| New York Foreclosure
Procedure
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Judicial Foreclosure Available:
Yes
Non-Judicial Foreclosure Available: Yes
Preferred Method:
Judicial Foreclosure
Judicial foreclosure (foreclosure by
lawsuit) is the primary method of foreclosure in New York. Although
non-judicial foreclosure is available, it is seldom used. Non-judicial
foreclosure procedures are sufficiently intricate to lead to potential
title disputes. Such problems might make it very difficult to evict a
tenant. Junior lien holders might also dispute the title and tie the
matter up in litigation. Thus most lenders will elect a judicial
foreclosure.
Judicial Foreclosure
Judicial foreclosure begins when the
lender files a lawsuit. The lender will sue the borrower and any person
who has a claim to the ownership or a possession interest. The lender,
as plaintiff, has a summons and a complaint served on the borrower. The
summons commands the borrower to come to court and answer the lender’s
complaint; the complaint is the lawsuit proper, which describes the
lender’s legal and factual basis for foreclosure. A notice of lis
pendens must be filed. The lis pendens is a notice that a lawsuit is
pending, the outcome of which affects title. Often, the borrower fails
to answer. In that event, the court will appoint a referee to compute a
figure for the foreclosure. The court may then sign a judgment of
foreclosure and sale. If the borrower appears and defends against the
lawsuit, then the court will determine the merits of the defense. The
referee will need an oral hearing. If the lender wins, then a judgment
of foreclosure and sale will be awarded.
Typically the foreclosure sale is
advertised for 4 to 6 weeks. The sale is made by public auction to the
highest bidder. The lender may bid, as well. The lender must distribute
the proceeds according to the terms of the judgment signed by the judge.
Surplus money will normally be held by a referee.
Deficiency
If the mortgage contains an express
covenant to pay, then the lender may seek a deficiency judgment against
the borrower if the court ordered sale does not produce sufficient
funds. The lender can ask the court for a deficiency judgment for the
amount left unpaid after the foreclosure sale. The motion for the
deficiency judgment must be made within 90 days after the foreclosure
sale. The court must determine the market value and credit the greater
of the market value or the foreclosure sales price against what remains
unpaid on the loan.
Redemption
After the judicial foreclosure, there
is no redemption period. This is true of non-judicial foreclosure, as
well.
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