Losing your home and needing to rent?

[yeahdischarged]

We hooked up with a property management company, found a great house, and then was asked if there was anything in our credit that might be a problem. We were honestly about the recently discharged ch.7 and it was no big deal. Hubby had a great income, and we had not been late on any bills since the discharge. It was a snap! Good luck!

[Mark80]

My wife and I found a house we like, I mean really like. Its about 300 a month cheaper then my mortgage. I am a few weeks late on my housepayment and trying to scrounge up anything I can to catch it. But now I want to rent this house, We are estatic over it. The owners are nice, and don't mind our situation. They also will allow us to buy down the road.

Anyhow I go to court in 2 hours, I would love to not pay anymore on my house and just let it forclose. Move into this place in a few weeks and be done with it. But I am afraid like I mentioned that if I do that I will lose my Chapter 7 status and it will cause problems for us to be discharged.

I mentioned before my Attorney is set to meet with me, but it will be weeks as he is booked and I need to jump on this house now if I want it.

What does everything think I should do?

[Riley]

So if I do wait until after I am forced to leave then will I be able to get an apartment? I plan on giving up my house- I want a fresh start. I will prob file after I get my tax return and December was first missked mortgage payment. I would love to live rent free for 6 months or so but I am scared that if I do that then I will not have anyplace to go except some rundown apartment. Looks lilke I will have to do ch 13. I have started looking for apartments but now I wonder if I am moving too soon and could instead b saving money instead of moving in a couple of months. Most places will only hold your app for up to 2 or 3 months before they have to run it again.

[freshstart10]

from something i read earlier in this thread, if im letting my house go with bk, can the amount of rent i pay on new home affect my chap 7. i told my lawyer i signed a lease already and were filing on jan 15. he said thats fine and never asked how much my rent would be. so am i good or could the rent amount hurt me. i am saving 600 a month in payment that doesnt even include taxes and hoi. so technically if i had escrowed i would save 800 a month. maybe i just worry to much.

thanks

[BROKENN]

Riley - I would stay and save. Rentals are real easy right now.... many many wanting to just rent there property.

freshstart10 - its good you told your lawyer and just look at your papers before signing them. Understand what the means test, exemptions and future budget mean and should be If he said no worries, I would go with that until you can see the paperwork.

OP - I do not know your whole filing with house etc. At least get your atty on the phone!! If you love the house and save money AND get your BK through successfully... it would be worth the pounding on his ear for answers! IMHO

[Riley]

I think I am going to wait. I did do an app for an apartment that will hold it for 6 months. So if something happens in the next 6 months I can always go to that community. I spoke to a couple other propereties and some said that they wont even accept application until bk is discharged and a few said they would. So if I am lucky enough to be able to live rent free for a year then I am gonna take it. I will use that money and pay as much of the bk off ASAP. Plus 95% chance that bf and I will be moving in together in another 6 months when his lease is up so I may not have anything to worry about at all.

[BillyRip]

I would say to find a private party renting out. I know in my complex, 90% of the listings go unsold and then the owner either walks or finds a renter.

The way the market is right now I bet you can find someone that needs to rent a house pretty badly.

[Riley]

Yeah I think you are right. I am going to start packing all the unnessary stuff. Start cleaning out trash that I don't need etc. and just wait it all out. The longer the better.
My #1 priority will be to pay off the bk with the money I will be saving. I am actually relieved now. Even though the phone calls are starting they are just the automated ones. No real people yet. So I am going to just program in the numbers and ignore them until I get something in the mail. As soon as I get my tax return then I am going to file.

[dogbone33]

Our lawyer told us not to worry about moving. We are filing next Tuesday. She said she has clients that have been in there house for 3 years with no payment and no sign of getting kicked out. She advised us to save our money as long as we can. And with all of the recent foreclosures it may take longer than normal. We are just worried because we have 2 small children and 3 dogs. I am not getting rid of my dogs!

[floridian]

the lawyer told me i could stay in my house for months and save the money...
i found a perfect house that would allow my cats in a great neighborhood...
if i didnt take it right away, i would lose it... i took it, as its hard to find a nice place that will take pets... i got a two year lease, so i dont have to think about moving again..

[Mark80]

We ended up doing the same, I actually move Monday though. Nice home, part of the rent goes towards the downpayment if we want to buy. 3 year lease, etc.

Makes this entire situation not so bad at all, I actually like it better then my current house. We also were told we could hang out until they kicked us out, however I didn't like the stress of not knowing when it would be, and I have 2
kids in school so I wanted to get them settled in.

I think the biggest confusion out of it all was how much I could spend on rent. Since I needed my house payment to push me into a Chapter 7 I was sure if I lost the status how much I could spend. My Attorney said no more then my current house payment. And when I called back to verify the para said the same thing.

The confusion is how I am allowed only 1180 by the guidelines of my area and family size, but my house payment was 1830. I took a house at 1650, since there isnt much out here really less then that. But I wonder if they know something I don't when they rework the numbers. Although it seems its actually rare for them to dump you out of 7 to a 13 because of that.

[okiemom2008]

I dread the trying to find a rent house. We will have a bk plus we also have the mean viscious pitbulls.(joking) It took it 3 months to find the rental we are in now. We had to live in a hotel until we could find someone who would allow our dog! So I am hoping the next rental house is easier to find than this one was.

[Mark80]

Okie I completely understand your situation, we have an Akita and its very much the same thing. Since our Akita is actually very small for the breed (75lbs) and all white we now call him an Alaskan Malamute and its worked out great. However with a Pittbull there isnt much else they look like, and I feel for you. My dog gets stereo-typed right along side Pittbulls.

I wish you all the best!

[okiemom2008]

Okie I completely understand your situation, we have an Akita and its very much the same thing. Since our Akita is actually very small for the breed (75lbs) and all white we now call him an Alaskan Malamute and its worked out great. However with a Pittbull there isnt much else they look like, and I feel for you. My dog gets stereo-typed right along side Pittbulls.

I wish you all the best!

Yea, I know. Isn't it the pits?(literally lol) Oh well I am just hoping the whole brred restriction thing will go away when people see that the banning of them is just making the good people get rid of them and the bad people hide and abuse them.

Good luck to you. I would def. try craigslist for a rental. Sometimes don't even bring up that you have a dog until after they meet you and then sorda slip in that you have a dog who they could meet if they want to. Bring the dog to look at the house with you and sometimes that helps

[BillyRip]

OK, so you mean I can stay in my condo without paying? When will I have to vacate if I am going 7 and moving into my rental property as my primary residence?

I'm really in no hurry to file but after a collection agency drained my bank accts, I don't think I have a choice. I was at the ATM at 230am today to take out everything before the credit union could take it out.

Suggestions? Opinions?

Thank you all for you participation here!