In the United States mortgage default and foreclosure laws vary from one state to another. The mortgage lenders and the companies that offer affiliated services also vary the way they approach borrowing, mortgage default and foreclosure as well. The big mortgage organizations that oversee things like defaults, loans, foreclosures and so forth are Freddie Mac, the Fair Housing Administration (FHA) and the Veterans Administration (VA) have altered their approach to mortgage delinquencies and default in the last decade.



They now have all come to the conclusion that it is infinitely more cost effective and even time effective to help that mortgage default or mortgage arrears borrower stay in her or his home than to start foreclosure proceedings. Foreclosure for any of these organizations is a time consuming operation. If a mortgage default turns into a foreclosure and the FHA or other agencies become the owner of the property someone has to manage it and ultimately sell.

Since the bureaucratic decision to work with a mortgage default or mortgage arrears borrower to avoid foreclosure the ways that borrower can avoid repossession of property such as his or her vehicle or foreclosure on her home number in the dozens. Let's explore some of these mortgage default resolution options by looking at what happens when a mortgage falls into default.

In the United States, on the 16th day after the borrower was scheduled to make a mortgage payment a late fee kicks in. This amount is predetermined by the original mortgage, but three percent is common. This can really add up. Keep in mind it's not three percent of the payment due – it's three percent of the balance. If you still owe $100,000 on your home you've just added $3000 to your total mortgage. Once the borrower has become 31 days late some lenders handle the mortgage default by allowing a partial payment. Others, however, will demand that it all be brought current. There are even mortgage lenders that will send the borrower's check back if it is not the total amount of the current payment, the past due total and perhaps even the late fee as well.

Once the mortgage is in default 45 days the borrower should expect regular calls from mortgage collectors. Most U.S. states do regulate these calls, however. There are very strict collection rules in general. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) , for example, states that once you tell a collector to refrain from calling your work, or refrain from calling you at all they must do so. Of course, the last thing you really want to do is aggravate someone who holds the title to your home. No one can make a collection call to you before 8am or after 9pm your time and no one can disclose to a third party the reason for the call. The exception, of course, is wage garnishment, in which case your employer would need to know.

The first official mortgage default will be sent to the borrower 60-90 days after the last payment. This generally arrives by certified mail, which means the borrower must verify in writing that she or he has received it. This is the last point at which the mortgage default borrower can pay what he or she owes and avoid foreclosure proceedings.