If you happened to catch my last post, "Strategic Default To Stop The Bleeding", we discussed the "taboo" topic of walking away from your Home Loan (and thus, your home). Of course, if you have some equity in your home, a Strategic Default would not make sense, therefore, the discussion was within the context of "Underwater Homeowners" (those homeowners that owe more on their Home Loan that the Home is actually worth).
In a quasi-sequel to the above-mentioned post, I cannot stress just how major a decision it is to walk away from your home, and you (only you), would need to take a look at all of the factors (financially, legally, etc). What I will say is from some research done by Tara-Nicholle Nelson in her Inman.com story, "6 ways to save your underwater home", Nelson said that she noticed that "most upside-down homeowners don't really want to default on their mortgages". If that is the case, what alternatives do you have vs. walking away?
At least 6 alternatives.
Nelson laid out 6 alternatives, which include:
* Get Rid of credit card balances and your debts.
* Get a second job ("It won't last forever", says Nelson)
* Start a side business/Monetize your spare time.
* Rent out a room/rooms in your home.
* Apply for loan modification and Government programs.
* Short-sell your home with a local agent, attorney, etc.
One other alternative is to keep your eyes and ears open. For example, there was a recent Bank of America special event that invited struggling BOA customers to meet in person with "home retention specialists", in a story from Leslie Berkman, titled, "Borrowers may meet with retention specialists". Some of the options for these customers were home loan modifications, among other alternatives.
In summary, Nelson says that fortunately, your options for avoiding a foreclosure "are not so limited as they might seem at first glance". However, if you at that point of making this big decision, she highly suggests that you "consult with a reputable real estate broker, mortgage broker, local attorney and local tax professional -- at minimum".
Are there any other alternatives that you can think of that were not included here. Please share it with your fellow readers.
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Have a Great Week, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
Regards,
Rob Eisenstein
HomeRun Homes Blog: http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Websites: http://www.lease2buy.com and http://www.homerunhomes.com
TAGS: #StrategicDefault #HomeLoan #underwaterhome #loanmodification #BOA #avoidforeclosure #retentionspecialist #realeestatebroker #mortgagebroker