The House I'm Renting May Be Foreclosed

[Woodcookedbbq]

OK, so a woman just came knocking on my door asking me if I was "John Doe" (who is my landlord.) I said no, he's my landlord, and I'm renting the place from him. She then tells me she's there to inspect the home and asks me if there's any damage to the house. I then ask her "who are you with?" She tells me she's from the "bank." I tell her that there's no damage. She asks me if there is gas run to the house, and I said yes, we have natural gas. She then said "Thank you, that will be all." I asked her which bank she was from, but she said "that's confidential, but Fannie Mae is the lead agency." It all seemed very strange.

I don't know, but it sounds to me like the house I'm renting is being foreclosed upon. I called my landlord and left him a message, but he has yet to call me back. We have a lease here until June. So if anybody here has experience with banks or real estate....Does it sound like our house is being foreclosed?

[Doyle]

I wouldn't pay your rent until you get to the bottom of it.

[Floppin]

Why would her bank be confidential? That seems odd to me.

[Woodcookedbbq]

I wouldn't pay your rent until you get to the bottom of it.

I've done made that decision.

[dimbee]

It's a lot easier to evict a nonpaying renter than it is to fully foreclose on someone. Don't get too high and mighty. Remember that you are the renter and unless you have some unique clause in your rental agreement regarding the bank checking on the property they're financing, an eviction and break of rental agreement can show on your credit report.

[Darth Biscuit]

Not sure how it all works but NC laws are generally on the side of the renter.

[Guest]

Why would her bank be confidential? That seems odd to me.

this. Thats strange.

[Woodcookedbbq]

The only thing I can think is that she couldn't reveal that to me because I wasn't the homeowner.

[KillerKat]

this have something to do with it? http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fannie-freddie-legal-fees-110-110700141.html

[Davidson Deac II]

I wouldn't have responded to any of her questions until you could confirm who she actually was.

Fwiw, while it could be a foreclosure, those are the same questions they ask when doing a refinance, except that they usually want to come in a do a full inspection. But the rules could be different since its a rental house.

And Dimbee is right, as long as you are living there, and the house is in reasonable shape, you should continue paying your rent. Even if its a foreclosure, those usually take a while and you might be able to live there until your lease is up.

[Woodcookedbbq]

OK, my landlord just called back and said that he doesn't know who that lady could have been and the house is not being foreclosed. He's going to call Fannie Mae and ask them why they're sending people up to his house asking questions about it.

That makes me feel a little better. My landlord has been pretty forthright with me since I've lived here, so I have no reason to doubt him. But I'd still like to know what that visit was all about.

[Floppin]

She wants to steal your gas.

[Davidson Deac II]

OK, my landlord just called back and said that he doesn't know who that lady could have been and the house is not being foreclosed. He's going to call Fannie Mae and ask them why they're sending people up to his house asking questions about it.

That makes me feel a little better. My landlord has been pretty forthright with me since I've lived here, so I have no reason to doubt him. But I'd still like to know what that visit was all about.

She saw you, she had the hots for you, and made up some story to talk to you. :)

[Woodcookedbbq]

What was really interesting is she wasn't dressed professionally at all. She was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a faded Dr. Pepper shirt. However, she knew the owner's name and address and had an official looking checklist in her hand. She never came inside and only asked if the house was damaged and if we had natural gas.