Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Homeownership Issues & The 2011 Legislative Session

This post is a guest post by Laura Hodges, AmeriCorps Member with the MN Home Ownership Center:
 
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2011 Legislative Update 

The 2011 legislative session at times got hotter than a July weekend. Combining that with the government shut down, Minnesota citizens might have questioned if the politicians were getting anything done. 
Well I am happy to report that lawmakers implemented two agreements during the most recent legislative session that offer additional protections to homeowners beginning August 1, 2011:

Mortgage Ownership Disclosure (Link)
This law updates an existing law that requires mortgage servicers to disclose to a borrower, upon request, who actually owns their mortgage loan and the contact information.  While this may be helpful for homeowners, it is especially helpful for Homeownership Advisors (foreclosure counselors) when working with homeowners facing foreclosure as the knowledge of who really owns the loan can be helpful when negotiating workout options.  

Extended Redemption Period for Reverse Mortgage Holders
The other change that was passed during the legislative session involves Reverse Mortgages. The law grants reverse mortgage borrowers, who have had a sheriff sale due to foreclosure, an extended redemption period of 12 months. This extension will give time for the homeowner to regain ownership if they can pay off the mortgage loan in full, or can be used as extended time to find alternative housing options. This change is welcome news for many reverse mortgage holders.


The Minnesota Homeownership Center would like to thank Laura for her valuable contributions to our work and mission over the past year.  You've been a great member of our team, and we wish you the best as you move on to pursue other goals!

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