Deficiency Judgements Come Back to Haunt Former Homeowners, Often Require Bankruptcy

Foreclosures have become a plague across the country, sickening the economies of small towns, the general contractor industry and even the commercial real estate industry. No facet of the real estate world has gone unaffected.

Whether your home was foreclosed upon or your mortgage lender granted you a short sale (negotiated permission to sell your home for less than what is owed), it was probably considered a tremendous relief to drop the proverbial financial anchor tied around your neck.

However, thousands of Americans once in the same boat are now finding that the tide is again rising around them, as banks and lenders are coming back months later for the remainder of what is owed on the home. The most common occurrence of mortgage companies coming back for the difference is happening after auctions when a home did not sell for enough money. But it's also happening after bank-approved short sales.

A woman in Virgina, who legitimately short sold her home after a divorce and her commission income plummeted as a result of the recession, was shocked to receive a letter from an attorney stating she owed the bank another $65,000 months after the sale closed. Called a "deficiency judgment," the extra amount owed eventually led to her having to file for bankruptcy.

It is a common belief, and in most cases the truth, that a short sale ends a commitment to owing any more money on a mortgage. However, banks are finding a way to come back for more through the use of deficiency judgments. Often, a former homeowner doesn't get notified of the judgment until months later.

And, believe it or not, some banks will wait until you have become more financially stable before pursuing the deficiency.

Making matters worse is that the practice of short-selling, which is the most common cause of a deficiency judgment, isn't just a strategy used by those who took out a sub-prime loan or who are facing foreclosure. Homeowners with standard mortgages who simply watched their home value fall can use a short sale, even of just a few thousand dollars, to get out from under their mortgage.

A number of factors also contribute to whether or not your lender will pursue a deficiency. For example, the foreclosure rate of your home state can play a role, as can the presence of any additional liens you may have had on the home, like a home equity line of credit or second mortgage.

Still, because a deficiency judgment can follow you anywhere and lead to the garnishment of wages and serious credit report marks, it is essential for you to make certain that your short sale or foreclosure is indeed the end of your relationship with that lender.

But without a promise in writing, are you really going to trust the lender's word that your debt has been extinguished? The only way to ensure a lender does not try to collect from you after a foreclosure or short-sale is to coordinate foreclosure through a bankruptcy. In bankruptcy, you can surrender your interest in the property, ending any possible future liability should the property sell for less than your mortgage.

And despite what your bank has told you, you don't need to short sell your home. Obviously, your credit is already going to take a hit from conducting a short sale, even if you haven't missed any payments. Going through the hassle of a short sale with no perceivable benefit for you or your family is just senseless. The only beneficiary of a short sale is the lender, who saves on the expensive legal costs of a foreclosure. Do you and your family a favor, talk to a bankruptcy attorney today and discuss your rights under federal bankruptcy law.

In North Carolina, contact the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt at +1-833-627-0115. With convenient offices in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville and Wilson, we're close to you.