how much does attorney charge for a foreclosure

by Kimberly Zemlak MD 5 min read

Some attorneys charge a flat fee to represent homeowners in a foreclosure. Generally speaking, the fee can range from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on the case's complexity. Pros and Cons The benefit to paying a flat fee is that you know ahead of time exactly what the total cost of your foreclosure defense will be.

Some attorneys charge a flat fee to represent homeowners in a foreclosure. Generally speaking, the fee can range from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on the case's complexity.

Full Answer

What is the average fee for a foreclosure Attor?

Some foreclosure defense attorneys charge an hourly rate for their services. The rate can range from around $100 per hour to several hundred dollars per hour. With this type of fee arrangement, the lawyer generally collects an initial retainer—an advance payment to the attorney before starting to work on your case—of several thousand dollars.

What is a nonrecoverable attorney fee for foreclosure?

Apr 22, 2021 · Typically, a foreclosure lawyer will bill using a flat fee or an hourly fee. If an attorney charges a flat fee, it will generally be around $1,000 to $4,000. There is a common misconception that a lower fee indicates a lower quality of legal representation. However, this is …

What are the waiting period requirements for a foreclosure?

Jun 17, 2020 · Hourly Fee. The hourly fee might be the best option for you. By going this route, you are only paying your attorney for when they work on your case. Hourly fees can be between $100-$300/hour. The downside here is you are not sure at the beginning of the process how many hours will be required.

How much will a foreclosure attorney charge?

Hourly rates typically range anywhere from $100 to $500 per hour and the average attorney fees for foreclosure fall within that range, but the rates will vary greatly depending on market rates and the foreclosure lawyer’s level of expertise. As noted, foreclosure attorneys typically request a retainer from which your legal fees are debited.

image

What are the fees for foreclosure?

Foreclosure fees and costs, including:#N#Filing fees;#N#Notice and certified mailing costs;#N#Property inspection and preservation costs;#N#Potential lender attorney’s fees if a loan is reinstated; and#N#Corporate advances. 1 Filing fees; 2 Notice and certified mailing costs; 3 Property inspection and preservation costs; 4 Potential lender attorney’s fees if a loan is reinstated; and 5 Corporate advances.

What does it mean when a house is foreclosed?

Foreclosure means an individual is losing their home and may not be in a healthy financial situation. A foreclosure occurs when an individual who owns a home is unable to make the monthly required mortgage payments and is evicted from the home by the lender. The mortgage lender has the authority to evict the homeowner on the basis ...

How much does a foreclosure attorney cost?

Depending on the type of foreclosure, a typical amount for foreclosure attorney fees may range from $1,500 to $20,000. It is also important to note that foreclosure laws vary by state. An attorney will be familiar with the local foreclosure laws. In several states, judicial foreclosure is the primary way of dealing with a home foreclosure.

Do attorneys charge an hourly fee?

An attorney who charges an hourly rate may also require the client to pay a retainer fee. A retainer is payment for a set amount of a lawyer’s time. After the retainer amount is consumed, a standard hourly rate will then apply.

What happens if you are behind on your mortgage payments?

In general, if the borrower is behind on their payments, it will be difficult to catch up on those payments due to late fees that may be involved. Foreclosure can be one of the most difficult issues a homeowner may face.

How much does an attorney charge per hour?

It is reasonable to expect to pay between $100 and $500 an hour for an attorney’s time. It is important to note that, similar to a lower flat rate, a lower hourly rate does not indicate a lower quality of legal representation. In fact, the exact opposite may be true.

Why Hire a Foreclosure Defense Attorney?

To answer simply: An experienced foreclosure defense attorney can stop foreclosure proceedings.

Foreclosure Defense Fees: Hourly, Flat Rate, or Monthly?

Attorney fees for foreclosure reinstatement will range by time and complexity of the case. Know the typical rates to be prepared and recognize if an attorney is charging unrealistic rates.

Be Aware of Other Foreclosure Fees and Costs

It’s important to understand your attorney costs do not cover all fees of the foreclosure process. There will be an additional cost for mailings, travel and court fees.

