Steven J. Baum to close?

On November 21, 2011, in Foreclosure, Real Estate, by John A. Weber IV, ESQ.

It may have seemed inevitable to those directly involved in the foreclosure field, but it is still a surprise to hear.  According to a Buffalo Business First, the mega-firm of Steven J. Baum, P.C. is to close it’s doors:

“The embattled Steven J. Baum P.C. law firm is the closing its doors after a series of missteps that included mortgage industry giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae cutting off business with the Amherst-based firm.”

Read the full article here.

If you are facing foreclosure and are seeking assistance, please call us at (516) 858-2620!

 

What happens at a foreclosure settlement conference?

On August 28, 2010, in Foreclosure, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

The purpose of foreclosure settlement conferences

According to New York law (RPAPL 3408), the purpose of the foreclosure settlement conference includes, but is not limited to, “…determining whether the parties can reach a mutually agreeable resolution to help the defendant avoid losing his or her home, and evaluating the potential for a resolution in which payment schedules or amounts may be modified or other workout options may be agreed to, and for whatever other purposes the court deems appropriate.”

At the foreclosure settlement conference:

  • Both the plaintiff and defendant are required to negotiate in good faith to reach a mutually agreeable resolution, including a loan modification, if possible.
  • The defendant will be required to provide the lender or it’s servicer with financial documentation.
  • The plaintiff will be required to review the documentation to determine if the parties can reach a resolution to avoid foreclosure.
  • On each conference date, there will likely be several dates, each party must report the status of negotiations to the Judge and explain any issues that have arisen.
  • If a settlement agreement or loan modification is achieved, the plaintiff must file a notice of discontinuance and vacatur of the lis pendens within one hundred fifty (150) days after the agreement is fully executed.

IMPORTANT: The scheduling of a foreclosure settlement conference does not relieve you of your obligation to respond to the plaintiff’s summons and complaint in a timely manner (see our earlier post “Foreclosure Summons and Complaint“).

The Law Firm of Vaughn & Weber, PLLC routinely represents homeowners facing foreclosure at settlement conferences.  Typically, we obtain and/or attend foreclosure settlement conferences as part of our defense to the foreclosure action brought against our client.  However, we will represent homeowners at just the foreclosure settlement conference.

As always, The Foreclosure Defense Law Firm of VAUGHN & WEBER, PLLC is here to assist you.  We are conveniently located in the heart of Nassau County, Long Island, at 217 Willis Avenue in Mineola, NY 11501. Contact us at (516) 858-2620 to arrange a consultation with a foreclosure defense lawyer.

Please visit our Foreclosure category to learn more about foreclosure issues.

$1 Billion to Help Unemployed Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

On July 16, 2010, in Foreclosure, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

Wall Street Reform Bill: $1 billion fund to help unemployed homeowners avoid foreclosure

The Dodd-Frank financial regulatory reform bill which passed through Congress and is headed for President Obama’s desk, contains a provision that is likely to help some unemployed homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The Washington Independent reports that there is a provision in the bill to set up “the Emergency Homeowners’ Relief Fund…a $1 billion fund to help unemployed workers stay in their homes.” According to the article the fund should be in place by October 1, 2010 and “will offer qualified unemployed homeowners low-interest loans up to $50,000 to help them keep up with their mortgage payments and remain in their homes.”

The article also reminds us that “On July 1, the Treasury Department started up the Home Affordable Unemployment Program. Through the program, banks and lenders will let unemployed homeowners stop paying their mortgages for set periods of time while they look for work, or will reduce payments to less than 31 percent of the homeowner’s gross monthly income for a set amount of time. (That means that if the homeowner’s income is zero, the payment will be zero. If he or she is taking severance or receiving unemployment insurance, it will be about a third of that.)”

Click here to read the entire article.

Also visit our Foreclosure category to learn more about foreclosure.

As always, The Foreclosure Defense Law Firm of VAUGHN & WEBER, PLLC is here to assist you.  We are conveniently located in the heart of Nassau County, Long Island, at 217 Willis Avenue in Mineola, NYContact us at (516) 858-2620 to arrange a consultation with a foreclosure defense attorney.

1 Million Homes May be Lost to Foreclosure In 2010

On July 16, 2010, in Foreclosure, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

Over 1 million homes could be lost to foreclosure this year

A recent Associated Press article is reporting that:

“More than 1 million American households are likely to lose their homes to foreclosure this year, as lenders work their way through a huge backlog of borrowers who have fallen behind on their loans.”

And that:

“Nearly 528,000 homes were taken over by lenders in the first six months of the year. If foreclosures continue at that rate, the yearly number would eclipse the more than 900,000 homes repossessed in 2009….”

Click here to read the entire article.

Also visit our Foreclosure category to learn more about foreclosure.

As always, The Foreclosure Defense Law Firm of VAUGHN & WEBER, PLLC is here to assist you.  We are conveniently located in the heart of Nassau County, Long Island, at 217 Willis Avenue in Mineola, NYContact us at (516) 858-2620 to arrange a consultation with a foreclosure defense attorney.

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