FREE Mortgage Foreclosure Legal Consultation Clinics by Nassau County Bar Association

Nassau residents caught in the growing mortgage foreclosure crisis can have their questions answered by attorneys at a free clinic sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association at the Nassau County Bar Association (NCBA) headquarters, 15th and West Streets, Mineola, NY. Attorneys have volunteered to provide one-on-one guidance, advice and direction to any Nassau County homeowner who is concerned about foreclosure matters or is already in the foreclosure process involving property in Nassau County. Attorneys have volunteered to review individual foreclosure issues with Nassau homeowners, help them sort things out, and give advice or refer them to agencies and programs, right in the same room, that may be able to help. This is not legal representation. The attorneys will help the homeowner find out if indeed, they need a credit counselor or a lawyer, and get them in touch with available resources. In addition to meeting one-on-one with a volunteer attorney, housing counselors from the Nassau County Homeownership Center and representatives from Nassau/Suffolk Law Services -- which provides free legal services for those who meet certain income guidelines -- will be on hand to provide assistance. Reservations are required by calling the Bar Association at 516-747-4070 between 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

A WORD OF CAUTION ON THE MORTGAGE MODIFICATION COMPANIES

At the heart of the President Barack Obama's ambitious plan to rescue the housing market is the conviction that restructuring distressed mortgages will keep struggling borrowers in their homes and help insert a floor beneath plummeting property values. Whether you call it a loan modification, mortgage modification, restructuring, or workout plan, it’s when a borrower — who is facing great financial hardship and is having difficulty making their mortgage payments — works with their lender to change the terms of their mortgage loan. The workout plan could result in temporary or permanent changes to the mortgage rate, term and/or monthly payment of the loan as the plan’s goal is to help the borrower reduce their monthly mortgage payments. One word of caution: this new bill has spawned a whole new wave of loan modification salespeople who might be perfectly fine and those who are not. Be careful. Also, it’s always good to hire legal counsel. Get a referral from your local bar association. Because when dealing with anyone who specializes in this field, it may be best to deal with someone who is local in the event any problems arise - it is easier to speak to someone who has an office a mile away from you than someone who has an office at the other end of the country.