Pending mortgage foreclosure case backlog down 75% from peak in Florida – What does this mean to you?

One of the many problems caused by the national mortgage foreclosure crisis from the last decade was the explosion in the number of foreclosure filings in Florida state courts. According to statistics published in a recent article on the Florida Courts (www.flcourts.org) website, the number of foreclosure filings rose to around 400,000 cases at the height of the crisis, as compared to the normal average of 70,000 or so in an average year.

This jump in filings caused a backlog that topped 300,000 cases in June of 2013. That is why virtually all foreclosure cases over the last 5 to 6 years have experienced many months and even years of delays working their way through our state court system. As of September of 2015, that back log amount has been reduced below 80,000 cases.

To read the entire article go to: http://www.flcourts.org/administration-funding/court-funding-budget/mortgage-foreclosure.stml

What does this mean to you if you are facing foreclosure right now? It means that your lender is most likely going to push harder and faster to try and seize your property, and get you removed from the premises. Gone are the days when you could stay in your property for years while the courts tried to figure out what to do with you. In addition, much of the leniency that was afforded to struggling home owners 5, 6 and 7 years ago has gone away.

You need to contact an attorney who specializes in defending your rights before it is too late. Many of the banks and other loan servicers have made it clear that they want your mortgage payments on time, and in full, or they will push for foreclosure in short order. They are also much tighter on granting mortgage modifications than they were back then, as well.

Before your lender takes your home, you need to talk with attorneys who are knowledgeable about keeping your home out of foreclosure. Korte & Wortman, P.A. will fight for your rights against any bank, loan servicer or their attorneys. The earlier you get us involved in your defense, the better chance we have of helping you keep your home.

Contact us at Korte & Wortman now. Check out our website to see our results: working with our clients to help them stave off foreclosure and save their homes by getting them the mortgage modifications and/or foreclosure defense they need. Check out a few of our many success stories on our website at http://foreclosurefactor.com/results/loan-modification-results/.

Effect of rise in interest rates on home owners in West Palm Beach and throughout Florida?

The US Federal Reserve in Washington DC on a beautiful summer day

Yesterday, December 16, 2015, the Federal Reserve (the Fed) announced it was raising interest rates by 25 basis points. This means that it is increasing the target for short term interest rates to a range of 0.25% to 0.50% from a range of 0% to 0.25%. The move was particularly noteworthy because it marked the first time in 9½ years (since June of 2006) that the Fed has raised interest rates.

Most of the big banks, including Citibank, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase followed the Fed’s move by increasing their prime lending rates from 3.25% to 3.5%, effective today. The rest are expected to follow suit shortly. The question for all of us consumers out there is: how will this affect my wallet/purse/bank account?

Although the answer to that question varies depending upon your personal situation, the general answer to the effect of this one ¼% rise is “Not much, for most of us, in the immediate future.”

The more important question for home owners in West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater or anywhere else in the state of Florida: is this a one-time event, or a change in policy by the Fed that signals more interest rate hikes ahead in 2016. Some economists, journalists and forecasters are predicting that this is just the beginning of a series of tightening moves by the Fed. If that is the case, then the effect, particularly here in Florida, will be significant.

Why? Because as we saw in 2008 through 2010 and even into 2011 and 2012, our local economy is particularly sensitive to what is happening in the real estate market. The economic crisis which was largely brought on by the collapse of the housing market hit Florida harder than almost every other state in America.

Only in the last two years or so have we seen our housing market finally bounce back (house prices went up 8.7% in Florida last year, the 3^rd fastest growth rate amongst states, according to an article on businessinsider.com). A significant rise in interest rates could cause the housing market to slow, which will most likely cause our local economy to slow or even go in reverse again. To read the entire article ranking the economies of all 50 states and Washington D.C. please go to: http://www.businessinsider.com/state-economy-ranking-july-2015-2015-7

That is the most important question to people who are involved in the real estate market here in Florida; particularly those of you who are already in a precarious position with your current mortgage or home equity loan. Sustained increases in interest rates could push you over the edge toward foreclosure.

Before that happens, you need to talk with a law firm knowledgeable about getting your loans modified today. Or, you may need to explore your rights in foreclosure defense. If you need help with any type of problems you have with your mortgage or any other home loan, contact us at Korte & Wortman, P.A. now.

Korte & Wortman is a law firm specializing in all aspects of foreclosure including bankruptcy, mortgage debt, short sales, loan modification, predatory lending practices and Dodd-Frank Act violation litigation. We have had excellent results working with a number of clients to help them stave off foreclosure and save their homes by getting them the mortgage modifications and/or foreclosure defense they need. Check out a few of our many success stories on our website at http://foreclosurefactor.com/results/loan-modification-results/.

