Colorado Court of Appeals Helps Clarify Lender Lien Priority Disputes With the downturn in the economy beginning in 2008 and corresponding uptick in lender foreclosures and collection actions, Colorado courts have been revisiting the arena of secured transactions. In certain cases, competing lenders have skirmished over the assets of a common borrower. These skirmishes can … Continue Reading
Many homeowners ask about the criteria for obtaining a loan modification through their existing lender. I have successfully assisted dozens of borrowers in obtaining modifications. This article will summarize some of the key characteristics of a successful loan modification request. However, before proceeding through these steps, borrowers may wish to contact their lender about a … Continue Reading
The Statute of Limitations on a Colorado Home Loan Default Probably Isn’t What You Think. Q: What is the statute of limitations for lenders to pursue borrowers in Colorado who default on a home loan? A: Six years. Conventional wisdom has been that collection actions had to be brought by lenders within six years from the date … Continue Reading
What the National Mortgage Settlement Means for Colorado Homeowners The National Mortgage Settlement is an agreement between five of the largest residential mortgage loan servicers and a coalition of state attorneys general and federal agencies that resolves violations in the way the banks handled loan modifications and foreclosures. The Settlement is designed to compensate borrowers … Continue Reading
Homeowners Who Faced Foreclosure May Be Entitled to More Than $125,000 for Lender Abuses If your home was improperly foreclosed on in 2009 or 2010, you may be entitled to financial relief — possibly in excess of $125,000 — as part of the Independent Foreclosure Review. But borrowers need to act quickly to apply for … Continue Reading
Co-Author: Tasha J. Power, Esq. Question: I have seen news reports explaining that banks and other mortgage lenders need to produce the original signed promissory note if the lender is going to foreclose on a piece of real estate. I’ve also heard that many lenders can’t produce the original promissory notes. Can I demand that … Continue Reading
What Happens to Debt Secured by Real Estate After A Foreclosure (or Short Sale)? When a property is sold at a foreclosure auction (or short sale) and the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to satisfy the outstanding debt on the property, there may be a deficiency, or an amount of debt remaining for which … Continue Reading
Considerations Before Walking Away From a Mortgage. The Denver Post recently published an op-ed piece entitled “The Wisdom of Walking Away from Your Mortgage,” which encourages homeowners who owe more on their property than it is worth to consider simply walking away from their mortgage(s). This article, and others like it that suggest walking away … Continue Reading
Co-Author: Mike Smeenk, Esq. At various times during the Great Recession and its aftermath, different economists have estimated that approximately 25% of American households with mortgages are “upside down.” That is, for approximately 25% of American households with mortgage debt, the debt exceeds the property’s fair market value. While these percentages vary from place to … Continue Reading
The strategies for commercial real estate loan workouts tend to be dramatically different than the considerations for most homeowners who are considering walking away from their home. Conventional wisdom gleaned from residential walk-aways does not cleanly apply to commercial defaults. While each case is different, homeowners tend to walk away from their home only … Continue Reading