Talk to an Attorney for an Estimate

The best way to get started in finding the right attorney is to get an estimate. Your chosen attorney will be able to provide you an estimate on how much their legal fees will be and what other fees to expect while combatting your foreclosure.

Foreclosure lawyer fees and costs

Many foreclosure lawyers charge hourly rates for their time, though flat fee and monthly fee arrangements are also common. If the foreclosure lawyer charges an hourly rate or a monthly fee, they may also require an upfront retainer which is essentially a down payment for legal fees and expenses.

Lower cost options

If you choose to fight your foreclosure, hiring a foreclosure lawyer who can help you navigate the legal process and fight to keep you in your home can be a crucial step. But if you’re facing foreclosure, the reality is that you may not be well-situated to pay attorneys’ fees.

The final word on how much a foreclosure lawyer costs

Foreclosure lawyers can provide crucial assistance during a challenging time, but you'll want to have a sense of how much a foreclosure lawyer costs before hiring one.

How much do I need to pay for the professional service of a foreclosure lawyer?

Most real-estate foreclosure attorneys charge a flat price, and you have to pay it before the consulting sessions and the actual representation begins. Unlike real-estate agents that may agree to be compensated based on a percentage of the final price when the case is closed, a foreclosure attorney, well, at least 90% of them, charge upfront.

Do your research and avoid paying for unnecessary fees

According to the information we have, when the financial crisis occurred, a lot of law companies and attorneys found it really difficult to get clients. So, they had to do something to mitigate their losses.

Conclusion

If you’ve recently lost your job and you’re now suffering from an economic crisis, potentially a foreclosure event, hiring a real-estate foreclosure lawyer is the first thing you should consider doing. There are many options available but an attorney can point out the best one depending on your situation.

Hourly rate

There are many Queens foreclosure lawyers out there that will charge you an hourly rate for providing their service. The rate can vary from $90 per hour to several thousand dollars as it all depends on the reputation and popularity of the Queens foreclosure lawyers that you are trying to consult.

Flat fee

The flat fee model is one of the most common pricing models that are not only popular among foreclosure attorneys but other types of attorneys as well.

Monthly rate

Some foreclosure attorneys will charge you an upfront retainer that can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. The longer your case will take, the more price you will have to pay to the lawyer since every month you will have to pay the retainer to the lawyer.

What happens if you pay your mortgage late?

If your mortgage payment is late, your servicer may charge you a late fee. But servicers sometimes incorrectly assess late fees—either inappropriately or in the wrong amount—which can add hundreds of dollars on to the amount you owe on the mortgage loan.

How long is the grace period for mortgage payments?

The servicer assesses a late charge during the grace period. Most mortgage contracts include a "grace period" of around ten or fifteen days. If you make your payment late, but during the grace period, there shouldn't be a late fee. The servicer delays posting your payment to your account.

Can a servicer assess late charges?

The servicer assesses post-acceleration late charges. In most cases, the servicer is prohibited from assessing late charges after the loan has been accelerated. (When a loan is "accelerated," you have to immediately pay the entire balance of the loan, not just the past due amounts.

What is a mortgage servicer?

Mortgage contracts generally allow a servicer—the company that handles the loan account—to charge late fees, inspection fees, foreclosure costs, and other default-related fees to your account under certain circumstances, like when you are late on a payment or are in foreclosure. If the servicer charges fee and costs in excessive or incorrect ...

How much is a late fee on a loan?

Most prime, conventional loan contracts allow the loan servicer to assess a late fee equal to 5% of the payment due. However, state law may limit the fee to, say, only 4%. If the loan documents and state law allow for different late fees, the servicer can only charge the maximum allowed by state law.

Can a borrower raise late fees?

Borrowers may raise any number of defenses regarding improper late fees or other incorrect default-related fees. While some may constitute a full defense to the foreclosure, others will reduce the amount owed on the debt, thereby potentially decreasing any deficiency owed to the lender. (Learn more about deficiencies after a foreclosure .)

What is a property inspection?

