Newbie here – gurus needed! First court date for foreclosure this Tuesday!! after five months hospitalized in past year

[Cielorina]

"Newbie here – gurus URGENTLY needed! First court date for foreclosure this coming Tuesday after five months hospitalized in past year"

 

CHICAGO, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Background: FIVE hospitalizations in the past 14 months -- the most recent of which was TWO MONTHS LONG. Financial situation dire. Formerly excellent credit along with prompt, in-full payments for all debts until September when I was unable to continue making mortgage payments.

 

Facts So Far:
7/16 - continued making mortgage payments. Got a housing counselor who initiated application process for Housing Hardship Fund, a federal grant/forgivable loan exclusively for paying back any unmet monthly mortgage debt & fees.

8/16 - continued mortgage payments. Telephoned Citimortgage while still current to explore options. I chose not to pursue loan modification or forbearance due to medical duress.

9/16 to present - stopped making mortgage payments.

Regularly telephoned/responded to Citimortgage emails to let them know I'm pursuing Housing Hardship Fund to re-pay outstanding mortgage payments.

**No responses or contacts whatsoever to me or my housing counselor from Citi's assigned point person.

 

10/16 - Began receiving Medicaid

 

Began filling out application for SSI.

2/17 - 3/17
2-month hospitalization

After months of no replies, received a letter from a law firm representing Citi indicating my home in downtown Chicago, Illinois had been referred for foreclosure.

2/17 to present - never served a summons while in the hospital

Only recently told of my court info through Cook county public record, but I don't know how to look that up.

Didn't know anything about "Motion to appear & answer" within 30 days of foreclosure referral until a couple of days ago. So I didn't execute that.

 

As Of Today:
Researched foreclosure timeline(s).
Studied Illinois Legal Aid Fndn foreclosure site and all sublinks.

Still in awful medical & financial shape even though I've been discharged from hospital.

 

Questions:
What are my options?
What would you do next?
What, if any, are considered valid reasons for me as the borrower to request a continuance? Would that temporarily *suspend* foreclosure process?

 

 

Thank you for you for your valuable time with specific replies.

[breeze]

Welcome to CB. You haven't been served? I would think that's a good reason for a continuance.

 

I'm not an expert, so my advice is not worth much. I'm so sorry you're going through so much. Hang in there.

[tiggerlgh]

How does the court files show you were served/when?

[creditrepair17]

What happened with this? Did they get the foreclosure/possession? If not, do you have enough income to stay current on your house payments from this point forward? What does your income look like now? What are your other debts? I'm not being nosey, but there are specific reasons why I ask. Even though I will be yelled out for suggesting it, it is possible to stop a foreclosure with a chapter 13 bankruptcy filing. You would also be able to cure the default through your payment plan. You would need to have enough income to propose a plan though. And before anyone yells at me, of course, you should exhaust all other options first, but this is certainly a "nuclear option" that could help if the case was continued. The automatic stay would mean that the foreclosure would stop. If you could propose a confirmable plan, the judge wouldn't lift the automatic stay to allow the foreclosure. Just my 2c.

Edited April 23, 2017 by creditrepair17