Foreclosure Law in California

In Yucca Valley, California, foreclosure is a legal process through which an entity which has issued a mortgage takes possession and/or ownership of the property that secured the mortgage, because the person who took out the mortgage has consistently failed to make payments on it. The property in question is usually a house.

When consumers have to deal with foreclosure, it almost always involves a home. The bank will normally take possession of the house, and then sell it at auction, to try to cover the balance of the mortgage. Banks typically want sell the property quickly, for as much money as possible.

In all states in the U.S., including California, borrowers have the option of foreclosure by judicial sale. This allows a court to oversee the sale of the property by the bank. The purpose of this is to get the house to sell for the highest price possible. While this might seem like something that would only benefit the bank, it is also a great benefit to the borrower, since it increases the likelihood that the sale will cover the full balance of the mortgage, preventing them from having to pay it.

In some states, original mortgages are considered "non-recourse" loans. This means that once the house or other property that secured the mortgage is sold, and if it sells for less than the balance of the mortgage, the lender has to absorb the loss, and cannot sue the borrower for the remainder. This typically does not apply to second mortgages or refinanced loans.

How to Possibly Avoid Foreclosure in Yucca Valley, California

It is absolutely imperative that you maintain a line of communication with your lender. Your can't expect your lender to accommodate your changed financial situation if they don't know about it. Ignoring the issue and hoping it will go away is the worst possible solution.

Throughout all this, you should remember one thing: the bank doesn't really want your house. After all, banks aren't real estate speculators, they're primarily money lenders. They stand to make a great deal of money if you are able to make your mortgage payments until it's paid off. They're likely to make much less if they're forced to sell your house.

If your financial situation suddenly changes, your lender may be willing to change the terms of your loan, at least temporarily, allowing for lower monthly payments. If this means that they will be able to get some money from you, with default as the alternative, it can become an attractive option for everyone involved.

As a last resort, you might consider a "short sale," which results in loss of the home, but it typically leads to a great deal of the debt on the mortgage being forgiven. Typically, a short sale in California involves selling the house for whatever price it can fetch. The proceeds from the sale go to the lender, and if it sells for less than what's left on the mortgage, the balance of the debt is forgiven.

Can a Yucca Valley, California real estate attorney help?

In Yucca Valley, California, dealing with a possible foreclosure is never easy. However, the assistance of a knowledgeable real estate lawyer can make the whole process much more bearable, and possibly delay or even prevent the foreclosure altogether.