Free workshop for struggling homeowners
Homeowners who are struggling to meet their mortgage payments are encouraged to attend a Tuesday workshop about options and resources available to them.
“Various programs are available for homeowners in financial crisis,” said Sylvia Waynick, project manager for the Arizona Foreclosure Prevention Task Force, which has been reaching out to distressed homeowners with workshops around the state for 5-1/2 years. Other sponsors of the CHOICES for Homeowners workshops are CSSPE (Certified Short Sale Property Experts) and the Arizona Department of Housing.
The workshops bring together resources from all three organizations, as well as real estate and bankruptcy attorneys, so that homeowners can explore all of their available options in one place, Waynick said.
The free workshop in Yuma will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Harkins Theatres at Yuma Palms Regional Center. Those planning to attend need to register at http://wrkshopyuma.eventbrite.com to get their names on the list to be allowed entry. Harkins staff will direct the attendees to the correct auditorium.
The event will be a panel-style workshop with presentations, followed by one-on-one interaction and counseling.
“We work through the programs for them and educate them about what is available and try to find the right solution for each homeowner,” said Waynick.
While the goal is to keep owners in their homes, there is no guarantee that will happen, she said.
At the workshops, mobile tablets are used to help people through the qualification process of the different programs. Homeowners will be able to determine if they qualify for government money to get a principal reduction, pay off a second mortgage or make a loan current, Waynick said. Even more important, if they do not qualify for these programs, they will learn about other solutions available for their individual situation.
Individual counseling with the correct organization or department is often set up post-workshop to follow through with whatever option the homeowner determines is best.
While there does appear to be some significant signs of real estate recovery, thousands of Arizona homeowners are still facing foreclosure or are deeply underwater.
“One family that attends may learn bankruptcy is their best choice, another may determine they will try refinancing and another short sale. The point is that these are life-changing decisions and we want to make the process as easy as possible. At the workshops, homeowners will get the facts, so they can make the choice,” said Marge Peck, founder of CSSPE.
For more information, visit www.CSSPE.com or www.azforeclosureprevention.org, or call the state foreclosure help line at 1-877-448-1211.
The Arizona Foreclosure Prevention Task Force is a nonprofit volunteer organization working to reduce the number of foreclosures in Arizona and the impact on families and communities.
