When it comes to the foreclosure process, most homeowners are clueless.
According to an update of Freddie Mac's Foreclosure Avoidance Research Survey, homeowners are generally unaware of many of the options available to them if or when they are struggling to make a mortgage payment.
Worse, the study found that 20 percent of people say that nothing would happen after missing three or more mortgage payments because "it takes a while for anything to happen if a person is late on a mortgage payment."
In fact, in some states the foreclosure process can begin as quickly as 30 days after you have missed a mortgage or home equity loan payment.
Why aren't more homeowners tuned in to the repercussions of the foreclosure process?
"Fear and embarrassment," explains Robin Stout Migala, senior delinquency resolutions manager for Freddie Mac. "Some borrowers bury their head in the sand, hoping that everything will be OK tomorrow."
In the survey, 75 percent of those who are delinquent on their mortgage said they tried to contact their mortgage lender directly to discuss their financial difficulties. But Stout Migala says industry observers commonly believe just half of those who go through the foreclosure process have spoken to their lender.
The number of foreclosures increased nearly 80 percent from 2006 to 2007. But if the more than 2 million Americans facing foreclosure this year don't wake up to the options that are available, the number of actual foreclosures could grow exponentially.
What most homeowners don't realize is that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest players in the secondary mortgage market, encourage mortgage servicers to avoid foreclosure whenever possible. They grade servicers on how well they are working out delinquent loans.
"Not only do we rank them, we pay them to do workouts," Stout Migala explains.
What should you do if you can't pay your loan?
Call your lender immediately. The sooner you contact your lender, the more options will be available to you. Ask for the loan mitigation department.
Talk with a reputable credit-counseling agency. You can call the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (toll-free 888-995- HOPE), or find a local Department of Housing and Urban Development-approved counseling agency (call toll-free 800-569-4287 on weekdays), or go to www.hud.gov.
Know your loan modification options. Depending on how quickly you call your lender, the following loan modification options may be available to you:
