A recent study estimates that 47% of foreclosed properties are still occupied.
When you first see that stat you may be surprised, but we’re not.
Banks aren’t in the business of owning homes.
They are in the business of loaning people money. But when they have to foreclose on a house, the bank is forced to own the home until they’re able to sell it to try to get their money back.
But, when a foreclosed house is vacant, there is a much greater chance that the house will fall into disrepair. Often times the bank would rather have you in the property even after you stop paying your payments and the foreclosure is started because it keeps the house in good working order.
There’s been a lot of talk in the media about people living for free after foreclosure – and even many stories about banks “abandoning” properties.
But that’s not exactly the case.
No bank would purposefully neglect collecting payments. So why let people continue to live in the home?
Staying in the property can help the bank maintain the value of their investment, so it’s actually in their best interests to keep it occupied. Partly because of the ways that the foreclosure laws are structured in KS, banks may ask you to leave while wanting you to stay.
There are a few perfectly legal ways to remain in your home, even after foreclosure.
How To Stay In My Home After Foreclosure In Wichita
Not all these options are available (depending on your situation and your lenders), and you’ll need some expert advice along the way to help you get through.
1) Wait it out. Honestly, this is a pretty bad option, but it seems to be increasingly common. You definitely shouldn’t run away and abandon your house when the first notice of default shows up. Remember that the proceedings and the process takes months and sometimes years. It’s not over until it’s over, so don’t give up too early. On the other hand, don’t wait until the sheriff shows up to evict you to start packing up your stuff.
2) Go to court. In very rare cases, judges are granting stays and delaying evictions. This is really only a valid option if you (and your attorneys) can prove that the bank has neglected a legal requirement during the foreclosure process. During the past few years, a lot of fraudulent behavior at banks has been uncovered, so we may see an increasing trend of using the courts to stop foreclosure. Fighting banks with lawyers is very difficult, expensive and time-consuming, even if you’ve got a perfect case.
3) Propose a move-out bonus. Often buyers of occupied foreclosure properties spend thousands of dollars on lawyers and other costs of eviction, so why not save everyone the time and expense by taking some of that money yourself? It’s known as “cash for keys”. It sounds a little greedy, but greasing the wheels does help everything to run smoothly. Plus, you can help out the bank and the buyers by not abandoning the house before they’re ready to take possession.
4) Rent it back. It may sound crazy, but some banks are willing to take on previous homeowners as tenants in their property. That’s only a short-term fix, as they’ll want your agreement to vacate the premises as soon as they find someone to purchase the property.
It’s really good that you’re reading this page and exploring your options. We help homeowners like you to find creative solutions.
We can’t help everyone, but we might be able to help you.
We buy local Wichita KS houses like yours from people who need to sell fast.