Free Maine foreclosure assistance
Maine has in place an extensive foreclosure prevention program that is free to homeowners in the state. The Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection is the lead agency in creating this resource for struggling homeowners.
The Bureau has in place contracts that provide free foreclosure assistance with the following non-profit organization and agencies.
- Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP)
- Washington/Hancock County Community Action
- Community Concepts
- Pine Tree Legal Assistance
- York County Community Action Corp
- Penquis
- Kennebec Valley Community Action
- Sustainable Economic Solutions
How does the Maine foreclosure program help?
The contracts agreed to between Maine and these groups guarantee that each organization will assist homeowners. They will provide well trained housing counselors that will gather financial information; negotiate directly with banks, mortgage lenders, servicers and foreclosure attorneys; and they will develop loan modifications, payment deferral plans, loan restructuring, interest rate reductions or other remedies on behalf of the homeowner. Counselors can also offer mediation services. Read more on foreclosure mediation. All of the organizations will not charge fees for their foreclosure assistance services.
Remember that it is always very important for homeowners to contact someone early in the process to greatly improve their choices of available remediation options. Numerous studies show that homeowners will have a much better chance at keeping their homes if they work directly with an approved HUD counselor to explore their options.
Funding for this assistance program comes from an assessment on banks, mortgage servicers, and lenders at foreclosure auctions. This ongoing effort to assist homeowners across Maine was the result of legislation that took effect in September, 2009.
The process is intended to be as simple as possible. Many foreclosure relief programs that are now offered directly by banks, or the federal government or through large mortgage investors are complex, take a long time to work, and involve assembling many financial documents and negotiating directly with various lenders. Through this free foreclosure prevention program from Maine, trained housing counselors will be able to assist homeowners through the maze of red tape and government forms in order for the homeowner to successfully achieve a loan modification.
Free foreclosure counseling and assistance for Mine residents can be obtained by calling the Bureau’s toll-free hotline, 1-888-NO-4-CLŌOZ.
|
