Preparing for your first meeting with a foreclosure lawyer
There’s no way around the fact that there’s a lot at stake when it comes to foreclosure. Not only are you losing your home, you’re potentially losing a lot of the value you invested into that home. It’s a stressful, emotionally challenging situation, and one where you may not be able to see every option available to you to respond to it. That’s why retaining the services of a foreclosure lawyer may be the right way forward for you.
The foreclosure experts at Claim Surplus are here to help you make that determination. We’ve guided many of our clients through this stressful process to provide peace of mind and assurance that every possible measure to prevent as much loss as possible is being taken.
In this blog post, we’ll go into further detail about who needs a foreclosure lawyer, what you need to do to prepare for your first consultation, and what kinds of situations may make retaining a lawyer a worthwhile course of action.
Do you need a foreclosure lawyer?
The answer to this question depends in large part on your particular circumstances at the time that your home is being foreclosed. Speaking with a foreclosure attorney is a good idea even if you’re simply concerned about the possibility of this situation taking place, but certain factors make it even more important to make sure you do so.
You want to learn more about your local foreclosure laws and rights: Meeting with a local attorney who focuses on this area of the law is a great way of getting personalized answers to specific questions you may still have after any research you’ve conducted.
You’re exploring loan modification or loan mitigation options: You don’t need an attorney to apply for a loan modification, but speaking with one ahead of time can help you resolve any questions or concerns you may have and get you the information you need to avoid a foreclosure.
Preparing for your consultation
Before speaking with the lawyer, you should have any documents related to the foreclosure prepared to take with you or reference during the consultation. You also need to have a clear idea of why you’re speaking with the attorney, particularly if you only plan to speak with them for a consultation and not retain them for a longer period of time. Be prepared to ask the specific questions you’re concerned about at the meeting.
You also need to make sure the lawyer is up front with you about their services during the consultation. They should outline their fees and the exact tasks associated with those fees.
Deciding whether to retain a lawyer
Whether you decide to hire a lawyer for a longer-term defense strategy depends on a few different factors. You may want to take this route if:
You believe you have a defense: It’s worth meeting with a lawyer if you believe you have a defense against the foreclosure and want to explore your options for stopping the process.
You’re in the military: The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act grants certain special protections and rights against foreclosure for active members of the military. An attorney can help you navigate the complexities of these laws and construct your defense against the foreclosing party.
You believe the foreclosing party has made a serious error: If you believe your loan servicer failed to follow proper foreclosure procedures, made a major error with your account, or acted in an illegal manner through actions like dual tracking, or that another entity acting as the foreclosing party made some form of error through the foreclosure process, an attorney’s counsel is an invaluable asset for building your case.
You can read more about the potential merits of hiring a foreclosure attorney in this Nolo article.
Get legal help through the foreclosure process now!
The foreclosure experts at Claim Surplus are standing by to get you the legal help you need to build as strong of a defense as possible. Contact us now to find out what we can do for you.
