Tools available to help stave off foreclosure

ALBANY, Ga. — Officials associated with the Southwest Georgia Housing Taskforce urged people who are teetering on the brink of home foreclosure to contact them for help before it’s too late.

“We need for people to get past the point of being embarrassed to ask for help,” Dept. of Community and Economic Development Senior Housing Counselor B.J. Jackson Burton said. “Folks need to understand that people hit bumps in the road. Many try to make it on their own and then find out it’s too late to get help.”

Groups like the CED and NID Housing Counseling Agency say their goal is to reduce their clients’ income to debt-ratio to 31 percent, which can knock as many as 2 percentage points off their mortgage, making the house affordable.

Jackson Burton said people in imminent danger of foreclosure should “look at all their options before hitting the wall.

“Always keep track of (who) you talk to from the lender,” she said. “Don’t fall prey to a scam. A legitimate HUD-approved foreclosure mitigation service does not charge for its services.

“There are options available … and miracles do happen.”

Jackson Burton suggests people who are facing foreclosure should contact her office at (229) 483-7650 or call Patricia Edwards at NID at (229) 317-4745.

More information may also be obtained by visiting www.makinghomeaffordable.com.

“Persistence is crucial on your end,” Jackson Burton said. “Don’t consent to anything over the phone. Call us. We can help.”