Oakland County Legal Help With Foreclosure

The Role Of Housing Counselors With Foreclosures

Homeowners who are having a problem paying their mortgages have many options to seek aid for this issue besides just typing “www foreclosure com” in Google and trying to figure it out on their own. One of these options is the assistance of a housing counselor.

A housing counselor is trained to assist people with their mortgage needs. These particular types of counselors have been trained in finding the best solutions for those in pre-foreclosure and foreclosure status. Many of these counselors can be found through local or state housing departments. In addition, many work for non-profits meaning that they offer their counseling and advice at no cost to the struggling homeowner.

When seeking the counsel of home counselor it is best to look for a HUD approved counselor. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is dedicated to helping people throughout the country obtain and maintain the American dream of owning a home.

They offer housing counseling centers all across the country where they employ HUD approved housing counselors. HUD approved counselors are specially trained to provide assistance to homeowners on such issues as purchasing a home, the necessary steps to prevent foreclosure and other housing related issues. They will be able to assist a homeowner in navigating through the foreclosure process by helping the homeowner evaluate their finances, make budgets and they can even act as a mediator for the homeowner and lender to assist in preventing a foreclosure.

HUD approved housing counselors offer all of their services for free as many work through either HUD’s Housing Counseling Program or for non-profit agencies. Many of the non-profit agencies are funded by state or local governments. There are some housing counseling programs that charge fees but per HUD these programs must be flexible with charging fees to people that have stated they cannot afford the fees and all fees must be openly disclosed prior to offering counseling services.

When seeking the assistance of a housing counselor it is advisable to bring all necessary paperwork and documentation to the appointment. Make sure to bring the mortgage and the monthly mortgage bill which details current payment, past due payments and the pay off balance. Likewise, bring financial documents such as paychecks and tax forms and if possible a letter explaining your financial situation and why you are having difficulty paying your mortgage.

Having this essential information at the appointment will give the housing counselor a firm foundation upon which to work, and is a much better option than searching “www foreclosure com”. In addition, having the necessary documentation allows the housing counselor to communicate with other parties such as referral organizations and your lender truthfully about your particular situation. Using a housing counselor can help you navigate through the perplexing obstacle of foreclosure.