Atlanta, GA- Buying a home in pre-foreclosure as opposed to buying a home already in foreclosure can make a huge difference to Atlanta homeowners in the outcome of the situation. Georgia, being a predominately non-judicial foreclosure state limits the amount of days a homeowner has to find help when in foreclosure. (The state laws in Georgia allow for both judicial and non-judicial proceedings in a foreclosure, but non-judicial is more commonly used). Buying a home in pre-foreclosure can put everyone involved in a better position, rather than buying when the foreclosure proceedings are far set in motion.

Buying a house early, in pre-foreclosure can save a person from having foreclosure on his/her credit report, and can save them from high emotional stress. The financial burden of possibly losing a home to foreclosure is extremely overwhelming. The financial distress in itself is a load too heavy. On the other hand, when a solution is precipitated with a person in pre-foreclosure, there is substantially less emotional strain.

According to an online listing service Foreclosure.com, Atlanta’s number in foreclosures is currently at 1, 065 and the number of pre-foreclosures is 8. In relation to Atlanta’s population of 8,829,383, the number of foreclosures may not seem excessive; however the relationship to look at here is the number of foreclosures to the number of pre-foreclosures. The minute number of pre-foreclosures is of course a good thing, however the number of foreclosures shows that many, thousands of people, are not being helped early on in the default process! By no means is it too late for these people already in foreclosure to get financial help. However in a non-judicial foreclosure situation, it is better that action is taken quickly to avoid a foreclosure sale, which virtually does no good for the homeowner, lender, or investor trying to help the situation.

Non-judicial states have a short timeline of events that take place between the day the lender, or beneficiary, begins the power of sale to the day the foreclosure sale is held. In Georgia, if the initial loan documents were done under non-judicial state law, it is such that when a homeowner buys a house he/she signs the deed of trust giving the trustee the right to sell the house in foreclosure without entering the judicial, or court system. In some cases the lender may not ever make the defaulter aware of the upcoming foreclosure sale. For a homeowner, this can all be very scary if there is no one to help find a solution.

Buying homes in pre-foreclosure is about timing and reaching the homeowners early on to help them. Many of these homeowners don’t know who to turn to, they are mostly scared and/or worried. Wouldn’t anyone be fretful in the same situation?

Approaching a person in pre-foreclosure is not always easy while it can be humiliating for the homeowner, but chances are the homeowner is more concerned about keeping a roof over the family’s heads. Offering to buy the home in foreclosure is just one option available to the distressed owner. Establishing report with homeowners is important. They want to be told how we can help with sincerity and veracity, which will show them that investors are there to help out. Most of the time people in distress simply need help, someone to turn to who can give them options.

When a homeowner is unable to pay one or two mortgage payments, it is almost prescient that a foreclosure ahead. As investors we have to think about the reality these people are facing and present them options in a hopeful manner, to help them move forward in their lives.

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