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 Fremont, California debtor has repeatedly failed to make their payments. Foreclosure often requires the house to be sold at auction. Often, banks want to get rid of the property as soon as they can, in order to make as much money as possible, and move forward.

In all states in the U.S., including California, there is an option to go through foreclosure via judicial sale, in which a court supervises the sale, and makes sure that the proceeds first go to the lender, and then to any other entities that may have a lien or other interest in the property (in order of priority), and, finally, to the borrower, if anything is left. 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 Fremont, California 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 California?

Most importantly, you must not dismiss the problem. Doing so will not make it go away, and will probably make it worse. You should stay in close contact with your bank, and be forthright with them. It is essential to remember that the bank does not really want your Fremont house - they expected to make a profit through the interest on your loan, and that's what they'd prefer to do. Accordingly, they will probably make reasonable accommodations to your financial situation if it means that you will be able to make some form of payment to them.

If you believe that foreclosure is imminent, there are some other avenues. For example, you may be able to engage in a "short sale," which sometimes allows you to sell your house for whatever amount you can receive, give the proceeds to the lender, and walk away free of your mortgage debt, even if the sale netted less than the balance of the mortgage. A "short refinance" may also be an option in some cases. This allows you to have some part of the debt forgiven, while refinancing the rest.

How Can A Fremont, California Attorney Help?

If you are facing the possibility of foreclosure, a good Fremont, California real estate Lawyer can help. At the very least, they will be able to inform you of your legal options.