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Real Estate News and Advice |
September 5, 2008 |
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Take Action Early to Avoid Foreclosure
by Phoebe Chongchua
Foreclosure -- it's a word that conjures up awful feelings in homeowners and is getting plenty of national attention. In the last five years, 2.9 million U.S. households have experienced foreclosure. Obviously, it is a devastating event for the homeowners; but communities suffer as well -- cities lose up to $33,000 per foreclosed home, according to the Homeownership Preservation Foundation. In San Diego, California 0.3 percent of households were in foreclosure in 2005. Cleveland, Ohio had the most foreclosures with 9.83 percent and Flagstaff, Arizona -- the fewest with 0.10 percent. The nonprofit foundation was founded in 2004 to educate homeowners and prevent foreclosures. "Oftentimes people call us when they're already six months behind and options are more limited," says Dean Caldwell-Tautges, director of education and counseling for the organization. The goal of the foundation's national public service campaign is to reach people earlier in the process. Through TV and radio announcements homeowners are encouraged to call a toll-free number to receive free, confidential advice from HUD-certified counseling agencies. Over the next month, more than 600 U.S. TV stations and 1,500 radio stations will receive the public service announcement. There will also be a PSA in Spanish and one specifically developed for Hurricane Katrina victims. "The homeowner who contacts 888-995-HOPE isn't comfortable contacting his or her mortgage company for help," says Walt Fricke, president and executive director of the Homeownership Preservation Foundation. "Unfortunately, there's a great need for our hotline. Based on industry research, slightly more than 50 percent of homeowners will avoid contacting their mortgage company," adds Fricke. Foreclosures hurt families, communities and businesses; an average foreclosure can cost a mortgage company $50,000 or more. The foundation's hotline can handle up to 10,000 calls per month. The number to call is: 888-995-HOPE. Callers are connected with counselors who work for HUD-certified counseling agencies. The financial counselors help homeowners, free of charge, to address their financial situation and understand their options. They also work to establish a dialogue between the homeowner's mortgage company and the homeowner. The foundation recommends the following six steps to prevent foreclosure:
Published: February 27, 2006 Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Related Articles:
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