Foreclosure Avoidance Counseling Is Free From HUD So Why Are You Paying Fees For This?
So, I'm chilling in Home Depot the other day buying paint for my apartment when this woman who reads my blog walks up to me and starts asking about a referral to a company to counsel her on how to avoid foreclosing on her home. She tells me she's been contacted by a few firms who got her info from court records and wants to know what to do. I don't know what to do because I don't know why they contacted her and/or their relationship to her lender. I have never heard of the firms so I have no opinions about them, just a general question:
Why are you going to pay fees for "Foreclosure Avoidance Counseling" when you can get that free from HUD?
It appears none of the commercial companies that contacted her bothered to tell her that. I figure since I helped her in the paint isle I might as well pass along the info to the rest of my readers. If you are struggling to meet your mortgage payments you ought to consider hitting the government websites to discover what your options and rights are. When you are done with your overview and think you understand the process, feel free to hire the professional of your choice to help you with your issues if you believe that is the correct route for you to go. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, then educate yourself and be prepared to live with the choices you make.
Don't be afraid to ask for help but do be cautious when people start contacting you out of the blue because your home makes a commercial distressed property list.
Go to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and read up on President Obama's comprehensive Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan (HASP). There is a lot of free government info to point you in the right direction (plus your lender can send you info if you ask them directly). You shouldn't have to automatically pre-pay money so someone can send you their abbreviated version of what the government says. You are free to pay for what ever you want, but before you pay anyone anything, educate yourself so you can understand what it is you are paying for.
Here's the HUD New York page listing Foreclosure Avoidance Counseling providers and each state has their own list. I know that I wold be pissed off if someone sold me regurgitated government pamphlets I could get by clicking on a couple of Internet links in HUD.gov or the Federal Housing Administration. Research before you buy to try. Just sayin...
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