Are You Defaulting on Your Home Loan?
Can a lender make us sell our second home to pay down debt?
I have a home equity loan taken against my primary home in California to pay in full for my 2nd home in Montana. Now I can't afford payment and may default on the loan. Can a lender make us sell our 2nd home to pay down debt?
Unless your home equity loan agreement specifically listed your home in Montana as additional security on the loan, the lender cannot force you to sell your home in Montana to repay the home equity loan secured by your home in California.
However, if you do not make the payments on the loan, the creditor can foreclose on your primary residence in California, which I would think is a larger concern than the prospect of losing your home in Montana.
Foreclosure is a difficult and costly process, both for the lender and the homeowner, so you should try to avoid it if at all possible. Since you own two homes, I encourage you to sell one of the properties to ease your financial burden -- or to refinance and lower the total obligation.
If you want an introduction to pre-screened mortgage lenders, Bills.com makes it easy to compare mortgage offers and different loan types. Please visit the loan page at Mortgage Refinance Quote and find a loan that meets your needs.
You can either sell the second home in Montana to pay off your home equity loan, freeing yourself from the payments on that loan, or you can sell your home in California to pay off your mortgage and home equity loan. Which home you decide to sell will depend on your future plans. If you are planning to move to Montana in the near future, it may be best to sell the home in California and rent until you are ready to move. However, if you plan to stay in California, you should probably sell the Montana home and use the proceeds to pay off your home equity loan.
I wish you the best of luck in resolving your financial difficulties.
I hope this information helps you Find. Learn & Save.
Best,
Bill