When a homeowner can no longer make payments on the house, the lender or bank will attempt to seize the property. This process, known as foreclosure, is becoming more and more common, even for those with good credit. In fact, it has been estimated that 1.5 million homes will be foreclosed in 2007. Find out how you can prevent foreclosure by reading this book and discovering the legal ways to protect your home.How to Prevent Your Home

What is Foreclosure?	p. 11
Foreclosure Myths	p. 12
The Four Main Types of Foreclosure	p. 14
The Steps of Foreclosure	p. 18
Types of Foreclosure Notices and What They Mean	p. 23
Property Documents	p. 26
The Lasting Effects of Foreclosure	p. 28
Understanding Your Loan	p. 31
Types of Mortgages	p. 32
Who Owns Your Mortgage	p. 37
Types of Loan Documents	p. 37
Steps to Avoiding Foreclosure	p. 47
What to Do and When to Do It-Developing a Timeline for Success	p. 48
Talk to Your Lender	p. 53
Negotiating With Your Lender	p. 53
Know Your Rights	p. 58
Assessing Your Finances	p. 63
Recognize Trouble When it Starts	p. 64
Identify Your Income and Your Expenses	p. 66
Are You Overextended?	p. 68
Reduce Your Expenses	p. 71
Know What You Owe	p. 72
What are You Worth?	p. 73
Check Your Credit Report	p. 74
Get Through the Crisis	p. 74
Credit Counselors	p. 75
Reviewing Your Options	p. 77
Halt the Process Before it Starts	p. 78
Reinstatement	p. 80
Commercial Mortgage Assistance Programs	p. 81
Refinance	p. 84
Sell or Offer a "Deed in Lieu"	p. 85
Declare Bankruptcy	p. 85
Options for Those in Military Service	p. 86
File a Lawsuit to Enjoin	p. 89
Forbearance	p. 89
Repayment Plans	p. 90
Loan Modification	p. 91
Assumption	p. 91
Short Sale	p. 92
FHA-/VA-Backed Loans	p. 93
Strategic Default	p. 96
Walk Away	p. 98
Borrowing What You Owe: Refinancing	p. 101
Your Existing Mortgage	p. 102
Is Refinancing the Best Choice for Me?	p. 104
Know How Much You Owe	p. 105
Get a Valuation	p. 106
Will I Qualify?	p. 107
Determining Equity	p. 111
Being Prepared	p. 112
Talk with a Broker	p. 113
Where to Find Money	p. 114
Compare Your Refinance Options	p. 115
Making an Educated Decision	p. 117
Halting Foreclosure a Legal Defense	p. 119
How a Legal Defense Works	p. 121
Tactics to Delay Your Foreclosure	p. 157
Selling Your House	p. 161
Preparing Yourself to Sell	p. 162
Getting in the Selling Mindset	p. 163
Deciding Who Will Sell the Home	p. 163
Listing Agreements	p. 165
Finding a Real Estate Lawyer	p. 168
Disclosures	p. 168
Preparing Your Home	p. 169
Finding a Buyer	p. 173
Selling in Foreclosure	p. 174
Short Sales and Foreclosure	p. 175
Making Homes Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program	p. 179
Deed in Lieu	p. 181
How a Deed in Lieu Benefits You	p. 181
How a Deed in Lieu Benefits Your Lender	p. 182
Complications	p. 184
Arranging a Deed in Lieu	p. 185
Elements of a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure	p. 187
Filing for Bankruptcy	p. 189
Types of Bankruptcy	p. 192
Is Bankruptcy Right for You?	p. 195
Proving You Are Eligible	p. 197
Where to Go for Help	p. 201
Your Family and Friends	p. 202
Another Lender	p. 202
Credit Counseling	p. 202
Real Estate Lawyers	p. 203
Foreclosure Consultants	p. 203
Your Lender	p. 204
The Federal Government	p. 205
Local and State Governments	p. 208
Beware of Scams	p. 209
Where to Look for Help and Information	p. 213
After Foreclosure	p. 215
Rebuilding Your Finances	p. 216
Rebuilding Your Credit Score	p. 218
Living in Your Home Free During Redemption	p. 219
Conclusion: Moving On	p. 221
Sample Letters	p. 223
Letter to Lender Explaining Hardship	p. 223
Letter to Lender Contesting a Default	p. 224
Letter to Request a "Short Sale" with Lender	p. 226
Letter to Request a Deed-in-lieu Arrangement	p. 227
Letter to Lender Requesting Reduction in Interest Rate	p. 229
Sample Foreclosure Documents	p. 231
Sample Notice of Complaint, or Lis Pendens	p. 231
Sample Notice of Default for Non-Judicial Filings	p. 235
Sample Answer to Notice of Complaint	p. 237
Sample Tax Lien	p. 240
Sample Grant Deed	p. 242
Sample Quitclaim Deed	p. 243
Sample Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure	p. 245
Foreclosure Laws by State	p. 247
Finances Worksheet	p. 259
Glossary of Terms	p. 261
Bibliography	p. 279
Author Biographies	p. 283
Index	p. 285
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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