The easiest way to begin Arkansas foreclosure recovery is to contact your lender as soon as you are unable to make your payments on time. Lenders want the borrowers to keep their homes because foreclosure is an expensive process on which most lenders end up losing money.
Lenders therefore have an interest in exploring every possible option in the foreclosure process in Arkansas. Stop foreclosure on your home with strategies that include forbearance, partial claim, payment modification and payment suspension. However, the fewer payments you are behind, the more options that will be open to you.
Know your Arkansas foreclosure rights
Laws on foreclosure vary considerably by state so you should be familiar with at least a summary of foreclosure laws in Arkansas. You should also read your loan documents to know what your lender can do if you can't make your payments.
I recommend: ForeclosureS.com provides the contact information for the Attorney General’s Office in Arkansas and links to specific legislation regarding foreclosure in Arkansas.
Get assistance with Arkansas foreclosure recovery information
There are housing counselors and online resources available to help you understand your options, assist you in organizing your finances and negotiate with your lender if needed.
I recommend: The
Department of Housing and Urban Development provides contact information for approved housing counselors in Arkansas that are available for free or at a very low cost. The
Home Loan Learning Center offers extensive resources, including an online quiz for assessing your risk of losing your home.
Retain an Arkansas foreclosure lawyer
You may need an Arkansas foreclosure attorney to protect your interests, especially if you need to sign documents. If your regular attorney does not handle Arkansas foreclosure law, he or she may be able to make a referral.
I recommend: The
Mickel Law Firm is based in Little Rock and has Arkansas foreclosure attorneys on staff. The
McMullan Law Firm is a small, prestigious law firm that devotes its practice to real estate law.
Watch out for mortgage recovery scams
The Federal Trade Commission warns that there are plenty of bad guys operating in the foreclosure recovery business who will take your money and provide no service. Some warning signs, according to the FTC: advertising terms like "guarantee" and "97% success rate", upfront fees before services and company names or websites designed to make you think you're dealing with a government or nonprofit agency.
I recommend: Educate yourself about foreclosure recovery scams through the
Federal Trade Commission. The FTC recommends you only seek foreclosure help from government sanctioned counseling agencies like the ones recommended by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the federal
Making Home Affordable program.