Our dire economic situation and plummeting real estate values have taken their toll. Since 2007, 7.9 million homeowners have lost their homes to foreclosure. Current estimates are that one in four homeowners owe more on their mortgages than they could get from the sale of their home. Millions more homes will be lost to foreclosure before this real estate crisis runs its course.

The sad fact is that foreclosure is not an isolated event. For months leading up to the loss of a home, financially strapped Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort homeowners live under a cloud of uncertainty. And then for many years afterwards, the blow to credit gets in the way of buying another home or buying anything on credit. Foreclosure even complicates employment prospects.

The impact of foreclosure is huge and the sad fact is that it’s often avoidable.

As a real estate professional who has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, my mission is to provide financially strapped homeowners with options to foreclosure, ensure that they steer clear of scams, and help navigate them through the solution that best meets their needs.

Among the most important facts to keep in mind: the sooner help is sought, the better the options.

These are tough times, but more help is available than ever before. If you or someone you care about is ready to navigate away from the dark cloud of an unmanageable mortgage and realize that hope and blue skies are within reach, contact me today and let’s get started.

Did you spend last year living with the pressures of away-to-big mortgage payment? Well you’re not alone.  Current estimates reveal that 25 percent of all homeowners in the US are “underwater”–their mortgage balances exceed what the market value of their homes are worth.and 6.3 million homeowners are in some stage of foreclosure.

If this is your situation, you have options and you need to begin exploring them as soon as possible. It is unfortunate that so many homeowners are in denial and wait and don’t take action. This is a costly mistake.

Lenders are more open and more flexible than ever before. Their are Federal programs, and many state and local agencies is readily available.

As a real estate professional , I am here to help. If you’d like to learn more,about the options available to you  click here for my free report

In addition, if you’d just like to chat, give me a call. I can listen,make suggestions and if necessary refer you to one of my capable team members.

If you or someone you care about has missed mortgage payments, you’re not alone. It’s Not Too Late! It is understandably difficult to start the process of getting help. Along with the reality of foreclosure comes the emotional struggle of being in a situation that most never thought they’d ever be in. It’s important to know that this challenge can be overcome when homeowners have the right person on their side. In my experience, this helps alleviate the stress of not knowing what to do in a seemingly hopeless situation. There is financial stability on the horizon, and I can help put a homeowner on the path to get there.I would be honored to assist your referrals. I have enclosed some business cards; please pass them along to anyone who may need my assistance.

“U.S.  foreclosure activity has been mired down since October of last year, when  the robo-signing controversy sparked a flurry  of investigations into lender foreclosure procedures and paperwork,” said  James Saccacio, chief executive  officer of RealtyTrac. “While foreclosure  activity in September and the third quarter continued to register well below levels  from a year ago, there is evidence  that this temporary downward trend is about to  change direction, with foreclosure activity slowly beginning to ramp back  up.”

“Third quarter foreclosure activity increased marginally from the previous quarter, breaking a  trend of three consecutive quarterly  decreases that started in the fourth quarter of 2010,” Saccacio continued. “This marginal increase in overall  foreclosure activity was fueled by  a 14 percent jump in new default notices, indicating that lenders are cautiously throwing more wood into the  foreclosure fireplace after spending months trying  to clear the chimney of sloppily filed foreclosures.”

Forelcosure Trends

Foreclosure filings — 8,596 South Carolina  properties during the third quarter of 2011, according to the latest RealtyTrac®  U.S. Foreclosure Market Report. South Carolina ranks 14th in the Nation for foreclosure filings. Septemeber Foreclosure filings– amounted to 2,690  a 19 percent decrease from August and down 33 percent  from September 2010.

Foreclosures By County

• Horry County also had the  highest total, reporting 1,377 properties with foreclosure filings.
• Beaufort County had the second highest rate with one in every 129  housing units reporting a foreclosure filing
• Dorchester  County had the third  highest rate, reporting one in every 149 housing units with a foreclosure  filing 
• Charleston County had the second highest total in the state,  reporting 1,042 properties with foreclosure filings. 
• Greenville   County had the third highest total with 818  properties with foreclosure filings . 
• Richland County  was fourth highest total in the state. Fifth highest was Beaufort County, where 656 properties with  foreclosure filings were reported for the quarter.

State Forclosures versus the  nation
South Carolina accounted for 6100 forclsures versus  610,337 properties nationawide, in the third quarter

(Data is per RealtyTrac)