post card from "First American Field Services"...what is this? and 341 time frame

[Licoriceky2]

Hey guys, we are within days or a week or two of signing our completed Ch 13 petition. We are currently two months in arrears on this home. The arrearage was/is to be paid back through our plan.

Today we received a simple white post card from "First American Field Services" saying that they have been contacted by GMAC (our mortgage co) and have asked us to bubble in a response that we are the "current owner and current occupant" of the house.

There is a "work number", an eleven digit number, as well. We were asked to bubble our response, sign and return within 5 calander days.

I have googled this company and I do not seem to get an answer as to exactly what this means and what I can expect this to mean.

Anyone with any idea of what this is or where our mortgage company is at in the legal process? I know that I should not be concerned since we are so close to filing however there is the potential that we could several weeks away from filing and I would hate the embarrasment and stress that a forclosure suit would bring to me.

Additionally, how long can I expect it to be between when we file and when we have the 341? We are going out of town for a week with family during the second week of August and I am concerned that to prolong the time when we file could potientially put us having a 341 during the week we are scheduled to be gone.

Thanks for all the opinions.

[TexasEx]

Hmm, not sure what the post card is, but it sounds like they are trying to confirm that the house is not rented out or anything. Also I'm sure they are trying to get contact information so they can start bugging you about payment. Don't worry about foreclosure. The law here in KY is judicial foreclosure which means that it can drag on a LOOOOOOONG time before they will try to foreclose (I mean it could be a year, two or even longer from when you stop paying). The eastern district of KY is very speedy when it comes to 341 meetings. It will probably be no more than 30 days after you file, probably closer to two weeks. I believe 341 for Lexington are held around the middle of the month.

[SMinGA]

Perhaps trying to confirm if you're still living in the house, for insurance purposes. Everytime I call my mortgage company, one of the first questions they ask is if we still 'occupy the residence'.

[SMinGA]

PS-it should not be less than 30 days, but could be longer if the court is backed up. Assuming your atty files cases on a regular basis, he/she should have an idea. Such as if the cases filed recently are getting scheduled for 341 hearings about 45 days later, yours will likely be similar.

[lrprn]

Here's the First American website - http://www.firstam.com/

They state, "

Sounds like what SM and Texas have already said - they are trying to confirm something about the house for your lender.

Talk to your lawyer about what you've received and get his/her advice before returning anything to them.

[OHBOY]

Though I don't know a thing about foreclosures, I do know that I would certainly not respond to anything that is coming via postcard, and I would not waste my time on it as it spells 'shredder' in my book..... and that's just my 2 cent.

[StartingOver08]

Usually these field inspections are conducted in person, not by postcard. Maybe First American has so many of them they have come up with a postcard method for those just new in default! LOL

In the 'in person' method they will send some by your place to make sure you still live there and then bill you for the service. The amount is a nominal charge (in mine it was $16/visit). Of course, this just gets added to the unpaid balance.

Hopefully the postcard method is much less expensive. BTW, this money goes to the servicer of the loan. So they really like to do these inspections quite often.

[catleg]

Yeah First American is a big back end provider for all kinds of nasty real estate related tasks. They handled the lien filing for annual maintenance fees and ultimately the trustee sale of a timeshare I bought on Ebay. (never never never buy a timeshare on ebay).

[NoTomatoCan]

never never never buy a timeshare on ebay.

LOL! Truer words have never been spoken!