Know how Utah foreclosure laws will affect you

Laws on foreclosure vary considerably by state so you should be familiar with at least a summary of foreclosure laws in Utah. You should also read your loan documents to know what your lender can do if you can't make your payments.

I recommend: In addition to a summary of Utah law, American Foreclosure Specialists provides a description of possible strategies for avoiding a foreclosure on your home. Advantage Mitigation Services summarizes the foreclosure laws in Utah and outlines the foreclosure recovery process.

Get assistance with Utah 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: Consumer Credit Counseling Service offers an online tutorial through its CredabilityU website to help you keep your home, as well as many other financial tips. The Home Loan Learning Center offers extensive resources, including an online quiz for assessing your risk of losing your home.

Retain a Utah foreclosure attorney

You may need one of the available Utah foreclosure lawyers to protect your interests, especially if you need to sign documents. If your regular attorney does not handle Utah foreclosure law, he or she may be able to make a referral.

I recommend: Richer and Overholt is located in Jordon and specifically includes foreclosures in its areas of practice. Richards, Kimble & Winn in Salt Lake City concentrates on real estate law, especially foreclosures.

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.