SSCRA or the Soldier and Sailor Civil Relief Act were signed by President Bush on December 2003. The main point for this act was to set new legislation to simplify or ease both legal and economic burdens to military personnel whether active or retired.

What is SSCRA ?

The SSCRA address the inability of military men to meet financial obligations when they are in active duty. Financial obligations include rentals, leases, mortgages, credit card payments and other similar transactions. The SSCRA also stretches to cover the dependents of the military men in question.

SSCRA covers those under active duty, this includes out on basic training exercise or assigned in the field. Most veterans fail to pay their financial obligations since they are unable to do so during the line of duty. The SSCRA aims to provide legislation to these individuals so that they are given consideration regarding deadlines and maturity dates.

One area covered by SSCRA for military personnel and their dependents includes leasing/renting of a property for residential purpose not more than $1,200 a month. Also the conditions must be met and the transaction must be first be made before the service man is enlisted into active duty.

Since they are on active duty, it's almost impossible for them to settle the obligation. On this note, the service man must send a request of being under the protection of the SSCRA to the court when he or she receives an eviction notice. If the judge finds sufficient grounds which merits the protection from SSCRA then the court may postpone the eviction until the term of duty of the personnel expires.

Veterans On Active Duty

Most of the military personnel in active duty will not have the ability to fulfill their financial obligations to various institutions like credit cards, banks, insurance or mortgage lenders. The SSCRA aims to provide a form of security to these men on duty for their role in preserving peace and justice in their country.

The SSCRA will provide enough elbow room for the military personnel to be given extended deadlines for payments, foreclosures and mortgage transactions when they are in the line of duty. Though not all veterans are given the privilege of being under the protection of the SSCRA; some criteria and requirements must be met for both the transaction and the personnel before they are granted protection.

Interest Rates

Veterans on active duty who are unable to pay financial obligations such as mortgages and who are facing foreclosure may then invoke the protection of the SSCRA to avoid such problems. Qualified debts are those incurred prior to service men coming into the line of duty. Also, the request will only be valid if the personnel are in the line of duty when the request was made which limited them from settling the said obligation.

When qualified, the service man needs to send a letter to the lender requesting that their interest rate be capped to 6% according to the provision stated in SSCRA. Also, they may need to send a photocopy of the military order to the lender as proof that they are on military duty as stated in their letter of request.

SSCRA and Home Foreclosures

The SSCRA also covers the military personnel under the obligation of a mortgage, trust deed or security of property for any financial obligation. The SSCRA simply states that the personnel are valid for protection under the SSCRA if the obligation and the property were done prior to their military service.

The provision states that prohibition of foreclosure or sale of mortgage property without the presence of the borrower, the military personnel in this case, whether in a judicial or a non-judicial foreclosure. It is also stated in the SSCRA that maturity dates and deadlines will be given an extension when the military personnel is in active duty until they are released from their given designation.

Even if the maturity date or the date of foreclosure is extended due to the military personnel's inability to pay, the court will try to achieve a compromise agreement from both parties requiring the mortgage lender to pay at least half of the amount due while the mortgage holder extends the deadline or put a stay on the foreclosure or sale of the property.

Home foreclosure can happen due to a number of circumstances. Sometimes homeowners are not able to pay their mortgage due to interest rates. With higher costs of living most of us barely can pay our bills. A lot people are facing this crisis. Fortunately the government has come up with a plan to help those who are in need and fell behind on their payments. Adjustable rates are a major problem with homeowners. Some of them have gone to higher levels that they can no longer afford.

Due to this problem the Federal Housing Administration has come up with a plan. To help homeowners with adjustable rates that they can no longer keep up with, the FHA has devised the FHA Secure Refinance Program. The new program offers assistance to those who are facing possible foreclosure due to high monthly payments. This new program allows homeowners to refinance their mortgages with adjustable rates. Homeowners can acquire a fixed rate FHA loan.

The new program also helps homeowners who were mislead by their mortgage lenders. Adjustable rate mortgages most often have teaser rates to lure customers. If the homeowner qualifies for the FHA loan program the funds will come from the mortgage lender. Since these lenders are referred by the government you will be sure to get a legitimate scam free deal.

