Foreclosure
Facing a foreclosure of your home is extremely stressful. There are a few general things that you can do to avoid losing your home:
- Don't Ignore Your Mail If you are having problems paying your mortgage, ignoring letters from your mortgage company will not help. Instead, it is better to inform them of your difficulty and work with their Loss Mitigation Department.
- Don't Leave Stay in your home for as long as possible. With the help of state and local agencies, you may be able to overcome your current difficulty.
- Do Contact Foreclosure Prevention Agencies Contact Federal, State and local agencies that provide foreclosure prevention assistance. Below is a list of resources to help you.
- Be Wary of Scammers Con artists often prey on homeowners looking for help. Watch out for imposters that:
- Tell you to stop making payments
- Use your deed to secure loans for themselves
- Offer to allow you to rent your home until you get back on your feet
- Ask you to sign your deed over to them
- Request upfront fees
- Watch this video on our YouTube channel ConsumerWise
- Contact the following resources for help:
- Brochure: Avoid Foreclosure (Federal Housing Administration)
- Brochure: Beware of Foreclosure Rescue and Loan Modification Scams (Federal Deposit Insurance Company)
- Blog: Mortgage Relief Scams (Federal Trade Commission)
- Article: Mortgage Relief and Foreclosure Scams (DLLR)
RESOURCES
U,S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20410
T: 202.708.1112 TTY: 202.708.1455
Web: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/homeownerhelp
Maryland Home Owners Preserving Equity (HOPE)
T: 877-462-7555
Web: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Residents/Pages/HOPE/MDHope.aspx
Maryland Attorney General
T: 888.743.0023 TDD: 410.576.6372
Web: https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/CPD/foreclose.aspx
Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs
1401 Rockville Pike, 4th Floor
Rockville, MD 20852-1428
T: 240.777.0311
Web: Foreclosure Prevention
DLLR-Financial Regulation
500 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
T: 410-230-6077
Web: https://www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/consumers/mortforeinfo.shtml
Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection
Mortgage Resources