2008 Minnesota Statutes

580.041 FORECLOSURE ADVICE NOTICE TO OWNERS.

Subdivision 1.

[Renumbered subd 1b]

Subd. 1a.Applicability.

This section applies to foreclosure of mortgages under this chapter on property consisting of one to four family dwelling units, one of which the owner occupies as the owner's principal place of residency on the date of service of the notice of sale on the owner.

Subd. 1b.Form and delivery of notice.

The notice required by this section must be in 14-point boldface type and must be printed on colored paper that is other than the color of the notice of foreclosure and that does not obscure or overshadow the content of the notice. The title of the notice must be in 20-point boldface type. The notice must be on its own page. The notice required by this section must be delivered with the notice of foreclosure required by sections 580.03 and 580.04. The notice required by this section also must be delivered with each subsequent written communication regarding the foreclosure mailed to the mortgagor by the foreclosing party up to the day of redemption. A foreclosing mortgagee will be deemed to have complied with this section if it sends the notice required by this section at least once every 60 days during the period of the foreclosure process. The notice required by this section must not be published.

Subd. 2.Content of notice.

The notice required by this section must appear substantially as follows:

"Help For Homeowners in Foreclosure

	The attorney preparing this foreclosure is: _
		(Attorney name, address, phone)
	It is being prepared for:
	_
	(Lender name, loss mitigation phone number)

AS OF [insert date], this lender says that you owe $[insert dollar amount] to bring your mortgage up to date. You must pay this amount to keep your house from going through a sheriff's sale. The sheriff's sale is scheduled for [insert date] at [insert time] at [insert place].

Mortgage foreclosure is a complex process. People may contact you with advice and offers to help "save" your home.

Remember: It is important that you learn as much as you can about foreclosure and your situation. Find out about all your options before you make any agreements with anyone about the foreclosure of your home.

Getting Help

As soon as possible, you should contact your lender at the above number to talk about things you might be able to do to prevent foreclosure. You should also consider contacting the foreclosure prevention counselor in your area. A foreclosure prevention counselor can answer your questions, offer free advice, and help you create a plan which makes sense for your situation.

Contact the Minnesota Home Ownership Center at 651-659-9336 or 866-462-6466 or www.hocmn.org to get the phone number and location of the nearest counseling organization. Call today. The longer you wait, the fewer options you may have for a desirable result.

Information About the Foreclosure Process

You do not need to move at the time of the sheriff's sale. After the sheriff's sale you have the right to "redeem." Redeem means that you pay off the entire loan amount plus fees to keep your house. You can keep living in your home for a period of time. This is called a "redemption period." The redemption period is [insert number of months] months after the sheriff's sale. This redemption period is your chance to try and sell your home or refinance it with a different loan. You can also pay the redemption amount with any other funds you have available. At the end of the redemption period you will have to leave your home. If you do not, the person or company that bid on your home at the sheriff's sale has the right to file an eviction against you in district court."

Subd. 3.Affidavit.

Any person may establish compliance with or inapplicability of this section by recording, with the county recorder or registrar of titles, an affidavit by a person having knowledge of the facts, stating that the notice required by this section has been delivered in compliance with this section or that this section is not applicable because the property described in the notice of foreclosure did not consist of one to four family dwelling units, one of which was occupied by the owner as the owner's principal place of residency. The affidavit and a certified copy of a recorded affidavit shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the affidavit. The affidavit may be recorded regarding any foreclosure sale, including foreclosure sales which occurred prior to August 1, 2005, and may be recorded separately or as part of the record of a foreclosure.

Subd. 4.Validation of foreclosure sales.

No mortgage foreclosure sale under this chapter shall be invalid because of failure to comply with this section unless an action to invalidate the sale is commenced and a notice of lis pendens is filed with the county recorder or registrar of titles within one year after the last day of the redemption period of the mortgagor, the mortgagor's personal representatives, or assigns. This subdivision shall not affect any action or proceeding pending on August 1, 2005, or which is commenced before February 1, 2006, in any court of this state, provided a notice of lis pendens of the action is filed with the county recorder or registrar of titles before February 1, 2006.

History:

2004 c 263 s 23,26; 2005 c 10 art 1 s 76; 2005 c 119 s 5-7,9; 2007 c 106 s 22; 2008 c 341 art 5 s 10,23