Foreclosure is a legal procedure in which a mortgage lender recoups some of its losses in the event of default by acquiring possession and/or ownership of the home that secured the loan in the first place in York County, South Carolina 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 collect as much money as possible, and move forward.

In every state, including South Carolina, there is an option to go through foreclosure by a judicial sale, which is a process in which a court supervises the sale of the property, and makes sure that the proceeds first go the to the holder of the mortgage, then to anyone else who may have a lien on the property, and lastly to the debtor 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 York County, South Carolina 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 South Carolina?

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 honest with them. It is critical to remember that the bank does not really want your York County 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 portion of the debt to be forgiven, while refinancing the rest, hopefully under better terms.

How Can A York County, South Carolina Attorney Help?

If you think foreclosure is imminent, a good York County, South Carolina 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.