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 San Joaquin, 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 gather as much money as possible, and move forward.

In all states in the U.S., including California, 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 some states, original mortgages are treated as "non-recourse" loans, meaning that, at most, the lender can take possession of the house in the event of foreclosure, even if it is worth less than the amount due. The bank cannot go after the borrower for the remaining balance once it sells the house. You should consult an Attorney in San Joaquin, California to find out if this is the case here. This normally does not apply if the mortgage has 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 straightforward with them. It is important to remember that the bank does not really want your San Joaquin 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 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. You may also consider a "short refinance" which allows a part of the debt to be forgiven, and lets you refinance the rest.

How Can A San Joaquin, California Attorney Help?

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