Are you having trouble making your mortgage payments? Concerned about losing your home to foreclosure? Call Home Repair Resource Center, a HUD-approved counseling agency that serves all residents of Cuyahoga County . We don’t charge for our services, and we’re a trusted, local organization. Our counselors will arrange an individual, confidential appointment to answer your questions and help you explore your options.
Don’t wait:
Your particular situation is unique to your household. However, foreclosures affect everyone: you, your family, your neighborhood, and the entire community in which we live and work. There are many possible outcomes — but the most important step you can taking is to reach out for help now. Early intervention has the potential to minimize the impact and help you keep your home.
What you may be facing:
You are not alone in your struggle to keep your home. Four common hardships account for a high percentage of all foreclosures nationwide:
- Job loss
- Disability
- Divorce
- Death of a wage earner
In addition to these hardship-based situations, there are other common problems that often lead to the threat of foreclosure:
- Overextended credit
- Decreasing home values
- Limited understanding of certain mortgage loan terms
How we can help:
Our counselors will work with you to sort through possible solutions, help you determine the best option for your individual situation, and negotiate on your behalf with your lender and/or loan servicer. Possible solutions can include:
- Deferment — a temporary suspension of monthly payments by the lender/servicer. Suspended payments are typically added to the end of the loan.
- Forebearance Plan — The reduction or suspension of payment for a period of time, followed by a period of time during which the deferred payments are made up. Upon successful completion of the forebearance plan, modification of the loan may be approved.
- Loan Modification — A change in the original term(s) of the mortgage through one of more of the following methods: Adjustment in the interest rate, addition of the delinquent interest amount to the current unpaid principle balance, and/or extension of the term (life) of the mortgage.
- Partial Claim — An advancement of money (from FHA or the holder of Private Mortgage Insurance on a HUD loan) that is used to bring the mortgage current.
- Claim Advance — An advancement of money (from the holder of Private Mortgage Insurance on a conventional loan) that is used to bring the mortgage current.
Details of all these options, and more, will be provided as part of your individual counseling sessions. If you do not qualify for any of these alternatives, it may be necessary for you to give up ownership of your home. You may still avoid foreclosure.
Finally, beware of scams! You should not have to pay a fee to an agency providing foreclosure intervention services. Make sure you are dealing with a HUD-approved counseling agency, like HRRC, that offers their help and expertise at no charge.
Call Home Repair Resource Center’s Housing Counselor Denise Wallace at (216) 381-6100, ext 14 or email dblack@hrrc-ch.org
Home Repair Resource Center is one of the HUD-certified counseling agencies that can help homeowners access Ohio’s Hardest-Hit Fund for foreclosure assistance. The following steps will get you started:
- To apply, first call (216) 381-6100, ext. 14, for an appointment.
- Gather these documents and bring them with you to your appointment:
- Hardship letter
- Last two paystubs or year-to-date profit & loss statement if you own a business
- Last two monthly bank statements
- Utility bill
- Mortgage Statement
- Be prepared to complete a budget (household income and expenses) at your appointment.