Before filing for bankruptcy, knowing your state’s foreclosure bankruptcy laws is necessary. Although there are a few slight variations to the laws throughout the country, the basic regulations apply to most homeowners seeking bankruptcy to disrupt foreclosure proceedings.

The changing bankruptcy laws can be a hassle when deciding to file. Approximately a decade ago, Congress overhauled the national bankruptcy laws, effectively making it harder for many people to file.

They reconfigured Chapters 7 and 13 bankruptcy specifically. Homeowners must pass a stricter means test to qualify for chapter 7 or risk paying back some of their debt in a separate Chapter 13 filing. In addition, the new bankruptcy laws require homeowners to get credit counseling prior to filing a bankruptcy case. These new additions are costly to homeowners in need of a speedy solution to foreclosure.

Before the change in policy, most homeowners were allowed to choose the type of bankruptcy ideally suited for their specific situation. Most decided to file for Chapter 7’s liquidation method over Chapter 13’s repayment plan.

The bankruptcy law initiated in 2005 now prohibits some homeowners with reported higher incomes from utilizing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If a filer’s current monthly income is greater than the median for a household of equal size in their state, they must pass an additional means test before filing for Chapter 7. This bankruptcy law forces many homeowners to jump through time-consuming hoops before halting their foreclosure. If dealing with a foreclosure deadline, this added step can be costly.

The foreclosing bankruptcy laws requiring additional credit counseling also contributes to the problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure. Before filing for either Chapter under the new law, homeowners must complete mandated counseling with an agency provided by the United States Trustee’s office.

Although their purpose is to help struggling homeowners, these counseling sessions can hinder certain cases for bankruptcy. If the appointed counselors believe a borrower can meet monthly payments, they’re required to submit their findings to the court. These preliminary findings can be devastating to borrowers that need to stop foreclosure immediately or face eviction.

Before receiving an automatic stay from bankruptcy, filers must trek through many hurdles. These hurdles often impede a homeowner’s desire to keep their home. Although they may seem straightforward and simple, the ever-changing foreclosure bankruptcy laws and increased cost to qualify are some of the main problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure.

Foreclosure Bankruptcy Taxes

Another one of the major problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure is the current taxes aligned with selling. Homeowners must be wary of the additional costs to filing bankruptcy, especially if their goal is to ultimately save their home.

A common tax law requires bankruptcy filers to pay tax liability after receiving debt forgiveness. The principal treats any kind of financial forgiveness as a financial benefit, even if it means losing a home through foreclosure.

Homeowners are required to pay additional foreclosure bankruptcy taxes due to the federal government’s regulations, the Cancellation of Debt Income, or as a capital gain from foreclosure. If homeowners are currently struggling to pay their monthly mortgage payments, they’ll likely be unable to pay Uncle Sam, resulting in yet another incurred debt.

If a homeowner’s main focus is keeping their home despite their mortgage lender initiating foreclosure, filing for bankruptcy shouldn’t be a consideration. Filing for bankruptcy is time-consuming, the laws are constantly changing, and foreclosure bankruptcy taxes can be brutal on a homeowner’s wallet. Instead of experiencing the many problems with using bankruptcy to stop foreclosure, homeowners are advised to avoid the bankruptcy misconceptions and explore alternatives when facing foreclosure.

Are You Considering Using Bankruptcy to Stop Foreclosure

If foreclosure is looming for you, you should consider getting a cash offer from a cash home buyer. Matt Buys Houses TX has helped dozens of sellers in San Antonio sell their house before foreclosure. This has allowed them to keep the foreclosure off their credit and receive some of the equity they had in the home instead of losing it all.

If you’d like to find out how much we can offer if you decide to sell your San Antonio house fast, give us a call at 210-596-9669. We look forward to talking with you about how the process works and what we can do for you.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.

Homeowners have several options when facing foreclosure.

Loan modifications, secondary loans, borrowing from acquaintances, filing for bankruptcy, and selling are all possibilities with varying success rates.

But all foreclosure options aren’t equal. Some common methods used to avoid facing foreclosure can leave the homeowner incurring a larger debt. Other recommended strategies used to stop foreclosure require third-parties to be sympathetic to the foreclosure plight.

If halting foreclosure is a homeowner’s goal, the best foreclosure option might be the least likely.

