Hello ARLO, My father passed away in October 2018. He had a live-in caretaker for several years. I decided to sell the house in California, while the caretaker is occupying the home to keep the property safe and away from squatters and facilitate the viewing. One offer from a buyer fell through and the caretaker approached my agent wanting to put in an offer and Celink has been working on the short sale approval on his offer for 2 months, with very little communication and feedback. The appraisal from the lender was already done in September, and supposedly is waiting for HUD/Owner approval. Meanwhile, the trustee sale is scheduled for January 3rd, 2020. This past Friday Celink said that the “client”, whom I assume is HUD or whoever bought the note, that IF the sale/escrow can be completed by December 30, 2019, they are ok with approving. Being a holiday month, it is unlikely that the buyer/caretaker will be able to open escrow and close by the 30th of December. If the property is sold at auction on Jan 3rd. How much time does the buyer (who has been a long time resident) must vacate the home. He wants to make sure that he will have enough time to find another place to live and take his personal property acquired over the years. He is also a senior with mobility challenges. If it forecloses on the 3rd, what is the time frame for him to vacate? Also, if no one bids on the trustee sale, does he have a longer time period to move out? He is apprehensive that if his escrow is delayed, he will have even less time to find something suitable. Would Celink postpone the trustee sale beyond the 3rd? Thank you, -Emmy
Hello Emmy,
I can answer your question about possible foreclosure issues regarding the loan, but as far as the possible timeframes and rights of a third party vacating the property if the reverse mortgage ends in foreclosure sale, you would need to consult with an attorney in the area.
That would be a legal issue separate from the reverse mortgage and there are many factors that can play a role in eviction that I simply cannot answer for you. But about the timing of the foreclosure sale, the lender can postpone a foreclosure sale if they so choose.
Celink is the lender’s/HUD’s servicer and they are acting on behalf of the lender; they would not make that decision on their own. That is why there are delays at times, they really do need to obtain approvals for certain actions.
But if the buyer is close to closing at the end of the month, he should communicate with Celink and, while I cannot commit anything for them, I am fairly confident that they would be willing to grant a small extension to allow for the loan to close.
In fact, I would say that it would be a very good idea for him to give Celink regular updates as the loan progresses so there is no question of his intent or his ability to qualify. You need to remember that a good lender CAN close a loan between now and December 30th if the borrower qualifies (it is a tight timeframe with the holidays, but it is possible).
If the loan is approved and just a day or two away from closing at the end of the month, their priority is for the loan to be repaid and that is what they would push for. If however they do not see a close date in sight (you get to December 30, 2019 and there is no loan approval yet), the lender or HUD must make the decision whether to wait for a close (that may never come) or proceed with the foreclosure.
Remember, it’s already been more than a year since the borrower left the home and HUD is still incurring losses on the loan since interest continues to accrue and sooner or later, they must cut their losses.
It seems to me that if the caretaker is purchasing the property, he needs to be working diligently on closing the loan and if he really thinks he will not be able to close a loan to purchase, he should be making that assessment now.
I do not know what the law will allow for eviction times after the foreclosure is completed if he waits until then to move but there is no stated forbearance period of which I am aware for occupants of properties once a lender has foreclosed and the Trustee’s Deed has granted title to the lender.
I would believe that unless there is some legal reason to extend the time, things would move quickly from that point. Again though, your best option is to consult an attorney for legal advice to be certain of the laws and rights in this case.
Loan Maturity FAQs
What happens when reverse mortgage owner dies?
Can heirs walk away from reverse mortgage?
Can you buy back a house that has a reverse mortgage?
How long does it take to foreclose on a house with a reverse mortgage?
How long can a caretaker stay after owner dies with a reverse mortgage?
ARLO recommends these helpful resources:
February 11th, 2023
February 11th, 2023
November 14th, 2022
November 14th, 2022
October 20th, 2022
October 20th, 2022
August 17th, 2022
August 17th, 2022
August 2nd, 2022
August 2nd, 2022
July 19th, 2022
July 19th, 2022
June 30th, 2022
June 30th, 2022
June 24th, 2022
June 28th, 2022
May 10th, 2022
May 10th, 2022
March 15th, 2022
March 15th, 2022
March 13th, 2022
March 15th, 2022
March 2nd, 2022
March 2nd, 2022
February 17th, 2022
February 22nd, 2022
February 16th, 2022
February 22nd, 2022
December 19th, 2021
December 19th, 2021
November 29th, 2021
December 7th, 2021
November 17th, 2021
November 17th, 2021
October 10th, 2021
October 17th, 2021
September 22nd, 2021
September 22nd, 2021
September 2nd, 2021
September 2nd, 2021
August 23rd, 2021
August 24th, 2021
June 29th, 2021
June 29th, 2021
June 28th, 2021
June 29th, 2021
May 16th, 2021
May 18th, 2021
May 10th, 2021
May 10th, 2021
May 5th, 2021
May 10th, 2021
April 13th, 2021
April 13th, 2021
April 1st, 2021
April 7th, 2021
January 20th, 2021
January 20th, 2021
January 11th, 2021
January 11th, 2021
January 5th, 2021
January 5th, 2021
December 15th, 2020
December 15th, 2020
June 18th, 2022
November 30th, 2020
November 30th, 2020
January 29th, 2020
January 29th, 2020