Mortgage foreclosures have always been a nasty reality in the world of personal finances. However, with the advent of creative financing and the financial climate of today foreclosures have exploded. This foreclosure explosion in the home market has not only jeopardized the personal finances of the individual, but has undermined the global economy as well. Nothing is quite so sad as a dream home being foreclosed upon and being part of a foreclosure action.
Therefore, it is critical that the individual do their utmost to avoid foreclosure. This avoidance of foreclosure can happen in a number of ways. Some of those ways include trying to get refinancing to lower one s interest rate, scrutinize one s own financial situation with the possibility of cutting back on expenses or taking on a new job, talk with the financial institution that holds the mortgage, etc.
However, the danger that one needs to be sensitive to is, if the possibility of foreclosure looms on the financial horizon, being aware of foreclosure scams. Subsequently, it is important to know what foreclosure scams are being practiced and how to best avoid foreclosures scams.
Examples of Foreclosure Scams
One example of a foreclosure scam is an agreement that is offered to an unsuspecting struggling homeowner. This agreement legally binds the two parties together and calls for the homeowner to sign their home over to the scammers.
The apparent appeal of this scam is that the homeowner then pays rent and the scammer will then pay the mortgage. In addition, the rent is usually a lower payment than the mortgage payment. The bogus promise to this scam is that the homeowners rent is applied to the person’s mortgage.
Unfortunately, this deal sounds too good to be true and it is. This is because the scammer, who has the signed title, sells the home.
How to Avoid Foreclosure Scams
The first rule of thumb in one’s effort to avoid foreclosure scams is to be knowledgeable. This knowledge on how to avoid foreclosure scams requires investigating various mortgage foreclosure offers and not signing any agreements until one knows completely what is contained in the contract.
In addition, another way to avoid foreclosure scams is to consult with trusted professionals before entering into any mortgage relief concerns. Therefore, it is important to consult with attorneys, real estate professionals or certified housing counselors.
Additionally, it is important to realize that foreclosure help can be provided at no cost to the individual who trying to prevent any possible foreclosure. Therefore, sound advice in keeping from being scammed is to beware of a plan that requires the expending of large amounts of money to avoid having to go into foreclosure.