Foreclosures up, but fewer ask for help

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - More people in Kent County lost their homes in the first three months in 2010 than did in the prior three months or the first three months of last year, according to data provided to Home Repair Services by the Kent County Register of Deeds.

But nonprofit HRS is not hearing from more homeowners looking for help, financial counseling manager Tracie Coffman told 24 Hour News 8.

It's hearing from fewer of them.

"We're seeing 100 a month," Coffman said. "That's about half of what we were seeing a year ago to date."

The worry: people are losing their homes when they don't have to.

From January to March 2010, 967 Kent Count homes went to sheriff's sale, compared to 758 between October and December 2009 and 793 between January and March 2009.

At another Grand Rapids nonprofit, the Inner City Christian Federation, the number of homeowners seeking help isn't down, but education coordinator Mary Ayers said the number is not up either.

"Our numbers are pretty stable actually," Ayers said. "And it's possible that's because we draw from a larger geographical area. Folks are having a harder time finding anywhere else to go and they're coming to Grand Rapids and they're coming to ICCF because other providers only work with Kent County."

Back at Home Repair Services, Coffman said she believes help requests have not grown with foreclosure numbers in part because people don't know there are free services available.

"A year ago, a lot of new things were coming out and there was a lot of media surrounding President Obama's modification plans and mortgage companies who are participating who weren't. So that created a lot of interest and a lot of questions. But that's faded now," she said.

For-profit companies that charge fees may be getting to troubled homeowners before the non-profits do, Coffman said. And then there's the fatigue factor on the part of homeowners who've tried to work with their mortgage companies for months on their own.

"I think some people are just too tire to try, to give it another go," she said.

Home Repair Service is able to help prevent foreclosure for about a third of the people who call asking for help, Coffman said. Both she and Ayers, at ICCF, said even if the foreclosure moves forward, the groups can still help.

On the Net:

Home Repair Services (616) 241-2601

Inner City Christian Federation (616) 336-9333