Financially distressed borrowers may think that a foreclosure or a short sale means their mortgage troubles are over. That’s simply not the case.
The Washington Post reported that
“over the past year, lenders have become much more aggressive in trying to recoup money lost in foreclosures and other distressed sales [e.g. short sales], creating more grief for people who thought their real estate headaches were far behind.”
Also, the Los Angeles Times reported that “Fannie Mae gets tough on homeowners.” The government-controlled mortgage company said it would instruct the companies servicing its loans to recommend when it should sue a defaulting borrower for the unpaid portion of their loan.
Pursuing Collection for Deficiency in California
In many circumstances, lenders have the right to pursue collection of the deficiency (the amount left unpaid post-foreclosure or post-short sale).
In California, a lender may have as long as 4 years to commence legal action against the borrower after the original default. This means the borrower is in jeopardy for years after foreclosure or short sale.
Exploring Foreclosure Alternatives
So what can you do if you are a borrower facing default or foreclosure? Your best option is to explore an alternative to foreclosure which will give you the ability to negotiate the deficiency issue with your lender.
Currently, the most successful foreclosure alternative is a short sale. A short sale allows you or your attorney the ability to negotiate with your lenders to have them waive any and all deficiencies.
Representation in Short Sales
If you are pursuing a short sale, make sure you have representation that understands:
- Recourse & non-recourse loans
- Judicial & non-judicial foreclosures
- California anti-deficiency laws (CCP 580b, CCP 580d, CCP 580e and CCP 726) and their application to your loan(s)
- The difference between a simple “release of lien” and a “full satisfaction of debt”
It is not good enough that your lender agrees to release its lien in the short sale. You must get a waiver of the deficiency or have language of full satisfaction in your approval letter. Silence in the approval letter on the issue IS NOT AN OPTION.
Additionally, contradictory language is not good: An approval letter which “reserves the right to pursue the deficiency” and also contains language that the lender will “issue a 1099-C in the current tax year,” creates a serious legal ambiguity. There are cases on record where lenders successfully argued that the issuance of a 1099-C was a mistake, and the lender was allowed to pursue the deficiency.
Negotiating Your Deficiency Issues
You only have one chance to negotiate the deficiency issue with your lenders. A short sale provides the best opportunity to address the issue and receive a full waiver of deficiencies.
Short sales are also the one time where “new money” is coming into the transaction via the new buyer. This allows for some leverage against the lenders, especially with a second lien holder who would otherwise be very aggressive against a seller post-foreclosure.
Homeowners who do not proactively pursue a short sale and who simply wait for a foreclosure to occur are foregoing a significant opportunity to limit their financial burden. As stated in other articles, you must also be aware that a waiver of deficiencies is a cancellation of debt by your lender which can raise serious taxation issues.
Please seek tax advice prior to making any decisions on pursuing a short sale.
Borrowers facing default or foreclosure can get a skilled broker and experienced real estate attorney by contacting Lawyers Realty Group today.
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