I owed more money on my house than it was worth and thought there was no way I could sell my home. The Barlow Group did it in just 8 days getting me and my family out from underneath all of this pressure. What a relief.

From The Desk Of Dave Barlow, Licensed Agent

Dear Home Owner,

I am a foreclosure expert who specializes in helping home owners just like you who have fallen behind with their house payments and are now facing foreclosure. I am a licensed real estate agent in the state of Ohio who will have a fiduciary duty to you to look out for your best interest, to work on your best behalf. In other words I am here to help you through this situation, to give you the very best advice and to work for you. I do not work for your lender, I work for you!

Foreclosure is a pretty scary thing because most people do not understand the process of what a foreclosure exactly is. Just like anything else, if you don't understand then it can be scary. Think back to the first time you rode your bike or drove a car. It was probably pretty scary because you weren't sure. Same thing here, you aren't sure what the process is but you know something is going to happen. I will help you understand the foreclosure process and help get you to the other side.

By this time you have received a fairly thick packet in the mail from the Court House that contained the foreclosure law suit. At this point you have not been foreclosed on but rather you have been served notice that a foreclosure action has been initiated against you. A foreclosure is actually a law suit in which your lender is trying to regain control of their collateral.

In Franklin County, Ohio the whole foreclosure process can take from 6 to 9 months to complete. Currently there are about 150 foreclosures being filed every week so you can see why it takes so long to process. At the very end of the foreclosure process your home will be sold at the Sheriff's Auction and only then will the sale be confirmed by the court. It is at this time your house has been foreclosed on, about 6 to 9 months down the road.

During this entire time period you still own your home. You have every right to live in your home until the foreclosure process is complete. No one including the Sheriff is going to show up at your front door and throw you out. They might pester you on the phone but I can show you how to stop that as well with a simple form. I highly recommend you stay in your home, save up your money, make sure all of your other bills are paid on time and start to re-establish your credit.

There are a number of alternatives to having your home foreclosed on all of which I would recommend you explore. Most likely at this point your options have become limited to either letting your home be foreclosed on or to try to sell your home.

The bottom line is that you do not want to be foreclosed on as it will ruin your credit for up to 10 years. I will show you alternatives that will save your credit and have you buying another home in as little as 12 months.

Let's examine each point one at a time;

Ruined Credit VS Bruised Credit - In a foreclosure your credit can be ruined for as long as 10 years. With a short sale your credit will be bruised for 12 to 18 months. Most banks and lenders understand just about everyone out there is having some sort of credit problem but what they don't want to see is you just giving up. A short sale is a much better alternative to a foreclosure.

Buy again in 10 years VS Buy again in 12 to 18 months - With a foreclosure showing up on your credit report it will be very difficult if not almost impossible to buy anything on credit. No house, no cars, no credit cards, large deposits for utilities and so on. With a short sale your credit will suffer but it has been our experience for those clients who are able to show 12 months of good credit history that banks and lenders are willing to extend credit once again.

Court Ordered Judgment VS Negotiated Settlement - Once the foreclosure process is completed the court will issue a judgment in favor of your lender. This judgment will show up
in the public records and on your credit report. A short sale is a negotiated settlement between you and your lender. No need to worry here I will actually be the one who will negotiate for you but obviously a settlement is much better than a judgment.

Large Attorney Fees VS No cost to you - In order to facilitate a foreclosure action against you your lender will need to hire a law firm. The law firm will charge thousands upon thousands of dollars to handle the foreclosure which will be added to the amount you owe the lender. A short sale will cost you nothing to facilitate. In fact, I will handle the entire process for you at no cost to you. How? Your lender will pay my commission once I find a buyer for your home. Even if you owe more than your home is worth I can sell it and your lender will pay all of the fees involved at absolutely no cost to you.

Possible Bankruptcy VS No bankruptcy needed - Many home owners believe they have to file a bankruptcy in order to protect their home. With a short sale there is no need to file a bankruptcy and further complicate your credit problems.

Deficiency Judgment(s) VS Negotiated settlement - If you do owe more on your home than what it may be worth and is foreclosed on, your lender will have the option to chase you for the difference. They will be able to garnish wages, attach personal property and make your life miserable for up to 10 years. A short sale will allow me to negotiate with your lender to release any and all deficiencies before the short sale is completed.

No Peace of Mind VS Peace of Mind A foreclosure will haunt you for up to 10 years or even longer. A short sale will end the process in as little as 3 to 4 months and allow you to get on with your life. It's your choice.

It is a pretty easy process to get started. Fill out the information below and I will be in contact with you very soon to answer any additional questions you may have and to get started.

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All information contained on this web site is based on personal experience as real estate agents working with clients who either have homes currently in or have had homes in foreclosure. This web site is not intended to offer legal advice, only a qualified attorney can offer legal advice, and we are not attorneys. Therefore, we are not offering legal advice, only information on the general foreclosure and short sale process in the state of Ohio. All information is deemed to be accurate but is subject to errors and omissions and should be verified to your satisfaction.