Real Estate Investors CPR: 8 Effective Strategies for Avoiding Foreclosure

As a real estate investor, you’re constantly on the lookout for motivated sellers so you can acquire solid investment properties at steep discounts.  You’ve gotten pretty good at picking a motivated seller out of a crowd – and you may even have a basic understanding of some foreclosure-avoidance strategies.  However, when the person sitting on the hot-seat is you it can be very easy to get overwhelmed by your financial situation and forget what can be done in order to avoid foreclosure.

First and foremost, don’t panic.  It’s imperative that you keep your head screwed on straight so you can make sound business decisions.  If you can keep your wits about you it’s possible to recover from this financial crisis and emerge on the other side in better shape than ever before.  You’ll be a smarter investor, one who can think clearly even in the face of the most difficult circumstances.  Here’s what you should do:

·      Contact Your Lender Today – You have a much better idea of your situation than your lender does.  Don’t wait until you’re several months behind on mortgage payments to pick up the phone.  At the first sign of missing a pending mortgage payment, call your lender and let them know what’s going on.  They’ll appreciate your candor – and they’ll be much easier to work with when you make the first call.  It will also keep you in the driver’s seat, because your lender will realize that you’re a serious investor who truly wants to keep their property.  This honesty can pay huge dividends because your lender will be much more likely to help you work through your financial difficulties.  It could also delay further legal action on their part, which could buy you precious time to get caught up.

·      Don’t Ignore Notices – Whatever you do, don’t bury your head in the sand and pretend this problem doesn’t exist.  Take ownership of your real estate investing career by immediately reading all notices from your lender.  Keep a file folder on your desk with a log of all paperwork received from your lender.  Also document all telephone contact with your lender, including who initiated the call, with whom you spoke, and what was discussed.   

·      Know Your Rights – Read your loan documents carefully.  You may have read them when you signed on the dotted line, but read them again.  They explain in detail what your lender may do if you’re unable to make your payments.  It’s also important that you refresh your memory about all applicable foreclosure laws in the state in which you live.  www.mortgagelaw.org is a valuable compendium of information which explains the law and timetables of which you need to be aware.  Knowledge is power – and you’ll need to muster all the power you can.    

·      Know and Understand all Available Options – While it’s important that you discuss your situation with your lender, you should also seek qualified outside help.  Your lender will have foreclosure-avoidance strategies that they can explain in greater detail, but many of their strategies will protect their interests before yours.  You can also receive free or low-cost loan counseling from HUD by visiting www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm  

·      Slash All Unnecessary Expenses – As a real estate investor you understand the importance of knowing and tracking all expenses.  If you’re facing the possibility of foreclosure you need to take a close look at all of your expenses – personal and business – and eliminate all unnecessary items from your budget.  Items that could very easily be eliminated include extra cell phones, cable or satellite television, eating out, etc.  Go through all budget items line by line and cut the fat with the ruthless heart of a shrewd real estate investor.  Remember, your survival could be on the line.

·      Explore Utilizing Your Assets – What assets do you have that could generate fast cash?  You may have a second vehicle, collectibles, extra furniture, or other items that you could get rid of.  Clean out your garage and sell anything that you don’t need.  Also look at your investments, although some may have tax implications.  Weigh the pros and the cons and do what you think is right – after speaking with your accountant or tax advisor.

·      Avoid the Sharks – At all costs, avoid the sharks.  Everyone you encounter doesn’t have your best interests at heart – and some are sharply dressed con artists looking to swindle you out of your equity.  True real estate investors are professionals who try to create win-win solutions, but when times get tough fast-talking criminals masquerading as real estate investors come out from underneath the rocks where they live and do their best to defraud as many hapless victims as possible.  So be careful. 

·      Protect Your Primary Residence – While you’re a real estate investor and you want to do everything possible to protect your investments, remember that your primary residence shouldn’t be a pawn in a financial game of chess.  Don’t jeopardize your home, regardless of how tempting it might be to do so.  You don’t want to lose your investment to foreclosure, but it would be much better to let that happen than risk finding yourself living out of a cardboard box.  You and your family deserve better.

Protecting yourself from foreclosure can seem overwhelming.  Remember, there are effective solutions available that can help you through the most difficult times.  Real estate investing is still one of the best wealth creation strategies on the planet.  Once you weather this financial storm you can recover and bounce back.

Then you can pick up where you left off – as an investor in control of their destiny, creating solutions that will allow all of your real estate investing dreams to come true!

Charrissa Cawley has a long standing reputation for excellence as a gifted speaker, real estate trainer and wealth coach. Her strength lies in training entrepreneurs in the areas of real estate, investing and financial literacy. Her passion is bridging the gap between learning and doing. She has helped thousands of entrepreneurs all over the world seeking financial growth by equipping them with the tools, resources and specialized knowledge to succeed.  Charrissa offers accurate and proven strategies to investors of all different levels and is the founder of www.reiconferences.com, one of the fastest growing real estate investment training organizations in the US in addition to www.rewexclub.com , the top rated Real Estate Investor Community on the web today.