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

In every state, including Arizona, borrowers have the option to go through foreclosure by judicial sale. This means that the auction will be supervised by a court, to make sure that the bank makes an effort to get as high a price as possible (to increase the chances that the whole balance will be covered, as well as the odds that there will be some money leftover for the debtor). In some states, original mortgages are "non-recourse loans," meaning that the lender may only recover ownership of the house in the event of default. If the house is now worth less than the balance of the mortgage, the lender has to take the loss. You should speak with a Prescott, Arizona Attorney to see if this state is one of them. However, it is almost always the case that this protection does not apply to loans that have been refinanced.

How Can I Avoid Foreclosure in Arizona?

First, and most importantly, you should not dismiss the issue. Failing to respond to foreclosure calls from your lender will not make an issue go away. You should stay in touch, and be straightforward with, your creditor as much as possible. One should remember that banks typically don't want to take your house in Prescott. 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 straightforward 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 considerable portion of your mortgage debt, and refinances the rest.

How Can A Prescott, Arizona Attorney Help?

If you are facing foreclosure, a good Prescott, Arizona real estate Lawyer can help. While keeping your home might not always be possible, an Attorney can increase your odds of success, and help you minimize the negative impact if you do end up losing your home.