Free Hurricane Sandy Insurance Claim Assistance

On February 26, 2013, in Message/News Board, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

Hotline to help New Yorkers with insurance issues from Hurricane Sandy

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Department of Financial Services disaster hotline to help New Yorkers with insurance issues from Hurricane Sandy will now be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting today. The hotline, at 800-339-1759, can answer insurance related storm questions and help consumers file complaints. It has been open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends since immediately after Storm Sandy.

Read the full press release here.

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

On February 21, 2013, in Foreclosure, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

How can I do a Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure?

Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure– Occurs when the lender accepts ownership of the property in place of the money owed on the mortgage.

Basically, you simply sign over the property to the bank to avoid foreclosure.

Sounds easy, right? Not so fast!

Most lenders will require that the homeowner first attempt a short sale before they will even consider a Deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Additionally, having multiple lenders can complicate things even further. We have yet to see a Deed-in-lieu accepted on a property with multiple lenders. Therefore, we don’t see Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure as a viable first option for distressed homeowners.

However, things may be changing, we recently received a call from a client who has been asked, by their lender, if they are interested in completing a Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure. We will have to see if this is an isolated occurrence or the new trend.

Foreclosure Defense Attorneys

Call the Law Firm of Vaughn, Weber & Prakope,  PLLC at 516-858-2620 to speak with a foreclosure attorney.

Buying Property with Existing Tenants

On February 21, 2013, in Landlord-Tenant, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

Purchasing Occupied vs. Purchasing Vacant

Should I buy a house that already has tenants?

Maybe.

We have represented many Landlords who have purchased homes with existing tenants. In our experience, this has not always gone well for the new Landlord. Many of the new Landlords have ended up starting an eviction action against the existing tenants shortly after the closing.

However, many of our clients are real estate investors and have factored into the purchase price the cost associated with an eviction. In fact, many have weighed these factors well in advance of buying the property and actually end up getting a “better” deal because of the existing tenants. They normally won’t buy the property with existing tenants unless they are getting a very good deal.

Personally, I like to find my own tenants. However, as stated, there can be advantages to buying a property with existing tenants (e.g. instant rental income, lower purchase price, instant occupancy for security purposes).

Therefore, you need to carefully consider many different factors before you decide to purchase a home with existing tenants.

Nassau County Landlord Tenant Attorneys

Call the Law Firm of Vaughn, Weber & Prakope, PLLC at (516) 858-2620 for Landlord Tenant assistance. 

Credit Report Errors

On February 19, 2013, in Bankruptcy, Debt settlement, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

Credit Report Errors

Do you have errors on your credit report?

A new study done by the Federal Trade Commission on the United States credit reporting industry revealed that 5% of consumers had incorrect credit reports from three major credit reporting agencies. These mistakes could lead to consumers paying more for products such as auto loans and insurance. It was shown that one in four consumers had errors on their credit report that could affect their credit scores. One in five consumers had an error that was fixed by a credit reporting agency after it was disputed. The study found one consumer had a maximum credit score change of more than 100 points after reviewing mistakes made.

In light of this study, consumers should access their credit report and ensure that their spending and payment history is accurate. Consumers can check their credit for free without affecting their score at annualcreditreport.com.

You should also read our earlier post: How to  raise your credit score for free!

Attorneys in Mineola

Call the Law Firm of Vaughn, Weber & Prakope, PLLC, at 516-858-2620, if you would like us to assist you with disputing items on your credit report or taking action against any of the credit bureaus.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation. This website is Attorney Advertising. It does not form an attorney-client relationship. We are a debt relief agency and a law firm that helps people file for bankruptcy relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code – Title 11. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Proudly assisting residents of Long Island, Nassau county, Suffolk county, New York City, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan