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Foreclosure Prevention in Virginia

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Federal programs can help Virginia homeowners prevent foreclosure.

According to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the rate of foreclosures in Virginia reached a peak at the end of 2009 and has since declined. Virginia homeowners faced with foreclosure can turn to state and federal programs to help retain their properties. Foreclosure prevention services in Virginia can offer counseling, legal assistance, loan modification, mortgage refinancing and loan deferments. Certain programs offer free assistance, but services such as legal representation may require homeowners to pay fees.

  1. Virginia Foreclosure Task Force

    • The Virginia Foreclosure Task Force, a state advisory group, operates the Virginia Foreclosure Info website, which provides information for Virginians faced with foreclosure. Homeowners can find information about using assets to avoid foreclosure and prioritizing spending to maximize cash flow. The site also explains the Virginia foreclosure time line, provides information about foreclosure rescue scams and explains renter's rights for tenants living in foreclosed rental properties.

    Legal Representation

    • Organizations and government agencies can help Virginia homeowners find legal counsel. The Virginia Foreclosure Task Force's website provides a listing of legal aid agencies that offer free or low-cost legal representation. The Virginia State Bar operates a lawyer referral service, which helps match consumers with attorneys. People who use the bar's referral service can receive an initial attorney consultation for $35, as of April 2011. The VA Legal Aid website provides listings of organizations and lawyers that provide pro bono or low-cost representation for low-income Virginians.

    Counseling Services

    • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers a counseling service to help homeowners prevent foreclosure. HUD operates the program through nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. Virginia homeowners can search a database of HUD-approved counselors on the HUD website to find services in their area. Foreclosure avoidance counselors do not charge a fee and can help homeowners determine their eligibility for refinance, payment deferment and loan modification programs.

    Making Home Affordable

    • A HUD-approved foreclosure counselor can help determine a homeowner's eligibility for plans included in the federal Making Home Affordable Program. The Home Affordable Modification Program can help homeowners reduce their mortgage payments to a more affordable level. Through the MHA Unemployment Program, eligible unemployed homeowners can reduce monthly payments or defer payments while they search for a new job. Homeowners who have lost value in their properties and face difficulty refinancing a loan may qualify for a new mortgage through the Home Affordable Refinance Program.

    Emergency Homeowners' Loan Program

    • HUD administers the Emergency Homeowners' Loan Program. The program remains in the development stage, as of April 2011, and HUD has not announced a starting date to accept applications. The EHLP program will offer no-interest loans, equaling up to two years of mortgage payments, for qualified homeowners facing foreclosure. To qualify, a homeowner must have suffered an income reduction due to unemployment, underemployment or a medical condition and must have received a foreclosure notice from a lender due to delinquency. Homeowners accepted by the program must resume regular first mortgage payments within a two-year period and repay EHLP funding.

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