Articles Posted in Foreclosure

On July 7, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit made clear that mediation is not required prior to foreclosure in D.C. The decision came on appeal from Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co. N.A. v. Perry M. Bryant, 13-CA-007584(R)(RP). BNYM v. Bryant On November 8, 2013, Bank of…

Real estate is usually the most valuable asset that people own. When your home is on the line, do not attempt to litigate a foreclosure on your own. Lee Legal will fight your foreclosure for you. If you are facing foreclosure, you have options, but you must act quickly. Simply allowing a foreclosure to happen…

Getting a new mortgage after a foreclosure can be challenging under certain circumstances. But if you want to buy another home, take heart because it is possible. Generally speaking, you will not be able to obtain a mortgage sooner than two years of a foreclosure. But you will be able to get another mortgage after…

On July 1, 2017, a new law takes effect that represents a big change to Virginia landlord and tenant law. The law specifically affects tenants with landlords in foreclosure. Now leases terminate upon foreclosure. This is a big change and will affect many renters in Virginia. I have written (Does Foreclosure Terminate a Lease?) on…

Washington, D.C. homeowners facing foreclosure should very carefully examine their options, including voluntary surrender.  Three conditions primarily determine when it’s time to give up your home to foreclosure. Affordability. If you can’t make your monthly mortgage payment anymore, remaining in your home may be economically unsustainable. Equity. If you sold your home on the open market,…

A homeowners association (“HOA”) or condo board in Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia has super-priority status over even first mortgage holders. Homeowners association foreclosure in the DMV is subsequently quite common. If you are unable to pay your condo or coop fees, your HOA can and will foreclose against your home. Homeowners association foreclosure procedures…

Several factors affect how long it takes to complete a foreclosure in the District of Columbia. You may be living in the property, or you may have it rented. You may need some time to find a new place to live, or to save up for a security deposit. The bank may have paperwork problems…

Between four and five million Americans have security clearances, but recent data suggest that security-cleared employees are less in demand as they used to be. Still, jobs requiring security clearances continue to command higher compensation and remain very highly sought-after in the Washington, D.C. area. Many factors affect the approval or recertification of a security clearance.…

Washington, D.C. is a judicial foreclosure jurisdiction. In judicial proceedings, the defendant must be given specific notices at every step of the foreclosure process. You have rights if you are facing foreclosure in Washington, D.C., but you must act to preserve them. Below I describe each of the Washington DC foreclosure notice requirements in detail.…

If you rent your home and your landlord is in foreclosure, you are fully justified in wanting to know: Does foreclosure terminate a lease? You may have an excellent relationship with your landlord, but if your landlord is in foreclosure, watch out. Legal ownership of your home will transfer to a new landlord once the…