The Ideal Pre-Foreclosure Solution

No homeowner plans to go into pre-foreclosure through default on their home loan repayments. Unfortunately many homeowners find themselves in this very situation each and every day. With worsening conditions in the economy more and more homeowners, especially those with the so called "jumbo loans" or those with variable rate ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) loans are particularly at risk for going into pre foreclosure. The good news is that there is a pre-foreclosure solution that can work for many homeowners, but it does require being proactive and acknowledging the problem as soon as possible.

The first step for a homeowner to come to a pre-foreclosure solution that will work for both themselves and the lender is to eliminate all other debt as quickly as possible. This may mean taking out a long-term fixed rate consolidation loan on all credit cards or car notes and other debts before falling behind on the house payment. Most homeowners simply ignore the warning signs of mounting debt, seeming to hope they can somehow borrow their way out. This never works, and even a consolidation loan will only work if you are also eliminating all expenses and luxuries out of your life and living as much as possible without using credit. This means getting rid of those extras such as cell phone plans that are above the basic, eliminating luxuries such a broadband internet, satellite television or expensive plans on your home phone. Most families can save hundreds of dollars per month just by cutting out those four expenses in the house. Using this pre-foreclosure solution of living well within your means helps your lender understand that you are serious and proactively working to get back on your financial path.

The second step in a mutually agreeable pre-foreclosure solution is to prove to the lender that you have the income you need to make the payments if they either modify your mortgage or refinance. This means someone in the household may need to take on an additional part time job to add to the total monthly income. Most lenders are not going to be able to work with a homeowner that has no increase in income and decrease in spending since there is no mathematical way to justify a loan or a mortgage modification.

The third step is to prepare a hardship letter for your lender, which will outline the problems in your financial history and how you have resolved these issues. A big consideration that many lenders look for is a pre-foreclosure solution that includes using a reputable credit counseling service to assist families in getting back on track financially.