Home Equity Loan ? Beware of the lingering lien!


A problem that often arises when people try to refinance their home is the discovery of a pre-existing lien from a previous loan that was not removed by the lending company. The cost of removing a lien and returning the title to the homeowner, a process known as reconveyance, is usually included in fees associated with a home equity loan. When the loan is paid off, the lender is generally responsible for removing the lien, so that public records show the property to be unencumbered.

There are various reasons for why the lien isn't always removed ? oversight on the part of the lender, especially during heavy periods of refinancing, is often the problem. Occasionally, the problem can arise when a lender is sold to another company or when that lender goes out of business. No matter what the cause, a lien that hasn't been removed can come back to haunt a homeowner.

If a homeowner is in the process of refinancing a home and discovers an old lien that hasn't been removed, the entire refinancing process can be held up for weeks. This can be critical if the owner is trying to lock in an interest rate prior to closing. The problem can also arise when a homeowner is trying to take out another home equity loan, perhaps to facilitate debt consolidation or home improvements.

Here are a few things you can do to avoid this problem:

  • Get a copy of your credit report. If there are any errors, particularly errors showing an open line of credit or a home equity loan that has been paid off, contact your lender.


  • Keep your paperwork from all real estate loans, even if you have already paid them off. Then you will have them at hand should you need to demonstrate that you have fulfilled your obligations.


  • If the lien shows up on public records or a credit report, but the original lender says that you have paid it, have them send you a copy of their documentation regarding your reconveyance.


  • As with most issues that come up when financing or refinancing a home, this one can be resolved by remaining diligent and keeping proper paperwork. As always, it's a good idea to check your credit report regularly, particularly if you plan on taking out a loan in the near future.

    ©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a Website devoted to debt consolidation information and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information on home equity loans.







    Related News



    Wolters Kluwer Financial Services Begins Development of Hope for ... - MarketWatch

    Wolters Kluwer Financial Services Begins Development of Hope for ...
    MarketWatch -4 hours ago
    For borrowers who refinance under H4H, lenders are required to "write down" the mortgage to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-provided ...

    Bellingham man's adjustable mortgage became money trap - Bellingham Herald

    Bellingham man's adjustable mortgage became money trap
    Bellingham Herald, WA -6 hours ago
    Caceres said he got his first adjustable mortgage seven years ago and managed to refinance it twice since then, to get out from under the higher interest ...

    Looking to refinance? Now might be the time - Boston Globe

    Looking to refinance? Now might be the time
    Boston Globe, United States -1 hour ago
    Mortgage rates have been stubbornly high for quite some time but the government's recently announced $800B plan to bolster mortgages and consumer loans had ...

    Commercial loan "nightmare" projected for 2009-JPMorgan - Reuters

    Commercial loan "nightmare" projected for 2009-JPMorgan
    Reuters -3 hours ago
    He said the slowing economy that is wreaking havoc on cash flow expectations may also present mortgage companies with a dilemma as borrowers confront them ...

    Avoiding your own mortgage collapse - The News Journal

    Avoiding your own mortgage collapse
    The News Journal, DE -11 hours ago
    By ANDREW EDER • The News Journal • December 1, 2008 It used to be that homeowners struggling to meet their mortgage payments had two options -- refinance...

    General Growth Properties gets loan reprieve - The Associated Press

    The Star-Ledger - NJ.com

    General Growth Properties gets loan reprieve
    The Associated Press -8 hours ago
    General Growth Properties said last month it faced solvency trouble and might seek bankruptcy if it couldn't refinance or extend the nearly $1 billion in ...
    General Growth secures two-week loan extensionBizjournals.com
    Creditors give Buckland mall owner a two-week debt reprieveJournal Inquirer
    UPDATE 1-General Growth gets two-week loan extensionReuters
    Chicago Daily Herald - Bizjournals.com
    all 147 news articles

    Mortgage rates fall, but many borrowers will have trouble qualifying - Los Angeles Times

    Straits Times

    Mortgage rates fall, but many borrowers will have trouble qualifying
    Los Angeles Times, CA -Nov 27, 2008
    Jeff Lazerson, a Laguna Niguel mortgage broker, said all the customer calls he received Tuesday were from people seeking to refinance, not buy homes. ...
    Mortgage-market revival: Try, try againCNNMoney.com
    Last Call for Smart HomeownersMotley Fool
    US move cuts mortgages to lowest rate since FebruaryBaltimore Sun
    Bloomberg - AHN
    all 2,149 news articles


    Good time to refinance your mortgage? - WKTV

    Good time to refinance your mortgage?
    WKTV, NY -2 hours ago
    By GARY LIBERATORE (WKTV) - If you are in the market to buy a home, it's a really good time, but if you're selling, it's not so good. ...

    US Consumer Loan Aid Will Trickle Only So Far - New York Times

    US Consumer Loan Aid Will Trickle Only So Far
    New York Times, United States -Nov 26, 2008
    By RON LIEBER and TARA SIEGEL BERNARD If you’re buying a home, refinancing a mortgage or seeking an auto or student loan, the new government plans to make ...
    US MBA’s Mortgage Applications Index Rose 1.5% Last WeekBloomberg
    Mortgage rate drop sparks surge in consumer interestSan Jose Mercury News
    Paying for home just got cheaperArizona Republic
    all 28 news articles

    See if lender will let you pay insurance, taxes - San Francisco Chronicle

    See if lender will let you pay insurance, taxes
    San Francisco Chronicle,  USA -5 hours ago
    I almost feel like the mortgage companies are just trying to get extra money from us by having us refinance soon. Even in this economy, this house would ...