Representing Yourself in Foreclosure Hearings?

There are many reasons why people face foreclosure: loss of employment, a grave illness, the death of a spouse. Yet they all boil down to the same cause: the inability to make timely mortgage payments.

Even in such a tight financial situation, many homeowners forgo hiring a foreclosure attorney to represent them in hearings. After all, hiring a lawyer entails additional costs that may otherwise be used to service the loan. If you’re thinking about representing yourself in court, however, know that there are crucial drawbacks to doing so:

You’re Overmatched

In all foreclosure cases, the homeowner is up against the lender, an entity that has the resources to hire a highly skilled legal team. While a David-versus-Goliath outcome isn’t entirely impossible, it is very nearly so. To stand any chance of winning, you truly need professional legal representation.

You’ll Miss Loopholes

Foreclosure attorneys scrutinize your mortgage documents for any irregularities—loopholes that might discredit your lender and cause the judge to throw out the case. This may include improper compliance with the foreclosure filing procedure or any other documentary discrepancies. Of course, only experienced lawyers can spot these anomalies and use them to mount your defense.

You Might Miss Deadlines

What happens if you don’t respond to the foreclosure notice? You lose the case automatically. That’s because the foreclosure process has very strict timelines that are easy to miss. Lawyers are aware of all these and ensure that you’ll never miss a response or hearing date.