Mortgage Foreclosure
Legal Information
This section of PALawHelp.org has information and resources about Mortgage Foreclosure issues.
Click on a resource category listed below to see information related to that category.
Avoid Foreclosure: Know Your Options (Video)
This video from Making Home Affordable outlines options that might help you avoid foreclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions - Making Home Affordable Program
FAQ on the Making Home Affordable Program which offers two different potential solutions for borrowers: (1) refinancing mortgage loans, through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), and (2) modifying mortgage loans, through the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).
Get Answers - Mortgage Assistance from Making Home Affordable
Information from Federal Making Homes Affordable Program about how to get mortgage assistance.
Making Home Affordable.gov
This website provides homeowners with detailed information about the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) and the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), along with self-assessment tools and calculators to empower borrowers with the resources they need to determine whether they might be eligible for a modification or a refinance under the Obama Administration's program. Through this website, borrowers can also connect with free counseling resources and access other useful tools and information.
Making Home Affordable (Video)
Video about the Making Home Affordable program of the U.S. Government. For more information on the Making Home Affordable program, and to see if you quality, visit http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov or contact the Homeowners HOPE Hotline at (888) 995-HOPE.
Plan for Success! - Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)
It is important that you know and understand the terms of your modification. This section provides information to help you fully understand your HAMP modification.
Preventing Foreclosure
Information from Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. on preventing the foreclosure of your house
Avoiding Foreclosure: How to Reduce the Risk of Losing Your Home
Brochure from Regional Housing Legal Services explaining the operation of the Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) Help Center. [PDF]
Coronavirus: Protections for Homeowners
Information on protections for all homeowners in Pennsylvania affected by COVID-19 from Regional Housing Legal Services.
Emergency Measures for Mortgage Foreclosure (Philadelphia County)
Information on when you can get a Sheriff's Sale postponed in Philadelphia County and what steps need to be taken to postpone the sale.
Information for Philadelphia Homeowners during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Resources and information for homeowners in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania is Now Accepting Applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund
You could be eligible for help with delinquent mortgage payments or rent-to-own payments, up to $30,000, and for help for utility expenses.
Preventing Mortgage Foreclosure
Many homeowners face difficulties paying their mortgage. Job loss, change in income, and adjustments to interest rates can lead to falling behind on payments. This information from Northwestern Legal Services will give you some tips about what to do when you fall behind on your mortgage payments, what resources are available, and who can help you.
Mortgage Foreclosure
General advice from the Erie County Bar Association on how to deal with a mortgage foreclosure.
Mortgage and Housing Assistance during the Coronavirus National Emergency
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have partnered to launch a new mortgage and housing assistance website to help homeowners and renters during the coronavirus pandemic. The page provides information on what to do now, and what your options are for mortgage and rent payment relief.
Avoid Foreclosure: Pennsylvania
Listing of resources from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Pennsylvanians facing foreclosure.
Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams (Video)
If you're facing foreclosure, it can be easy to listen to scammers trying to take advantage of this vulnerable time in your life. But don't be fooled — or robbed — by companies falsely promising to save your home. This video from the Federal Trade Commission presents some true stories of struggling homeowners who were deceived by foreclosure rescue scams.
Avoiding Foreclosure
Information from HUD on programs that can help property owners avoid losing their homes because of delinquent payments.
CARES Act Mortgage Forbearance: What You Need to Know (Video)
If you are experiencing difficulty making on-time mortgage payments due to the national coronavirus emergency, forbearance may be an option for you. Learn more in this video from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.
Financial Education & Coaching
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency developed the Financial Education and Coaching Program to help renters, homebuyers, and homeowners understand and improve their personal finances. After you've completed your Financial Education sessions, you're eligible to meet with a counselor one-on-one to get help with your personal finances. These private coaching sessions can be either face-to-face or on the phone, and are also free of charge.
Guide to Avoiding Foreclosure
This webpage from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is designed to educate individuals on the many ways HUD can assist them in trying to hold on to their homes.
Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program Counseling Agencies
Listing of Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) Counseling Agencies. Counseling agencies prepare applications and forward information to PHFA for processing. [PDF]
Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP)
Information on the Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. This is a unique loan program designed to protect citizens who, through no fault of their own, are financially unable to make their mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure.
Homes & Mortgages
Special FTC website focusing on Mortgage Foreclosure and foreclosure rescue scams.
Housing Counseling Agencies in Philadelphia
List of more than 30 housing counseling agencies that offer free counseling services to home owneres and buyers of homes in the City of Philadelphia. Eligibility requirements apply.
HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agencies in Pennsylvania
HUD sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country can provide advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, credit issues, and reverse mortgages. A list of agencies in Pennsylvania is provided here.
Mortgage Mediation
Information from Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency on The Residential Mortgage Diversion Program that was created to provide a stay of foreclosure on owner-occupied homes. This stay allows the parties an opportunity to reach an agreement to reinstate the loan and avoid foreclosure.
OCC Consumer: Avoiding Mortgage Modification Scams and Foreclosure Rescue Scams
This Consumer Advisory, issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), describes common mortgage scams, suggests ways to protect yourself, provides information on U.S. government loan programs and counseling resources, and lists 10 warning signs of a mortgage modification scam.
PA Courts Public Access Policy - Filing Requirements in the Courts (Video)
Effective on January 6, 2018, a new Public Access Policy is in effect in Pennsylvania Courts. This policy imposes requirements on anyone filing court documents in the trial and appellate courts to safeguard information in the documents they file. The Pennsylvania Courts have released this series of videos that explain the judiciary’s new policy for protecting confidential information and the required steps you must take to protect that information when filing documents in the courts.
Predatory Lending
Information from HUD on predatory lending and what you can do to protect yourself.
Questions and Answers on Home Foreclosure and Debt Cancellation - Tax Issues
Information from the Internal Revenue Service on the tax consequences of home foreclosure and debt cancellation.
Shopping for a Mortgage
Information from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities on shopping for a mortgage to finance or re-finance your home. [PDF]
Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure
Tips from HUD on how to avoid foreclosure of your home.
When Paying the Mortgage is a Struggle
Information from the Federal Trade Commission about how to help save your home, and how to recognize and avoid foreclosure scams.
Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program Counseling Agencies
Listing of Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) Counseling Agencies. Counseling agencies prepare applications and forward information to PHFA for processing. [PDF]
Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP)
Information on the Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. This is a unique loan program designed to protect citizens who, through no fault of their own, are financially unable to make their mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure.
Mortgage Mediation
Information from Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency on The Residential Mortgage Diversion Program that was created to provide a stay of foreclosure on owner-occupied homes. This stay allows the parties an opportunity to reach an agreement to reinstate the loan and avoid foreclosure.
Pennsylvania is Now Accepting Applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund
You could be eligible for help with delinquent mortgage payments or rent-to-own payments, up to $30,000, and for help for utility expenses.