I’ll post this with the caveat that the public records connected to the MLS are not always 100% accurate, but the data is telling nonetheless.
I searched for the number of foreclosure filings in Westchester and Putnam counties for the first two months of 2023 and the same period this year. There were only 15 recordings in 2023. There are 117 thus far in 2024.
Now, typically I’d expect a reversal of the numbers, meaning the current year should be lower just because of the lag in the filings being recorded, but that just punctuates that the 117 might be lower than the actual number.
This is not un expected. When the moratorium on foreclosures was ended in 2022, we expected that after a while more foreclosures would start hitting the books as the cases progressed through the courts, and now they are. The message is clear: if you are experiencing difficulty, you must do something because the only thing between the lenders and a foreclosure is simply the court process. In other words, it’s no different now than it was before the pandemic.
Here are a few suggestions for those who may not know where to start:
- Ask your lender for a settlement conference at the county clerk.
- Ask your lender for a forbearance or some other assistance.
- Ask your lender for a loan modification
- Contact an attorney who specializes in foreclosure defense. If you don’t know one, contact me via call or text (914) 450-8883 and ask. I know a bunch.
But do something. Whether you want to remain in your home or exit with dignity in a sale on your terms and not theirs, you’ll feel better if you get proactive and take some control. Inaction facilitates the inevitable of a foreclosure and loss of the home.
