Rise in Foreclosure Listing Resulted in More Fake Rescue Firms

Posted on April 26th, 2011

The rise in the number of homes falling under foreclosure listing in Virginia has spawned a number of companies taking advantage of troubled homeowners, market analysts have reported. A housing agency in the region has recently sought the help of the Attorney General's Office to prosecute these companies that are offering fake rescue services to borrowers in the state.

According to Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), several companies operating in the state are encouraging borrowers to take steps that can lead them to financial troubles and might even be illegal. Housing counselors have reported that the rise in the number of Big Island foreclosures and distressed properties in various areas of the state has created a market for these fraudulent companies. Around 300 state homeowners have reportedly fallen victim to these firms' practices.

Meanwhile, HOME has reportedly investigated around 60 of these businesses that are believed to be targeting homeowners whose properties are under Virginia foreclosure lists. Most of the victims, reports have revealed, are borrowers seeking loan modifications. Reports also claimed that the companies get in touch with homeowners through phone and mail. Majority of the homeowners who have reported being approached by these companies are said to have paid upfront fees in exchange for assistance in their loan modification applications.

However, these companies have failed to deliver the promised assistance, with most of their supposed customers eventually seeing their homes included in foreclosure listing. Housing counselors have warned homeowners not to entertain such companies, particularly when they ask for upfront fees even before a service is rendered. They advise borrowers to instead get in touch with a housing agency that is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD.

In addition, counselors have stated that companies that promise that they can definitely put a stop to foreclosures are most likely fake. They also warn homeowners with properties in pre foreclosure listings not to stop paying their mortgages if a company approaches them and asks them to give the payment to them instead. Victims of these fraudulent businesses have also reported that they were sometimes asked by such firms to provide fake information on their loan modification application documents.

With a lot of homes ending in foreclosure listing in Virginia, housing counselors asserted that it is not surprising that there are those who will take advantage of homeowners' plight. They advise borrowers to report to local authorities if they had been approached by any of these fake businesses.

Virginia Foreclosure Listings – Divine Intervention

Posted on September 3rd, 2008

Help to bring down the number of Virginia foreclosure listings is needed in any possible way, and help is coming in from unexpected quarters.

To help people affected by foreclosures the sheriff of Albemarle County has joined the band wagon of people wanting to do something about the current mortgage scene.

With the sheriff having to leave notices for eviction and at times even getting houses vacated forcefully, a program has been created by sheriff Chip Harding which aims to easing the distressing experiences faced by home owners.

Now, every time that a deputy leaves a notice for eviction they?d also be leaving with it, a letter on behalf of the sheriff. This letter would contain details of local organizations which could be of assistance. Harding said that he hopes that the information provided through the program would help people know of options they might have.

This year Albemarle County has seen a 40% increase in evictions when compared to 2006.

In Norfolk almost every neighborhood is facing increasing numbers of bank owned foreclosures as is the situation with Virginia foreclosure listings. With this in mind, the Foreclosure Intervention Network was created last month. They are to work with home owners going through financial problems.

The assistant director for community development and planning in Norfolk, Acquanetta Ellis, said that despite the situation there not qualifying as a crisis, the scenario required attention.

David Smith, the deputy secretary of the state’s Commerce and Trade department, who in the past has worked with the task force of Virginia’s foreclosures, said that the step taken by the city of Norfolk was very proactive, and saw others in the state following suit.

In action for just over two weeks, the network will hold seminars in September for people who have less than a thirty day delinquency on their housing loan. The program also intends to look at how people can avail of help through the bill that was signed on Wednesday by President Bush.

The Board of Supervisors for Fairfax County also made an announcement of a program being launched to help needy home owners.

Virginia Foreclosure Listings Fueled By Hectic Foreclosure Filing Activity

Posted on August 4th, 2008

Rapid foreclosure activity has been reported from all part of Virginia. With foreclosures jumping into Virginia foreclosure listings and many at a time, the state is facing extreme pressure of a growing foreclosure trend.

The frequency with which the foreclosures are setting in the state’s property market is alarming but. A look at the Virginia foreclosure listings reveals the increasing amount of mortgaged properties ending up as foreclosed due to defaulted payments. While foreclosures are high in number everywhere in the state, some of the highest number of filings has been reported from Frederick County. Though these filings are in various stages of foreclosure, what really stuns is the fact that only a few months before, there were a considerably lower number of foreclosures. So it looks like the foreclosure listings in Virginia are looking beginning to resemble huge warehouses as homes are getting swept away by the foreclosure tsunami, causing alarm bells to ring throughout the state.

Due to the vast number of foreclosures in Fredrick County and other counties such as Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William Counties that accounted for a combined 50% or more of foreclosures, Virginia has been dealing with foreclosure crisis that doesn?t seem like it will stop anytime soon.

Other prime reasons causing foreclosures are the bad spending habits of the people, high divorce rate, high unemployment rate, and other issues that have been preventing Virginia borrowers from making their mortgage payments. One quick look at the foreclosure listings in Virginia is enough to know the current state of the real estate market here. In any case, Virginia foreclosure listings are a result of the foreclosure process and if you want to get more information on foreclosure in the state or if you are looking for a comprehensive list of foreclosure properties, check out the online foreclosure brokers’ websites rather than sweating it out.