What is Foreclosure in Mobile, Alabama?

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Foreclosure is the legal procedure by which the lender in a mortgage arrangement takes possession of the property (typically a house) that secured the loan. This is done when the Mobile, Alabama debtor has repeatedly failed to make their payments. Foreclosure typically requires the house to be sold at an auction. Typically, banks want to rid themselves of the property as soon as they can, in order to gather as much money as possible.

In all states in the U.S., including Alabama, foreclosure by judicial sale is allowed. Under this system, the sale is overseen by a court of law, to ensure that the bank makes a good effort to get a reasonable price at the auction, and that any proceeds above the balance of the mortgage go back to the borrower. In many states, original mortgages are considered non-recourse loans, meaning that if the house is foreclosed and sold for less than the borrower owes, the bank cannot go after the debtor for the remainder. You should consult with an Lawyer in Mobile, Alabama to see if this is the case. However, this typically doesn't apply if the mortgage has been refinanced.

How Can I Avoid Foreclosure in Alabama?

First and foremost, you should not dismiss the possibility of foreclosure. Failing to respond to collection calls from your lender will not make the problem go away. As unpleasant as this may seem, you should stay in contact with your creditor, and be forthright with them. One should remember that banks usually don't want to take your house in Mobile. They issued your mortgage expecting to earn a profit on the interest. Taking possession of, and selling, your house is a last resort for them. Therefore, if you are forthright with them about your financial situation, they are likely to make reasonable accommodations to keep you from defaulting.

If you can't work anything out with your lender, or have become totally unable to make any mortgage payments, a "short sale" might be a good option. This allows you to sell your house for whatever price it can get, and hand the proceeds over to the lender. If the sale price is less than the balance of the loan, the rest of the debt may be forgiven. There is also the option of a "short refinance," which forgives a substantial portion of your mortgage debt, and refinances the rest.

How Can A Mobile, Alabama Attorney Help?

If you think foreclosure is imminent, a good Mobile, Alabama Lawyer may be your best hope for staving it off. Even if keeping the house proves impossible, a good Attorney can minimize the financial effects.

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Life in Mobile

Mobile is unsurprisingly the seat of Mobile County. You may not know, however, that Mobile is the largest municipality on the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and St. Petersburg, Florida. In fact, over 400,000 residents live in Mobile, which was the first state capital of Louisiana. Mobile is also famous for being a Gulf Coast cultural hub. the city boasts the oldest organized celebrations like Carnival and Mardi Gras.

Tourism plays a major role in the Mobile economy. At Battleship Memorial park you can tour the USS Alabama battleship from WWII and Korean War submarine the USS Drum. The Mobile Carnival Museum offers Mardi Gras history and memorabilia like floats and costumes. A number of historic antebellum house museums like the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion from 1855 can be found in Mobile as well. A few of the other exciting attractions to which tourists flock consist of the Gulf Coast Exploratoreum, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and Mobile Botanical Gardens that earn the city's nickname the "Azalea City."

Mobile is known nationally as a hub for business. Mobile industries include steel fabrication and building, aerospace, retail, medicine, manufacturing and transportation. The Alabama State Docks recently underwent a million expansion project that provided new jobs. Additionally, Mobile's Austal USA shipbuilding company will be trusted with constructing U.S. Forces vessels after winning another multi-billion dollar defense contract with the United States Government in late 2010.