Home foreclosures in Minnesota are common and arguably are even on the rise despite an improving real estate market. In April 2012, the Star Tribune reported that while foreclosures were slightly down during the first quarter of 2012, signs still point to an 11 percent increase in Minnesotans facing foreclosure, adding that one in 312 Minnesota homeowners have received some sort of notice of foreclosure.
Home foreclosure in Minnesota happens via one of two legal proceedings: either the lender forecloses by advertisement or the lender forecloses by action. This post only discusses foreclosure by advertisement, which is the more common of the two Minnesota home foreclosure processes.
In a foreclosure by advertisement, the defaulting homeowner will typically receive one or more pre-foreclosure notices that warn of their lender’s intent to start the foreclosure process if payments are not brought current within a specified time. The time between the first default in mortgage payments and a homeowner’s receipt of the pre-foreclosure notice can be one to three months or more, depending on the lender and any efforts the homeowner may be making to do a workout with their lender. After the pre-foreclosure notice has gone out and the homeowner still has not brought their mortgage current, the lender will then serve the homeowner with a notice of sheriff’s sale. While the Minnesota laws governing service of process in a foreclosure proceeding are detailed, most homeowners are served in-person with the foreclosure papers at their home address. The Notice of Sheriff’s Sale, sometimes also called the auction notice, will provide the date, time and location of the upcoming sheriff’s sale, usually to be held six weeks after the date of service and at the county sheriff’s office. Once the sheriff’s sale has come and passed, ownership of the home transfers to the winning bidder (which is usually the lender for the first mortgage on the home) and the homeowner then has his or her redemption period to reside in the home before vacating it permanently. The length of the redemption period varies according to circumstances, but is most often six months from the date of the sheriff’s sale.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy can help a homeowner save their home from foreclosure by providing an avenue to repay the mortgage arrears over three to five years in a Chapter 13 plan. In fact, mortgage arrears is one of the most Common Reasons for Filing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Minnesota. If the homeowner can afford to make the monthly Chapter 13 plan payments, their mortgage may be brought current at the end of the Chapter 13 plan, in addition to the discharge of other debts allowed in bankruptcy.
Chapter 7 can stall the foreclosure process for two or more months and, like Chapter 13 bankruptcy, can also serve to discharge any deficiency owed on the second mortgage. While Chapter 7 bankruptcy will not help to resolve any mortgage arrears owed so that the homeowner can save their home, it can buy more time in the house before the homeowner must leave.
Keep reading for more information about How to Postpone a Sheriff’s Sale in Minnesota.
While Minnesota law governs the foreclosure process, the terms of a mortgage also govern a homeowner’s rights and a lender’s ability to foreclose. For more information on the foreclosure process in Minnesota and how Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy may help, contact Wartchow Law Office for a free bankruptcy consultation to understand your options.