Modifying Your Loan When Facing Foreclosure

One of the most common foreclosure options homeowners consider when facing foreclosure is modifying their pre-existing mortgage. This method consists of contacting your mortgage company and requesting one of the many loan modification programs currently out there. While this method is attractive due to its lack of major lifestyle intervention and the ability to keep your home, many homeowners can’t meet the strict modification regulations to keep the foreclosure process at bay.

Typically, loan modifications change the terms initially instituted by a loan agreement between a borrower and a lender.

The lender can change the mortgage payment multiple ways: by lowering the interest rate or late fees, extending the loan term, or reducing the original amount of the agreement. The goal is the same though. Loan modifications are used strategically to lower the monthly payment plan so the homeowner can keep making payments.

It’s an effective solution as long as a borrower is willing and able to continue payments.

There are several loan modification programs to assist homeowners in making those monthly payments. One of the most popular is the new Home Affordable Modification Program, enacted by President Obama. Also known as the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan (HASP), it allows homeowners to refinance to reduce monthly payments. This program implements a special Making Home Affordable loan modification that can be applied by lenders for homeowners at risk of facing foreclosure.

HASP, as well as most other loan modification programs, comes with mountains of paperwork and a hefty application process. To begin, a lender will ask the homeowner for a set of documents which will be assessed for general qualification. This will include a hardship affidavit in which the borrower explains the set of circumstances that led them to the inability to pay the current mortgage amount.

It also must include the reasons way the borrower will be able to pay the proposed modified mortgage. These hardship letters can be tricky and time-consuming to write and are not often accepted when considering a home loan modification.

Borrowing Money

Other common foreclosure options include borrowing money. Homeowners threatened with facing foreclosure need money fast to keep the creditors satiated. Even with a successful loan modification, borrowers need to pay their monthly payments. Often times, cash-strapped homeowners will seek help from friends and family.

Borrowing a large amount of money from friends and family is a bad idea though, especially when your home can be seized by the bank at any time. Money Crasher’s Casey Slide compiled a list of reasons why a person shouldn’t lend money to family and friends.

However, this list can be used to argue why homeowners should avoid borrowing from their loved ones too. Some of Slide’s complaints included people’s ability to be unreliable, borrowers feeling like a servant to the lender, and ending an important relationship due to a loan agreement gone wrong. At best, receiving a loan from a friend or family member will leave a homeowner indebted; at worst, it can leave them with an eviction notice and a failed relationship. Before borrowing money from loved ones, consider other foreclosure options.

Homeowners also choose to borrow money from other loan-offering entities to offset any arrears accrued by their missed mortgage payments. Attempting to pay off a loan with another loan can be dangerous for a homeowner’s credit and lead to a larger debt. It’s an ill-advised method to avoid facing foreclosure.

Facing Foreclosure & Filing Bankruptcy

Many homeowners in financial distress believe the best foreclosure option is filing for bankruptcy to stop foreclosure.

This is due to the numerous misconceptions associated with bankruptcy relief. These misconceptions allow homeowners to believe several fallacies, including bankruptcy will stop you from facing foreclosure, it’s a simple process to file, and that filers will be able to keep their home without paying what they owe on their mortgage. Unfortunately for homeowners, these blanket statements are simply untrue.

Although declaring bankruptcy will buy time during the foreclosure process, it won’t stop the process completely.

If a homeowner files for bankruptcy during the foreclosure process but before the bank sets an auction date, homeowners will be granted an automatic stay. This motion stops lenders from collecting a homeowner’s assets to repay what they owe on the mortgage.

Although an automatic stay is initiated as soon as the borrower files for foreclosure, lenders have rights to appeal this motion. Mortgage companies may file a relief from stay, especially if the borrower has already stopped making monthly mortgage payments. If the bankruptcy grants the lender’s motion, the mortgage company will be able to continue with the foreclosure process and limit the homeowner’s foreclosure options.

A major hassle when filing for bankruptcy are the laws and restrictions associated with the process. Even though all homeowners are allowed to seek the bankruptcy option, many are unable to file due to recent laws that were passed by Congress.

The new bankruptcy laws require homeowners to receive credit counseling from creditors approved by the United States Trustee’s office before filing a bankruptcy case. If the counselors believe a borrower can meet monthly payments due to any number of factors, they’re required to submit their findings to the bankruptcy court. These preliminary findings can devastate a borrower’s bankruptcy case while forcing homeowners to continually pay for a mortgage they can’t afford.

In addition to mandatory credit counseling, homeowners must pass a stricter means test to qualify for bankruptcy. The newest bankruptcy laws restrict some homeowners with higher incomes from filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Whereas outdated bankruptcy laws allowed homeowners to file for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 without restraint, the new regulations require homeowners to pass a means test if a filer’s current monthly income is greater than the median for a household of equal size in their state. This addendum to the already tedious bankruptcy laws are costly to homeowners in need of speedier foreclosure options.

Whether it’s a Chapter 7 liquidation of all debts or a Chapter 13 repayment plan, filing for bankruptcy is not a permanent solution to avoid facing foreclosure. Homeowners are not guaranteed to keep their home while risking seven years of poor credit. For borrowers that need to stop foreclosure immediately, this is not the best foreclosure option.

Selling Your Home Fast

One of the best options a homeowner has when facing foreclosure is selling their home before an auction. This allows the homeowner to pay off their mortgage and other secondary loans associated with the house, while pocketing any extra profit made from the sale. If the threat of foreclosure is imminent, selling your home as quickly as possible is the best way to avoid facing foreclosure. When a homeowner sells their property, they avoid the credit-destroying experience of foreclosure while able to pay off any lingering debts that caused their initial financial hardship. Consider a cash home buyer to sell immediately, if you’ve already received your Notice of Default. Selling before the lender regains ownership saves the homeowner time and money.

Foreclosure help comes in various shapes and sizes. While asking for help from your mortgage lender or family can be successful, homeowners are often put in precarious financial situations worsening their debt. Filing for foreclosure may also help some borrowers in need, but the heavy restrictions and general misconceptions make it an unreliable option. One of the best options when facing foreclosure is selling your home before auction and paying off your mortgage. Selling a foreclosed home can be simple and lucrative if sold to the right buyer. Weigh your options before attempting to stop foreclosure.

Get a Cash Offer if You’re Facing Foreclosure

We buy houses in Texas and can close very fast. This gives you an option if you are facing foreclosure. We are able to buy the house completely as-is so that you don’t have to make repairs or wait for them to be made.

You won’t have to wait for a qualified buyer to come along because we are the buyer!

We make cash offers within 24 hours and there is no-obligation or fee for us to do so. If you like the offer, we move forward. If you don’t, we won’t. Simple as that.

Give us a call at 210-596-9669 to see what can pay for your house today.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.

Homeowners can have a tough time trying to avoid foreclosure. Late fees, exorbitant monthly payments, and other bills can make affording your current home a nightmare. Tackle on unexpected financial hardships and you’ll almost certainly experience the foreclosure process. But homeowners aren’t alone when needing foreclosure help in San Antonio, TX. There are many programs and methods to avoid foreclosure when trying to save your home.

Government Foreclosure Help

There are several places to find foreclosure help in San Antonio, TX. Seeking foreclosure help from the government is one of the most common methods. Before contacting your lender about general loan modification, familiarizing yourself with the current initiatives enacted by the federal government can give homeowners the much-needed edge to avoid foreclosure.

One of the most common programs used by homeowners in foreclosure trouble is the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

Specifically, HAMP is used to lower a borrower’s monthly mortgage payments to make them both affordable and sustainable. The program achieves this by adjusting interest rates, extending payment terms, and reducing – or even forbearing – the loan’s principal for qualified homeowners. HAMP boasts that homeowners save approximately $500 per month on average. Half a grand can be home-saving for homeowners seeking foreclosure help.

Another loan modification plan went into effect 2013 to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Created by Federal Housing and Finance Administration (FHFA), the Streamlined Modification Initiative (SMI) is similar to HAMP by offering homeowners the opportunity to redefine their mortgage payment plan.

Unlike HAMP, however, SMI allows borrowers to qualify for mortgage relief without gathering mountains of paperwork and applying. The mortgage company must mandatorily offer SMI after a borrower misses payment deadlines before initiating foreclosure, typically between 3 and 24 months.

Before SMI modifies the loan permanently, eligible borrowers will be required to make 3 on-time trial payments. The exact terms for those trial payments will differ among homeowners, but will be based on a fixed interest rate and sent through a letter in the mail. Once the trial is completed successfully, the loan changes are permanent. The SMI may also require principal forbearance and extended payment terms for some underwater borrowers.

“This new option gives delinquent borrowers another path to avoid foreclosure.” FHFA acting director Edward DeMarco said in a press release when SMI was initially proposed. “We will still encourage such borrowers to provide documentation to support other modification options that would likely result in additional borrower savings.”

SMI was enacted to minimize losses and help financially troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure. The program specifically targets government-sponsored agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two of the leading insurers in the nation. Currently, the program works in tangent with a new government initiative enacted this year called the Principal Reduction Modification Program (PRMP).

PRMP is a one-time program for underwater borrowers that need assistance meeting monthly mortgage payments. This new program builds on the pre-existing SMI. If the homeowners can meet the lower payments and accept the lender’s final modification, the principal forbearance amount instituted by SMI will be forgiven. This means that homeowners who qualify for a PRMP will not have to pay back portions of their loans ever. It’s a greatly limited program for borrowers that need foreclosure help in San Antonio, TX.

If homeowners can’t qualify for any of the multitudes of loan modification programs or seek general consultation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers free housing counseling services. By contacting an HUD-approved foreclosure avoidance counselor, homeowners can receive information and assistance necessary to avoid foreclosure. This option can be found conveniently on HUD’s website and is no-cost foreclosure help from the government.

Foreclosure Help for Veterans

Seeking foreclosure help in San Antonio, TX can be especially easy for veterans. In addition to the government programs offered above, veterans can seek help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA not only offers ample benefits, news, and careers for active and retired servicemen and women, it provides a plethora of resources designed to keep veterans in their homes.

One of VA’s more helpful resources is the Home Loan Guaranty Service (HLGS). This program offers the assistance of more than 150 trained loan technicians situated throughout the country.

Much like HUD’s housing counselors, the service helps veterans understand how to retain their homes and avoid foreclosure with knowledge and assistance. They have some of the lowest rates in the industry while specifically targeting veterans that need government foreclosure help. Impressively, HLGS has helped nearly 300,000 veterans who were delinquent in their mortgage find a solution to avoid foreclosure.

Many veterans struggling to make monthly mortgage payments find relief in a VA streamline refinance loan. They’re similar to SMI but are restricted to homeowners that are also veterans.  Officially known as an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL), an IRRRL is a VA-guaranteed loan that lowers your interest rate. Consequently, it decreases the monthly principal and interest payments and offers veterans a better chance at making payments. Veterans are eligible for these refinance loans if their home loan is one of the special VA-guaranteed loans.

Receiving an IRRRL does not require an appraisal, credit information, or underwriting. This allows veterans to apply without restrictions, saving precious time and money during the high-stress situation of a foreclosure. Veterans are allowed to use an IRRRL to refinance an underwater home though. (Remember, being underwater means owing more to your lender than your home is worth.) The basis for an IRRRL is the existing VA loan that cannot be paid, instead of the current market value of your home. Therefore, veterans can receive a greater refinance to pay off any financial hardships keeping them from making those mortgage payments.

Foreclosure Help to Save Your Home

If the loan modification process seems too time-consuming or a homeowner isn’t eligible for the government foreclosure help, there is yet another option. Many homeowners at risk for foreclosure seek foreclosure help by contacting a company that buys houses directly. This option is not only less stressful, it’s also extremely effective when trying to avoid foreclosure.

Many homeowners assume that house buyers are solely interested in buying properties.

However, many house buying investment companies would rather offer free foreclosure help to homeowners in need than make a sale.

House buying companies know the emotional and financial stress caused by foreclosing and all sympathetic to those experiencing financial issues. They’re also unbiased; unlike your lender, house buyers have no financial stake in your loan defaulting. Before making a call to your mortgage lender, contact a house buying company to see what your options are from an unbiased point of view. Unsolicited and sympathetic foreclosure help in San Antonio, TX is always the best option.

Matt Buys Houses TX is one such house buying company in San Antonio. Give us a call at 210-596-9669 so we can help you with options to avoid foreclosure.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or as any other type of advice.