In Georgia foreclosures have increased dramatically over the last two years. The same is true of states throughout the United States. The increase in foreclosures is due in part to poor performance of all economic sectors. Another major reason for an increasing number of foreclosures is the increase in the number of risky mortgage loans approved over recent months.
Many recent loans were too high. In the rush to get people into home ownership, some loans were structured so the payments were at the top borrowing limit. The only way that the borrower could be approved is for some assumptions to be made about continued salary levels with no blips on the radar of earnings. If a job loss by a borrower happened or a few days of illness resulted in a smaller pay check, there were no reserves to continue to pay mortgage payments.
About three to four years ago, a number of highly structured mortgage loans were made to buyers who simply could not afford standard mortgages. In many cases the borrower had a schedule of interest only for two years. The borrower might not be required to pay all the interest, taxes and insurance for the initial period. Instead these charges were added to the principal amount of a loan. The loan structure called for a refinance at the end of the initial period, hoping for a better earning record and credit score after two years so that the refinance would be approved.
Faced with a larger loan, no equity in the home, poorer credit and dropping house prices, many borrowers can not afford payments. They can’t refinance due to their credit score. They can’t even sell the home without taking a loss. Default on the loan is almost inevitable.
Increasing numbers of foreclosures is having a ripple effect on the economy. Plant closures, layoffs, and bad loans force a borrower to default and the lender to take back the property. The process is called foreclosure. In Georgia, foreclosure can be non-judicial or judicial.
Many foreclosures in the state are processed as non-judicial foreclosures, although judicial foreclosures are also acceptable. The foreclosure process begins with the lender notifying the court that the default must be cured within thirty days or the property will be sold to cover the debt. In the state, the borrower may be required to pay not only the default amount, but the entire loan.
The next step is to post a foreclosure sale in the local newspaper for a period of four weeks prior to the sale date. The prescribed date for a foreclosure sale is on the first Tuesday of each month. The sale begins at ten am and is held at the county courthouse. Cash to pay for the sale is due immediately from the winning bidder.
The final step in the Georgia foreclosures process is to confirm the sale through the courts. If the sale is for less than the value of the property, the court may order the process to begin all over again. Otherwise, the property passes legally to the new owner. The original borrower has no redemptive right.
Ga foreclosures have increased dramatically over the last two years. The same is true of states throughout the United States. We’ve got the inside info on Ga foreclosure properties.