If you are unable to make your mortgage payment:

• Don't ignore the problem
• • The further behind you become, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and more likely it will become that you loose your home.
    
    
• Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have a problem
• • Lenders do not want your home.  They have options to help borrowers if the problem is addressed early on.
         
    
• Open and respond to ALL mail from your lender
• • Notices will offer information and resources about foreclosure prevention and legal action that may be pending if the problem continues.          
    
    
• Know your mortgage rights
• • Read your mortgage documents so you know what your lender may do and the timeframes for the steps to foreclosure.
    
    
• Understand foreclosure prevention tips
• • There are several options about foreclosure prevention that may be available to you. Go to www.hud.gov.            
    
    
• Contact a HUD approved housing counselor
• • Toll Free (800) 569-4287     TTY (800) 877-8339
        
    
• Prioritize your spending
• • After healthcare, keeping your home should be your first priority. Review spending and cut back where you can in order to make your mortgage payment.  Delay or make minimum payments on credit cards until you have caught up on your mortgage payments.
    
    
• Use your assets
• • Do you have a second car, whole life insurance policy that you can sell for cash? Can anyone in the house get a job or second job temporarliy until your mortgage payment is back on track?  Besides increasing your income, these efforts demonstrate to your lender that you are willing to make sacrifices.
    
    
• Avoid foreclosure prevention companies
• • You do not need to pay fees for foreclosure prevention help-use that money to pay your mortgage instead.  Contact a non-profit HUD approved housing counseling agency.
    
    
• Don't loose your house to foreclosure recovery scams
• • If a firm claims they can stop your foreclosure immediately if you sign a document appointing them to act on your behalf, you may well be signing over the title to your home. Never sign a legal document without reading and understanding all the terms and getting professional advice from an attorney, a trusted real estate professional, or a HUD approved housing counselor.

Relief in your State:                          www.hud.gov/foreclosure/local.cfm
Help Save My Home:                       www.hud.gov./offices/hsg/sfh/econ/econ.cfm
HUD National Servicing Center:   www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/nsc/nschome.cfm

 HUD approved Housing Counseling Agencies in Broward County:

1. Broward County Housing Authority 954-739-1114
2. New Visions Community Development Corp 954-768-0920
3. Neighborhood Housing Services 1-800-401-7601
4. HOPE Human Resources 954-342-8470
5. Urban League of Broward County 954-625-2590