Most mortgage contracts allow the servicer to take necessary steps to protect the lender's rights in the property, including conducting property inspections to determine the physical condition or occupancy status of the mortgaged property. Inspections are generally ordered automatically once the loan goes into default. The charges for the inspections are then added to the total mortgage debt.

What happens when a lender takes possession of a property?

The lender also must invest money in taking possession of the property. This can involve paying lawyers to handle the legal aspect of the process and paying for administrative fees. Once the property has been taken by the lender, it then must be sold.

How long does it take to foreclose on a house?

The process of completing a foreclosure also can take time. In many cases, lenders take several months to a year to foreclose on a property. During this period, the borrower is no longer making loan payments on the mortgage.

Why do lenders want to avoid foreclosure?

This results in the lender taking the house and selling it to try to recoup some of the costs of the loan. Most lenders want to avoid going through foreclosure because of the relatively high cost of the process.

How much does it cost to avoid foreclosure?

According to the information from the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, the average cost of avoiding a foreclosure costs the lender about $3,300. Therefore, the lender might be willing to offer a loan modification or a special forbearance, which allows the borrower to stay in the home and continue making payments toward the mortgage.

image

Purpose

  • Mortgage contracts generally allow a servicerthe company that handles the loan accountto charge late fees, inspection fees, foreclosure costs, and other default-related fees to your account under certain circumstances, like when you are late on a payment or are in foreclosure. If the servicer charges fee and costs in excessive or incorrect amounts, this will unfairly increase t…
See more on nolo.com

Premise

  • Read on to learn about how servicers assess late fees and other costs when you default on your mortgage, and how to challenge improper fees in a foreclosure.
See more on nolo.com

Risks

  • If your mortgage payment is late, your servicer may charge you a late fee. But servicers sometimes incorrectly assess late feeseither inappropriately or in the wrong amountwhich can add hundreds of dollars on to the amount you owe on the mortgage loan.
See more on nolo.com

Service

  • The servicer assesses a late charge during the grace period. Most mortgage contracts include a grace period of around ten or fifteen days. If you make your payment late, but during the grace period, there shouldnt be a late fee.
See more on nolo.com

Issues

  • The servicer assesses an incorrect late charge amount. Late fees can only be assessed in the amount specifically authorized by the loan contract. The late charge amount is usually found in the promissory note. Even then, state law may limit the amount that can be charged. If the state limit is lower than what the contract allows, it will generally override the loan contract.
See more on nolo.com

Example

  • Example. Most prime, conventional loan contracts allow the loan servicer to assess a late fee equal to 5% of the payment due. However, state law may limit the fee to, say, only 4%. If the loan documents and state law allow for different late fees, the servicer can only charge the maximum allowed by state law. In this situation, the late fee would be limited to 4% pursuant to state law. I…
See more on nolo.com

Cost

  • Limits on late fees. Late fees are often limited by: The loan servicer may also assess costs for preserving the value of the property. For example, property preservation costs may include fees advanced to: Generally, foreclosure costs must be reasonable and actually incurred before they are recoverable against the borrower. Acceptable foreclosure costs include, among others: Mos…
See more on nolo.com

Operation

  • The servicer assesses post-acceleration late charges. In most cases, the servicer is prohibited from assessing late charges after the loan has been accelerated. (When a loan is accelerated, you have to immediately pay the entire balance of the loan, not just the past due amounts. This sets the stage for the foreclosure procedure to begin.)
See more on nolo.com

Results

  • The amount charged for each inspection, which is generally drive-by in nature, is typically minimal ($10 or $15). However, inspections might be performed monthly or more often, so the charges can add up quickly. Some courts have found that repeated inspections when the servicer is in contact with the homeowner, knows the property is occupied, and has no reason to be concerne…
See more on nolo.com

Significance

  • Most courts have held that such fees must be reasonable in order to be collectable from the borrower.
See more on nolo.com

Advantages

  • Borrowers may raise any number of defenses regarding improper late fees or other incorrect default-related fees. While some may constitute a full defense to the foreclosure, others will reduce the amount owed on the debt, thereby potentially decreasing any deficiency owed to the lender. (Learn more about deficiencies after a foreclosure.)
See more on nolo.com