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 De Witt, Iowa debtor has repeatedly failed to make their payments. When a house is foreclosed, it is normally sold at auction shortly thereafter. This is because banks normally want to get rid of the property as soon as possible, even if it means losing some money, and an auction is an simple way to do this.

In all states in the U.S., including Iowa, 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 numerous states, original mortgages (as opposed to refinanced loans) are "non-recourse" loans, meaning that the most the lender can collect is whatever the foreclosed property sells for. The bank cannot go after the debtor for the balance, if the sale nets less than the amount due. You should consult an Attorney in De Witt, Iowa to learn the details of the law here. You should also know that this rarely applies to loans that have been refinanced.

How Can I Avoid Foreclosure in Iowa?

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. You should keep in mind that banks normally don't want to take your De Witt home. They aren't in the real estate business, and expect to make money through interest on the loan, not by selling your house. If you are up-front with them early on, they will probably make a reasonable effort to accommodate your financial system if it will prevent you from defaulting.

If you can't work things out with your lender, there are other avenues. You can try a "short sale," which is when you sell your house for whatever amount you can get for it, and use the proceeds to pay your mortgage. If the house sells for less than you owe, the bank still receives those proceeds, but the remainder of the loan will be forgiven. You may also consider a "short refinance" which allows a portion of the debt to be forgiven, while refinancing the rest, hopefully under better terms.

How Can A De Witt, Iowa Attorney Help?

If you are facing foreclosure, a good De Witt, Iowa 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.