Our home office is based in West Palm Beach, at 2041 Vista Parkway, Suite 102. You can call us at (561) 544-7071, stop in to our office, email us at vdinapoli@kwlawfirm.com or come to our website. Our firm represents clients throughout the state of Florida and across the eastern seaboard. We also have offices in Sunrise and Clearwater, Florida.

Study shows credit card debt in south Florida / West Palm Beach area among highest % in the country

A recent study conducted by consumer watchdog website CreditCards.com reported that residents of south Florida, from Miami north through West Palm Beach carry the 4th largest credit card debt burden in the country. On average each south Floridian carries an average of $4,325 in credit card debt according to the study. Furthermore, it would take the average person over a year to pay off that debt if they started paying it off now and stopped using their credit cards until they were fully paid off.

That average credit card debt burden of $4,325 equals over 15.7% of the median individual income in our area, which is $27,453 according to published statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice. Median household income is $47,463 according to the latest Census survey in 2014. What do all of these facts and figures mean to you as a resident here in West Palm Beach?

In an article published by Kenny Malone on the WLRN website regarding the study, he quoted CreditCards.com senior industry analyst Matt Shulz who said “It certainly seems that Miami residents are putting a little bit more than they can afford on their cards. You know, as evidenced by the fact that we see that it would take the average person in Miami about 14 months and about $350 in interest to pay off their credit card debt… That’s a long time and a lot of money.”

To read this entire article please go to: http://wlrn.org/post/study-south-florida-fourth-worst-credit-card-debt-burden-country

The South Florida Business Journal also highlighted a study from the credit agency Equifax that although south Florida has seen a significant dip overall in consumer debt over the last year, that in fact “In the auto, bank credit card, and retail card category, South Floridians incurred 11 percent more debt in the 12 months leading up to March 31 (2015).” http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2015/05/05/south-florida-has-greatest-dip-in-consumer-debt.html

If you are in West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater or anywhere else in the state of Florida and in need of a law firm knowledgeable about credit card debt issues, then contact us at Korte & Wortman, P.A. Korte & Wortman is a law firm specializing in credit card debt defense and defending our clients in all aspects of consumer debt issues including bankruptcy, mortgage debt, foreclosure, Deed in Lieu and short sales. We have had excellent results working with a number of clients to save them tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars on their credit card debt, mortgage modifications, Dodd-Frank Act cases and other consumer loan issues. Check out a few of our many success stories on our website at http://foreclosurefactor.com/practice-areas/credit-cards/

Our home office is based in West Palm Beach, at 2041 Vista Parkway, Suite 102. You can call us at (561) 544-7071, stop in to our office, email us at vdinapoli@kwlawfirm.com or come to our website. Our firm represents clients throughout the state of Florida and across the eastern seaboard. We also have offices in Sunrise and Clearwater, Florida.

West Palm Beach, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale bankruptcy courtrooms covert to digital audio recordings

On July 30th the United State Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida announced that it would be transitioning all bankruptcy court rooms district-wide to digital audio recordings (DAR) of all court proceedings starting on Saturday, August 1, 2015. Here are the contents of the press release from the Court:

“On August 1, 2015, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida [Miami Division] will transition to digital audio recording (DAR) of all court proceedings. The courtroom technology selected is ForTheRecord® (FTR). Installation of new hardware and software necessary to accommodate DAR has been completed district-wide in the Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach bankruptcy courtrooms. For an interim period, requests for transcripts will continue to be submitted to the court-approved transcript reporting company, Ouellette and Mauldin until such time as we have had an opportunity to accept and review solicitations from transcription companies interested in being added to the court-approved list.

The court went on to state that all attorneys and other parties appearing in court needed to follow certain “guidelines” pertaining to the optimal use of the digital audio recording system in the courtrooms:

“As a reminder, we ask that you become familiar DAR etiquette and get in the habit of following these basic guidelines when appearing in all bankruptcy courtrooms:

1) Speak clearly and audibly into the microphones. Only one person at a time should be speaking,

2) Each time you speak, please identify yourself by stating your name and the party(s) whom you represent. Spell difficult names for the record,

3) The DAR is extremely sensitive to sounds. All side conversations in the courtroom may be recorded.

Please direct inquiries to: Webmaster_FLSB@flsb.uscourts.gov ”

For more information about bankruptcy court, the new digital audio recording (DAR) system and how it may affect your appearance in bankruptcy court, or if you are in need of a bankruptcy attorney or bankruptcy defense lawyer, please contact us at Korte & Wortman, P.A. at (561) 544-7071 or go directly to the bankruptcy page of our website, http://foreclosurefactor.com/practice-areas/mortgage-litigation/bankruptcy-faqs/.

We look forward to assisting you with any foreclosure, bankruptcy, credit card debt defense or other real estate legal questions or issues that you may have.

An article from the Assouline & Berlowe, P.A. law firm was read to help compile the new courtroom guidelines list used in this blog:  https://assoulineberlowe.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/shhhhh-in-the-courtroom-bankruptcy-court-goes-digital/