Facing foreclosure? 14 Free foreclosure avoidance resources for you to explore.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF ILLINOIS
The Illinois Housing Development Authority has foreclosure counselors that can offer advise and services to homeowners. Reviewing your mortgage and finances, as well as discussing options to find a solution, are included in these services.

HOTLINE FOR HOPE 1-888-995-HOPE
Create a strategy that is specific to your foreclosure scenario. The Hope Hotline delivers free, confidential, and comprehensive financial and foreclosure prevention education to individuals one-on-one.

BUREAU FOR CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s list of housing counselors has been approved by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A housing counselor can provide unbiased guidance on your mortgage and other housing-related financial difficulties.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN ILLINOIS
Illinois Legal Aid has resources that explain the foreclosure process, as well as the necessary documentation and filing timelines to help you get through it. There are also films that explain how foreclosures work and what you can do about them.

HARDEST HIT FUND IN ILLINOIS
The Illinois Hardest Hit Fund provides financial help to thousands of homeowners who fulfill eligibility criteria and have lost at least 15% of their income due to qualifying hardships.

CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES, INC.
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Inc.’s licensed homeowner counselors can assist you in identifying foreclosure prevention choices and solutions to make your house more affordable. They also provide additional homeowner tools and advice.

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ILLINOIS
You may read about the actions to take when facing a foreclosure on the Illinois Attorney General’s website, as well as your legal rights and options and what to avoid. The Attorney General’s Homeowner Helpline is also accessible through this webpage.

URBAN LEAGUE OF CHICAGO
The Chicago Urban League’s housing and financial empowerment center is a counseling agency that offers low-to-moderate-income residents expert assistance. Mortgage delinquency and default resolution, pre-purchase counseling, homebuyer education, financial counseling, foreclosure prevention, and other services are available.

HOUSING CENTER ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE
The Northwest Side Housing Center’s certified counselors strive to improve your housing situation through therapy, education, and advocacy. They can work with you and your bank to make maintaining your house reasonable if you are unable to make your mortgage payment and are seeking to avoid foreclosure. This organization focuses on residents in Belmont Cragin and the surrounding communities.

COMMUNITY BUILDING PARTNERS (PICB)
The foreclosure prevention department of PICB helps clients who are about to default, are in foreclosure, or have already been in foreclosure. Various federal government, bank, and investor initiatives provide assistance.

How Can a Chicago Attorney Assist With Foreclosure?
If you want to keep your property and believe you have a defense to the foreclosure, you should obtain legal assistance from an experienced attorney who is familiar with Illinois foreclosure rules. The majority of defenses will necessitate traversing the judicial system. Some legitimate foreclosure defenses include:

The party foreclosing on your home was not following correct foreclosure processes; the party foreclosing on your property could not verify that it owned your mortgage loan; and the servicer made a severe mistake with your account.
If you decide to dispute the foreclosure, you’ll need to complete various actions within a certain amount of time.

COMPLETE A FORECLOSURE APPEARANCE AND RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINT
This form notifies the court that you have received a foreclosure summons and gives you the opportunity to contest the information contained in the summons. You also have the option to present any defenses to the foreclosure you may have, as well as facts to back up those defenses. An competent attorney will make certain that this form is completely filled out and that your facts back up your defense.

DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE COURT CLERK.
The Mortgage Foreclosure Appearance and Answer Form should be electronically submitted to the court clerk in the county where your foreclosure action is being filed. Typically, this is the county in which the property is located. This will be done on your behalf by your attorney.

YOUR ANSWER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED TO ALL PARTIES.
The lawsuit must be made known to the other parties involved. If the party has an attorney, it is best to send these documents to him or her. This procedural component will be taken off your shoulders by having your attorney assure correct delivery. Hand-delivered, mailed, sent by a third-party postal carrier, or electronically filed documents are all options.

GET READY FOR COURT AND GO TO IT
An experienced attorney is necessary to help you prepare for court. To fight your property foreclosure, make sure you have all of the necessary documentation and proof. This could include your entire financial and payment history in relation to your home. You and your attorney should also go over any possible questions the judge might ask, as well as present copies of all pertinent documents. Once you’re in court, the judge and your counsel will give you instructions on how to continue.