Knoxville Foreclosure Lawyers

Find the right Foreclosure attorney in Knoxville, TN

Foreclosure Law in Tennessee

In Knoxville, Tennessee is a process permitting a lender of a mortgage to take possession or ownership of the property that secured the mortgage in the first place, to cut their losses when a borrower defaults on his or her loan.

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

In every state, including Tennessee, homeowners have the option to go through what is known as a foreclosure by judicial sale. Basically, this means a court will oversee the sale of the house to ensure that the bank makes reasonable efforts to sell it for as high a price as possible (to help avoid a deficiency that the borrower may have to pay), and to ensure that any money which might be left over from the sale (after the balance on the mortgage is paid) goes to the borrower.

In a large number of states, but not all of them, mortgages are a type of loan recognized as a "non-recourse loan." While the regulations governing these loans are complex, it most basically means that, once the house is sold, and the sale price doesn't cover what the borrower owes, the lender can't go after the borrower for the remainder. They simply have to take the loss.

How to Possibly Avoid Foreclosure in Knoxville, Tennessee

It is absolutely necessary 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 you face sudden expenses, such as medical bills or a lawsuit, which put a serious but relatively short-term strain on your finances, you should notify your lender immediately. You might find that they are willing to accept lower payments, if this will prevent you from defaulting.

Finally, there is the "short sale." Normally considered a last resort, a short sale results in the borrower losing their home, but discharges almost all of their remaining mortgage debt. If the house is worth far less than the balance of the mortgage, this might be a good option. In Tennessee, when a house is sold in a short sale, the proceeds go to the lender. If it sells for less than the mortgage balance, whatever's leftover is forgiven. If it sells for more, the surplus goes to the homeowner.

Can a Knoxville, Tennessee real estate attorney help?

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

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Knoxville

Knoxville is the seat of Knox County and 3rd largest municipality in the State of Tennessee. That means a number of courts like Knox County and Tennessee State Courts are located in Knoxville. Likewise, Knoxville is home to some of Tennessee's most outstanding lawyers. Knoxville lawyers are familiar with local and Federal cases like bankruptcy, divorce, immigration, and personal injury lawsuits. Aside from the legal business, Knoxville is home to some nationally known institutions that help attract people to the city. The University of Tennessee, the Department of Energy facility Oak Ridge National Labrotory, the National Transportation Research Center, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and a number of business' headquarters. Producers of Bonnaroo Music Festival AC Entertainment, the Pilot Corporation, Sea Ray, Brunswick Boat Group, and Scripps Networks Interactive (HGTV) are all headquartered in Knoxville. That could be why Forbes Magazine named Knoxville among the "top 10 metropolitan hotspots" and "top 5 business and career" cities in the United States. Knoxville events and attractions encourage a number of tourists to visit each year. Blender magazine named Knoxville the 20 most rock and roll cities in America. It plays host to the 17 day long Dogwood Arts Festival, Kuumba Festival, and Boomsday, the largest Labor Day fireworks display in the United States.

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