The housing crisis led a lot of homeowners to seek ways to keep the roof over their heads. A loan modification was one method that was used to avoid home foreclosure in Florida and across the country. However, it has come to light that some people who were in the midst of the loan modification process were foreclosed upon anyways, even being locked out of homes by the banks they were trying to work with.
One woman recently came home to find a padlock on the door of her home. The home in question had been involved in a fire, and the place was currently being rebuilt by a construction crew. The woman contends she was simultaneously dealing with the bank concerning a loan modification and says she was never underwater. According to her, she owns the home, and it was not in foreclosure.
Similar complaints were filed by other homeowners who were locked out of their homes while still involved with the property. The bank involved says it often conducts drive-by inspections to see if anyone is living in the property. If the property isn’t being lived in and is in foreclosure, locking the doors is the way the bank protects the property.
The entire home foreclosure process can be confusing and overwhelming for the average homeowner. The various laws, regulations and legal steps can be difficult to keep up with or document. Anyone in Florida who is struggling to keep up with mortgage payments or unsure about the status of a home loan modification may want to know the proper steps and how to proceed with obtaining the best possible outcome for their situation.
Source: king5.com, “Homeowner locked out by her own bank”, Chris Ingalls, Oct. 9, 2014
