By Kylon Trower

With thousands of families facing foreclosure in California it is important for you to know exactly how to respond in the event you face a difficult financial crisis and are forced to make decision to save your home. Below are a some solid guidelines to follow if you are facing a California foreclosure.

1. Don't ignore the problem. The further behind you get on your mortgage, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and the harder it will be to save your home from foreclosure in California. Now is not the time to bury your hand in the sand.

2. Get in touch with you lender as soon as you realize there is a problem. The banks do not want your house as so many have gone into foreclosure they cannot afford to have them on the books. They may have some viable options to help you in getting through these turbulent financial times.

3. Open and respond to any and all mail correspondence you receive from the bank. The first thing you will receive in the mail will usually offer some good information about how you can avoid California foreclosure and may help you get through this difficult financial time. Other information you receive may include notices of pending legal action. Keep all of these documents together and remember that avoiding this information will only make it more difficult to save your home.

4. Knowing your mortgage rights will help you save your home. Find your loan documents and read them so you know what your lender may do if you can't make your payments. Learn about the laws regarding foreclosure in California and the time frames in your state (as every state is different) by contacting the State Government Housing Office.

5. Understand the California foreclosure prevention options. Valuable information about California foreclosure prevention (also called loss mitigation) options can be found on the internet at www.fha.gov/foreclosure.

6. Prioritize your spending. After health care, taking action to save your home should be your first priority. Review your finances and see where you can cut spending in order to make your mortgage payment. Look for optional expenses-cable TV, memberships, entertainment-that you can eliminate. Delay payments on credit cards and other "unsecured" debt until you have made the payments necessary to save your home.

7. Use your assets. Do you have any assets like a second car, jewelry, a life insurance policy that you can sell quickly for cash to help catch up you loan? Can you or a family member get a second job to bring in extra income? Even if these efforts don't significantly increase your cash flow they demonstrate to your lender that you are willing to make every effort to save your home.

8. Don't lose your home to California foreclosure recovery scams! Be very careful about signing any documents assigning them to act on your behalf because you may be signing over the title to your home and becoming a renter in your own home! Never sign a legal document without careful reading and clarity on all the terms and conditions. Getting professional advice from a trusted real estate professional or real estate attorney is always wise.

Take the above advice into account and use common sense when making decisions about preventing a California foreclosure and attempting to save your home.

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