Ask a Lawyer - Archive

I am behind in my mortgage is there a grant out there to help me out?

There are all kinds of private and public programs out there to help you BUT DO NOT PAY ANYONE IN ADVANCE WHO PROMISES TO HELP YOU SAVE YOUR HOME. There are legitimate companies that charge in advance for loan modification and short sale services, but these seem to be the exception to the rule, and you can't afford to take a chance and lose more cash now.

I suggest that you first contact your mortgage lender to see what they can do to help. Many lenders are working with homeowners to modify terms to help keep borrowers in their homes.

Also, visit www.hud.gov. They have housing counselors listed on their site who can help. The website also has details on help for homeowners.

Another great resource is www.mbaa.org which is the site for the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. Their home page has a place for "Consumers" to click through for more help.

I encourage you to act fast instead of sitting back to wait for something to happen. Lenders and government agencies are backed up with requests for relief, so you might need to wait awhile for a solution. Act now to avoid the commencement of a foreclosure! Best of luck.