Sense on Cents

At “Central Station” the other day, a loyal reader thought it may be useful to write about the implications of defaulting on a mortgage. Certainly nobody wants to default on a mortgage, but given the dynamics of our current housing market and economy, delinquencies and defaults are simple realities.

In thinking through this topic, it struck me that it may be just as beneficial to address what to do before defaulting as it is to know what happens after defaulting.

First and foremost, given the economic environment there should be no sense of shame or embarrassment in a deteriorating financial condition. That said, as one of my earliest mentors taught me “people in finance typically do not have problems with losses but they have big problems with surprises.” How does that piece of wisdom apply to today’s deteriorating housing market and rising foreclosures?

(more…)