Missouri Foreclosure Recovery

How to use the Missouri foreclosure process to keep your home

By Emmet McMahan

The easiest way to recover foreclosures in Missouri is to contact your lender as soon as you are unable to make your payments on time. Lenders want the borrowers to keep their homes because foreclosure is an expensive process on which most lenders end up losing money.

Lenders therefore have an interest in exploring every possible option in the Missouri foreclosure process, including forbearance, partial claim, payment modification and payment suspension. However, the fewer payments you are behind, the more options will be open to you.

There are three key actions to take in the Missouri foreclosure recovery process:

1. Read and respond to any correspondence from your lender. These notices will contain important information on the foreclosure recovery process in Missouri and pending legal action.

2. Raise money to make a missed payment. You may be able to sell assets such as a second car or jewelry or a household member could take a second job.

3. Avoid foreclosure recovery scams. Many companies claim to be able to stop your foreclosure by charging you for information you could get for free. Others will require you to sign over the title to your house.

Know how Missouri foreclosure laws will affect you

Laws on foreclosure vary considerably by state so you should be familiar with at least a summary of foreclosure laws in Missouri. You should also read your loan documents to know what your lender can do if you can't make your payments.
Try: Foreclosures.com provides the contact information for the Attorney General’s Office in Missouri and links to specific legislation regarding foreclosure in Missouri.

Get assistance with Missouri foreclosure recovery information

There are housing counselors and online resources available to help you understand your options, assist you in organizing your finances and negotiate with your lender, if needed.
Try: DebtAdvice.org is a service provided by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling that allows you to locate housing counselors based on your zip code and search radius. Consumer Credit Counseling Service offers an online tutorial through its CredabilityU website to help you keep your home, as well as many other financial tips.

Retain foreclosure attorneys in Missouri

You may need Missouri foreclosure lawyers to protect your interests, especially if you need to sign documents. If your regular attorney does not handle Missouri foreclosure law, he may be able to make a referral.
Try: Murphy Wasinger is in St. Louis and represents clients in a number of areas, including real estate law. Kozeny & McCubbin has offices in St. Louis and Kansas City and specializes in bankruptcy matters with specific experience in foreclosures.

Watch out for mortgage recovery scams

The Federal Trade Commission warns that there are plenty of bad guys operating in the foreclosure recovery business who will take your money and provide no service. Some warning signs, according to the FTC: advertising terms like "guarantee" and "97% success rate", upfront fees before services and company names or websites designed to make you think you're dealing with a government or nonprofit agency.
Try: Educate yourself about foreclosure recovery scams through the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC recommends you only seek foreclosure help from government sanctioned counseling agencies like the ones recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the federal Making Home Affordable program.

Ask to speak with a manager when you contact your mortgage company as part of your Missouri foreclosure recovery process. You will need to have some basic information ready, including your loan number, household expenses and recent pay stubs. Be prepared to provide a brief, honest account of your financial circumstances and take notes, especially the contact information of the person to whom you are speaking.