Question: I have done a loan modification with my first mortgage and have been making the monthly payments every month with no problems. We have a Home Equity with another back which we have not been making the payments for that for over a year now. That bank is now sending us Notices Of Intent To Accelerate. Can they foreclose on our home even though they are not the first mortgage and we are current with the first mortgage company. what can this bank do to us?
Answer: – This question comes up all the time. For some reason, many homeowners don’t believe the 2nd mortgage can force the sale of their home. In most cases, your home is collateral for the loan. That’s why when you get a 2nd mortgage, they want to make sure there is equity in the home so they can get paid if they have to foreclose. Even if you are current on your first mortgage, doesn’t matter. The 2nd mortgage can still foreclose and force the sale of your home. Although they would prefer not to because very likely they won’t be able to sell it for what they are into it.
So they will incur both foreclosure costs and lose out if the home is upside down. This is why they are so willing to work with us and other investors in settling those 2nd mortgages because they would prefer to have something rather than nothing. In any case, you will eventually lose your house if you continue on this path so it makes no sense if you are not paying your second, might as well not pay your first either. A better solution if you want to keep paying your first, is to work out something with the 2nd… basically a settlement. You’ll agree to pay them x amount to satisfy the loan.
If the 2nd forecloses, more than likely they will issue you a 1099 or they will file a judgment against you for the difference. When this happens, you can either choose to pay the judgment or the loss that was incurred from the sale or you can file bk. Hope this helps.