For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Vinton
June 12, 2011 Phone: (228) 563-6583
Email: [email protected]
Free Foreclosure Prevention Assistance Available to Coast Homeowners
Workshop, Counseling Sessions to be Held July 14
Mississippi Coast homeowners who are facing difficulties with their mortgages can attend a free foreclosure prevention seminar on Thursday, July 14, to learn what they can do to help keep their home. The workshop will provide an overview of important foreclosure issues and includes the opportunity to meet with a counselor one-on-one. The event is sponsored by Hope Enterprise Corporation and Fannie Mae.
Foreclosure continues to be a real issue across the country and has affected Mississippi disproportionately. In addition to the devastating consequences for families, foreclosure has a disastrous impact on communities.
But there are steps a homeowners can take to avoid losing their home. Even with a foreclosure sale date pending, there are still options that may be available to allow families to continue living in their residence.
HOPE is a HUD-approved counseling agency that works with borrowers and lenders to find solutions that are beneficial to everyone involved. In addition to local in-person workshops and appointments, HOPE conducts phone counseling for homeowners located across the country, providing assistance to people from as far away as Alaska.
“We have been very successful at helping people understand what they are facing, developing a plan to remedy the situation, and working with the mortgage lender to resolve the situation,” said HOPE Vice President Laura Vinton. “Our counseling staff gives these homeowners the tools they need to help preserve what is often a family’s most valuable asset.
The workshop will be held at 4320 West Railroad Street in Gulfport. The session begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m. Anyone is welcome to attend. People who need more information or who are unable to attend the workshop but still need assistance can contact HOPE by calling 228-563-6581 or 1-888-246-6314, toll free.
There are signs that homeowners should take as a warning that they may be at risk of facing foreclosure action, including being one or more months behind on a house note, paying the mortgage late each month, having a loan with a variable rate that is about to increase significantly, experiencing reduced income, running up large credit card or medical debt.
While HOPE is a HUD-approved counseling agency and provides services at no cost, homeowners should beware of loan modification scams. Some companies and individuals prey on homeowners seeking foreclosure prevention assistance, charging high fees without providing any services. People who suspect they are being targeted by unscrupulous organizations can report foreclosure or loan modification scams by visiting www.loanscamalert.org or calling
1-888-995-HOPE (4673).
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Find out more about the workshop.
See the event flyer.