Answer:  -You can take out a HELOC anytime as long as you qualify. Anymore it’s becoming extremely difficult to get a HELOC on your home because of what’s happened to the real estate market. Not only do you need stellar credit and financials to back it up, your home must have a good amount of equity in it. The days of taking out a HELOC up to 100% LTV are long gone.

Answer:  - It depends on what you agree to as part of the payoff. This is where you need to make sure you ADD to the payoff letter that the $2500 is for “full satisfaction” of the loan. See there are 2 types of payoffs. 1 is a “release of lien” which means you pay the mortgage company $2500 and they retain the right to still come after you for the deficient amount. The other payoff is a “satisfaction” which means “paid in full” – they give up their right to come after you for the deficient amount (which is called a deficiency judgment). All they can do is 1099 you for the amount lost of which you can file form 982 and in most cases claim insolvency and negate the 1099. If it was your personal residence, with Obama’s new laws in place, you may not have to pay anyway. So whatever you do, please please please get the satisfaction. Sometimes if they don’t agree to a satisfaction of loan, you’ll just have to pay a little extra more to get that piece of mind.

Answer:  - Anyone can foreclose if they have a lien on your property. If you borrowed money from a HELOC that is attached to another property to buy this mobile home, then the credit union will foreclose on the property attached to the lien that was pledged as collateral for the loan.

Answer: -Absolutely… you should always try to work something out with the bank. They may not make you pay the full amount but will require you to pay something in most cases.

Answer: -Well, you can try to settle the debt with them and pay them a fraction (5% -10%) of the original loan amount, you can do nothing and hope they issue you a 1099 in which you will have to pay taxes on that money you received, or they will file a deficiency judgment against you in which they can garnish wages and so forth until that amount is paid.  If it goes that far, most people will file bankruptcy and either get it wiped out completely with a Chapter 7 or agree to pay the lender a certain amount (5% – 10%) over a period of time with a Chapter 13.

Is this allowed or legal, can a new servicer attempt to collect on the Heloc since the home has already gone into foreclosure? Should I meet with a lawyer or am I okay ignoring these letters?

Please advise and thanks for your time,

Aaliyah, Gilroy CA

Answer: -This is normal protical and yes since your loan was “sold” to a new servicer, they can try to collect the debt.  So they will send you certified letters in the mail every month telling you how much you owe and that it’s an attemt to collect the debt.  You don’t need to respond unless you are disputing the action and I’m sure they will try to call you every week and threaten you to pay…or else.  By sending these letters, it gives them the right to proceed with foreclosure if they want.  However, we all know they won’t unless there is substancial equity in the property.  More than likely they will just write it off as a loss and 1099 you for the difference.

Answer: -If your home has a first and second with the same lender, Countrywide, it’s almost treated like it’s one loan.  If they send it through foreclosure, they’ll probably start at just what’s owed on the first and hopefully get someone to bid on it…If no one bids then they’ll end up with the property.  Then they’ll probably write off that 2nd in which they could file for a deficiency judgment but more than likely they will 1099 you for that amount they lost and you’ll have to pay taxes on it.  As for the property taxes, they’ll have to pay those in order to sell it to an end buyer.

Answer: -You haven’t made a payment in two years and you own the home outright beside a small line of credit…You are crazy for not making that payment unless the home is not worth what you owe on the home equity line of credit.  No they can’t evict you…yet!  Once they foreclose on the property they can evict you.  I would try to get something worked out quickly especially if you have a great deal of equity in your home.

Answer: –  Yes, the 2nd can and most likely will foreclosure on your home, even if it’s the same lender because you are not meeting your obligation to them.  It’s just a matter of time. You might try to do a Loan Modification especially if your 1st and 2nd mortgages are with the same lender

Answer: –  California may be one of the few states where they don’t come after you for a deficiency judgment.  If your home is foreclosed on, typically they will 1099 the borrower for the amount they lost. However, VA loans have special exceptions. With VA loans, I believe they may have the right to come after you for the deficiency judgment. You may want to check with an attorney in California on this, but it seems like that’s what I remember.