The law also introduces new foreclosure sale protections to help homeowners avoid losing equity. If a listing agreement with a licensed real estate broker is submitted at least five business days before the foreclosure sale, the sale must be postponed for at least 45 days.
The Lis Pendens is a public notification that the property is being foreclosed upon. If the homeowner attempts to sell the property or get a second mortgage, the title search will reveal the Lis Pendens and notify any interested party that the property's title is in question due to the pending foreclosure.
In California, lenders can foreclose on deeds of trust or mortgages using a nonjudicial foreclosure process (outside of court) or a judicial foreclosure process (through the courts). The nonjudicial foreclosure process is used most commonly in our state.
There is no specific time frame for how long a lis pendens is valid. Rather, a lis pendens is valid until it is expunged or the underlying case is resolved. If not expunged, a lis pendens is often removed as part of a settlement agreement reached between the parties.
States with the highest foreclosure rates were Nevada (one in every 2,741 housing units with a foreclosure filing); New Jersey (one in every 3,059 housing units); Florida (one in every 3,086 housing units); California (one in every 3,152 housing units); and South Carolina (one in every 3,272 housing units).
Pre-Foreclosure Period During this time, the lender will typically attempt to contact the borrower to resolve the payment issue. This period can last for several months as lenders are often required to wait until the borrower is at least 120 days delinquent before starting the foreclosure process.
A lis pendens must be filed with both the county recorder and the circuit court clerk. After the action has reached pending status, the lis pendens must be drafted and submitted to the county recorder to be recorded for public record. This does not end this part of the process.
The law also introduces new foreclosure sale protections to help homeowners avoid losing equity. If a listing agreement with a licensed real estate broker is submitted at least five business days before the foreclosure sale, the sale must be postponed for at least 45 days.
Once the complaint is filed, it enters a Lis pendens, meaning a suit is pending. The lender becomes the plaintiff, and the debtor becomes the defendant in the court record. The case receives a docket number. The plaintiff must serve the defendant with the foreclosure complaint.