Know Where You Stand With a Second Mortgage Foreclosure

Most people have a mortgage on their home. Some people even have a second mortgage. You can have a second mortgage at the same bank as your first or you can have it at a different bank. Most people that have second mortgages have them at a different bank. People get second mortgages for different reasons. They may have excess debt they want to pay off or they may need the money to catch up on their first mortgage. Perhaps they are using the money for remodeling or to take a long-awaited vacation. Whatever the reason, many people choose to take out a second mortgage on their home. Unfortunately, if you can’t make the payments on your second mortgage, you can have a second mortgage foreclosure the same way you can on your first mortgage.

Many people misunderstand the second mortgage foreclosure and how it works in reference to the first mortgage foreclosure. Any time there are two mortgages on your home, the first mortgage always takes precedence over the second mortgage. The same is true with a first and second mortgage foreclosure. Some people misunderstand what this means. They feel that since their first mortgage takes precedence over their second mortgage, they don’t have to worry about staying current with their second mortgage as much as their first. They couldn’t be more wrong with their thinking.

If you become delinquent on your second mortgage, the lender can initiate second mortgage foreclosure proceedings against your home. You can lose your home even if you’re current on the first mortgage. When a home becomes foreclosed, it is repossessed and usually sold at auction to the highest bidder. If your second mortgage is in default and you lose your home to a second mortgage foreclosure, the first mortgage will still take precedence. When your home is sold as a result of the foreclosure, the proceeds will go to the lender of the first mortgage to cover the balance that is due to them. Whatever is left will go to the lender of the second mortgage to pay them what you owe them. If there’s any money from the proceeds left after paying both mortgages, late charges, legal costs and other fees, the balance will go to you.

It’s important to understand the seriousness of a second mortgage foreclosure so you know you rights and what to expect. If you find yourself in a foreclosure situation with either mortgage, it’s to your advantage to contact an attorney for advice. However, it’s more important to contact your lenders when you first begin having financial difficulties. This may help you avoid a first or second mortgage foreclosure.