Foreclosure Defense in Kansas City, MO
Are you currently facing a threat of foreclosure in Kansas City, Missouri or are already going through proceedings? Consult with an experienced foreclosure defense lawyer to find out what your options are to save your home.
What Is Foreclosure?
The process begins when an Kansas City, MO homeowner does not make a mortgage payment. In Missouri, the foreclosure process can’t start until you are at least 120 days past due on your mortgage payments. If after this time, the homeowner has not resolved the payment issue, the lender can begin to foreclose on the house. The home is sold to recover the losses caused by the owner being unable to pay their mortgage as stipulated in the mortgage contract.
Foreclosure By Power of Sale
The power of sale is a clause in the mortgage or deed of trust. It states that the lender can foreclose without court oversight. Missouri Law stipulates steps that must be taken before a non-judicial foreclosure sale can happen in Kansas City. Specifically, the lender must publish a notice in the local Kansas City newspaper for 4 weeks. In addition, written notice of the sale must be sent to the owner at least 20 days before the sale. Missouri provides a redemption period of 1 year after the sale. This is the time during which you have the opportunity to buy your Kansas City property back from the lender. However, this redemption period does not apply if your property is purchased by a third party at the foreclosure sale. If the lender can prove that you meet these criteria, they can sell the foreclosed home.
Foreclosure By Judicial Sale
Foreclosure by judicial sale is a court-supervised process where a mortgaged property is sold to resolve outstanding debts. The proceeds are used to satisfy the mortgage first, followed by any lien holders, and finally, the lender. This process requires the lender to carefully follow legal procedures to ensure the buyer of the foreclosed property obtains a clear and valid title.
Types of Foreclosure Defenses
If you’re in the process of foreclosure, you’ll want to do everything in your power to stop the foreclosure. Here are common foreclosure defenses your Kansas City attorney might recommend.
The Bank Didn’t Follow State Procedures
The foreclosure process is complicated and time-consuming; oftentimes, that leads to errors. If the bank or other lender didn’t follow Kansas City, Missouri foreclosure procedures, you might have a good case for stopping the foreclosure.
The Mortgage Servicer Made Mistakes
Mortgage services can make mistakes when handling homeowners’ accounts. Here are some of the most common mistakes to look out for:
- Dual tracking, which means pursuing foreclosure at the same time a different loan modification is pending
- Sending your mortgage payments to the wrong party
- Overstating the amount of money you owe for your mortgage payments
- Imposing excessive fees for late payments that weren’t stipulated in the mortgage contract
If you think the mortgage servicer made these or other mistakes, contact an attorney in Kansas City, MO right away to help you stop the foreclosure process. This is one of the best options available to help you save your home.
You’re on Active Duty
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides special protections to people who are on active duty. This prevents lenders in Kansas City from being able to foreclose your home without a proper court proceeding. It allows you to provide a defense with the help of an experienced foreclosure attorney.
The main protection is if you took out your mortgage prior to being on active duty, the foreclosure proceedings must occur in court even if that is not the norm unless you sign a waiver for the lender.
The Foreclosing Party Lacks “Standing”
The foreclosing party is the party that owns the loan. If the lender can’t prove that they own the loan, then that means they lack “standing”. They then can’t foreclose the home.
This happens a lot because banks often bundle your loan with other loans and sell them to other banks or investors. This can make it difficult to track who exactly owns the loan for your house.
The Statute of Limitations Has Passed
The statute of limitations protects homeowners from foreclosure if a significant amount of time has passed since they stopped making their mortgage payments. Believe it or not, some mortgages or missed payments do slip through the cracks.
Under Missouri law, there is a 20-year statute of limitations for foreclosures. This time limit applies to both judicial and non-judicial foreclosures in Kansas City. The 20-year period begins at the maturity date of the loan, which is typically stated in the mortgage documents. However, the statute of limitations defense becomes more complex if no maturity date is stated. It is best to consult a qualified Kansa City attorney to determine when the statute of limitations begins in your case.
Additional Foreclosure Defenses
Here are some less common foreclosure defense options:
- You’re already making payments on a loan modification, which means the foreclosure should not have been initiated.
- You believe the lender violated federal regulations if you have a VA, USDA, or FHA loan.
- You never received a breach of contract letter from the lender informing you of the violation of your mortgage contract or deed of trust.
Preparing for the Foreclosure Defense Process
When an attorney takes on your case in Kansas City, Missouri, it’s important to remember that there are no guarantees that you’ll win, but your chances just climbed higher. Each foreclosure case is unique and requires a deep understanding of your state’s foreclosure laws. A good attorney knows how to navigate the court system and will help you find any loopholes that can work to your advantage.
If you live in a state where foreclosures always happen in civil court, your attorney will simply bring any issues with the foreclosure up to the judge. If you live in a state where foreclosures typically happen outside of the court system, you and an attorney may have to start the judicial process by filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party. A foreclosure lawsuit in Kansas City will typically be filed with the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County. As well, this Court’s Department of Civil Process performs the same duties as a Sheriff’s Civil Division in other Missouri counties. Specifically, this Department conducts judicial foreclosure sales. Even if you cannot stop the case, the attorney can help you stall the process while you get your affairs in order.
Work with an Experienced Foreclosure Defense Lawyer in Kansas City, Missouri
Even if you feel you don’t have a viable case, an attorney may find solid grounds for fighting the foreclosure. Consulting with an Kansas City, MO attorney is an objective way to find out if your case is worth going to court. Most first-time consultations with a lawyer are free, which means there’s no risk involved.
Take the first big steps toward fighting to keep your home. You can also delay the process for as long as possible until you find a new one. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Missouri state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to speak with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations. Contact Aaron at [email protected] for article suggestions, collaborations, or inquiries.
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