Foreclosure questions, answered
Plain answers to the questions homeowners ask us most, in the words we would use on the phone.
If you were just served
I just got served with papers. What is this?
If you were handed or mailed a “summons and complaint” (the papers that start a lawsuit), a foreclosure case has been started against you.
The summons tells you how long you have to respond. That deadline is the most important thing on the page. Find it, write it down, and treat it as firm.
How long do I have to respond?
It depends on your state and on how you were served, commonly 20 to 35 days. Go by your own papers, not a general number on a website.
Does a foreclosure case mean I am losing my home right away?
No. A foreclosure is a process with stages, and it generally takes months, often much longer. Being served is the beginning, not the end.
What happens next, and when, is decided by a court or, in some states, by a process outside of court. Nobody who has not read your papers can tell you where you are in it.
What we do, and what you get
Are you attorneys?
No. We are a property research business, and our work is built for you and your attorney to use.
Then what can you actually do for me?
We research the public record around your case: the company suing you and its other foreclosure filings, the decisions your judge has published, and cases in the same court with filings like yours.
We bring it together, count what repeats, and show where your case sits among them.
What is the Homeowner Research Document?
Research and data built around your property: every filing on it, how those filings connect, the numbers behind them, and alerts when anything new is recorded.
If you are facing foreclosure, it includes a full report on your foreclosure file, organized so your attorney can work from it at your first meeting. See what the document includes.
If a sale date is coming
I have a sale date. Is it too late to do anything?
Do not assume it is, and do not wait.
Call a licensed attorney today. Call us at 516-499-1731 and say “I have a sale date” at the start of the call. If your date is within 14 days, please call rather than sending a form.
Hiring a lawyer, or acting for yourself
Do I have to hire a lawyer? Can I act for myself?
In most places a person may act for themselves in a court matter. Whether that is wise depends on your situation, and it is hard: the rules of procedure apply to you exactly as they apply to a lawyer.
Many homeowners qualify for free help from a legal aid organization, where a licensed attorney takes the matter on at no cost. Ask before you assume you cannot afford one.
Your servicer and your loan
Will you talk to my lender or my servicer for me?
No. We do not negotiate with lenders or servicers, and we do not speak for you.
You may contact your lender or your servicer directly, at any time, and you need nobody's permission. If anyone tells you to stop talking to them, treat that as a warning about the person telling you.
What is a loan modification, and can you get me one?
A loan modification is a permanent change to your existing loan's terms, made by your servicer.
We cannot get you one, and no one can promise you one. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Spotting a foreclosure rescue scam
Someone called out of the blue offering to save my home. Is that normal?
Treat unsolicited foreclosure “rescue” offers with caution, especially from anyone who found you because your foreclosure is a public record.
Warning signs: an outcome promised in advance, pressure to decide today, no written agreement to read first, instructions to stop talking to your lender, instructions to pay them instead of your servicer, or a request to sign over your deed.
If you are unsure, call your state attorney general's office, or a HUD-approved housing counselor at 800-569-4287, before you sign anything.
Foreclosure terms in plain English
I keep hearing words I do not understand. Where can I look them up?
Our page Foreclosure Terms Explained defines them in plain English, from summons and lis pendens to notice of sale.
Talk to a person.
Call 516-499-1731, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Saturday appointments are available on request. If we are with another client, leave a message with your name, your phone number, and the county your property is in, and we will call you back.
Prime Real Estate Consultants
70 Sunrise Highway, Suite 500, Valley Stream, NY 11581
customerservice@
| Monday to Friday | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Saturday | By appointment only |
| Sunday | Closed |
Free help is also available.
You do not have to pay anyone for help with a foreclosure. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies give free counseling nationwide. Call 1-800-569-4287 or visit hud.gov. Many states and counties also run free foreclosure prevention programs. We want you to know about them, whether or not you ever hire us.
If you have a sale date or a court date coming up, call a licensed attorney today.
We are not a law firm.
Prime Real Estate Consultants is a property research and consulting business. We do not practice law or represent anyone, and nothing on this site is legal, tax or financial advice. Contacting us or buying a service does not create an attorney-client relationship.
About your mortgage payments.
Nothing on this site tells you to stop paying your mortgage, and nobody should.