Since the loan is offered by the government, it's not just safe but also allows homeowners to qualify even if they have poor credit. The program is not looking for a high credit score but a good profile. The government has focused on the homeowner's credit history instead of a credit score. If you're a homeowner that is concerned that the mortgage crisis will affect your qualification for a refinance with low credit score the program can help you.

To qualify for the program the homeowner should have non-FHA adjustable rate mortgage. They should have a history of paying their mortgages on time before the lender adjusted their ARM to a higher rate. The ARM rate will be reset between June 2005 and December 2009. They should have 3% cash or equity and have enough income for the new mortgage payment.

Homeowners should always keep in mind that the FHA is not lending them money; their debts are insured with a lender approved by the government. The new program may assist owners from losing their homes to home foreclosure but they are just a mere assistance for those with high ARM rates.

They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Although home foreclosure can be considered a tragedy it can also be a blessing for others. Gas prices are not the only ones that continue to rise. Residential properties are also expensive. Their prices also vary from one place to another. Due to this other people take advantage of foreclosure auctions.

Repossessed homes can be great for those who simply cannot afford a new house. These houses are sold for a fraction of their real price when sold in the real estate market. Other people can also take advantage of these houses to be able to make their own investments since they are sold by mortgage lenders at a low price.

Unfortunately most repossessed houses are those which require a lot of repairs. Previous homeowners do hot have the means to maintain the house or just didn't take care of them. Some of these houses have also been abandoned by their previous homeowners and mortgage lenders have no choice but to get rid of them immediately.

Thoroughly Research Foreclosed Homes

Before you buy a repossessed home you need to make sure that you're going to get a good deal. You may have to do a little bit of research first to be able to see how much you will have to spend in buying and repairing the property.

If you don't have any cash on hand for the moment, you can get a loan. Have a consultation first with an agent to see if you are qualified. If you are qualified gather the information you need.

You will be able to find a list of foreclosure homes on the internet. The list will also be published in local newspapers. You can also find information for auctions online. After you have gathered enough information visit the houses to stake out possible properties that you can buy.

Determine your budget. How much are you willing to pay for the repossessed house along with the repairs? If you're planning to resale the house ask your agent to calculate the property's value. If you're planning to lease it after buying the property, calculate the monthly rate and do some market research.

Once all the research and calculations have been done place a good bid on the property. After you have purchased the house have it inspected and appraised. Then look for a title company to research the history of the house. When you're satisfied with your repossessed house you can now start the repairs or live in it.

Home foreclosure is a common problem and yet most of us don't really know how long it takes. It's an important issue that all homeowners spend some time worrying about. Most homeowners have no idea between the time of the missed payments and the eviction date. Since they don't know when the foreclosure process has officially started, when the auction will occur and how long they have left after a new owner buys the deed they feel that they have no options left and no control over the situation.

Fortunately there is a way to know the timeframe of the foreclosure process. Most of it will depend on the state laws. Once you miss your first payment you must immediately look for them to be able to come up with a plan. Time lines vary from state and state. The time when the notices should be mailed, scheduling of the auction or sale, and redemption periods are determined by the state.

Mortgage lenders also usually send notification letters and start making calls after missing 3 or 4 monthly payments. Most of them usually understand that their borrowers may have suffered from a financial crisis and need more time. It will take weeks or months before the actual foreclosure is filed in court and the more time before the auction starts. But this does not mean that homeowners can procrastinate.

After the auction the new owner will send a letter. The notice will tell you how much time you are given to move out of the house. You're willingness to pay the rent will also give you more time for staying in the house. There's also a possibility that the judge will grant you a redemption period. During this period the homeowner is given the chance to pay back his or her debt. Homeowners can opt for refinancing or paying the mortgage in another way.

The foreclosure process also depends on how quick the mortgage lender pursues your case. The key here is to have open communication with the bank or the mortgage lender. If they know that the homeowner is making steps to get back on track this will give them more time. Homeowners must not ignore the mail from their lenders. Taking time to respond will tell them that you have a solution at hand.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of preparing for home foreclosure it's a good idea to know the facts.