There's good news for Illinois homeowners: It appears that the percentage of foreclosures is on the decline and the forecast appears promising. According to The Illinois Foreclosure Listing Service, the number of listed foreclosures for the first quarter of 2014 have decreased by 39.17 percent.

As the real estate market appears a bit brighter for Illinois, there are still homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage and possibly facing foreclosure. Aside from contacting an experienced Illinois foreclosure attorney, taking a moment to familiarize yourself and prepare your family with a tentative timeline of the foreclosure process under Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5) may prove helpful.

Immediate Action

Illinois citizens have a friend in Attorney General Lisa Madigan. As head of the Consumer Protection Division, Madigan and her staff are constantly fielding legitimate cases of fraud, deceptive and unfair business practices. Available to all Illinois citizens is information and review of unfair practices through the following bureaus:

• Consumer Fraud Bureau
• Charitable Trust Bureau
• Franchise Bureau
• Health Care Bureau
• Military and Veterans Rights Bureau

In 2012, Madigan took on the unethical practices of scam ploys that offered “mortgage rescue” for those Illinois homeowners struggling to keep one step ahead of foreclosure. The scam was presented as a forensic audit that would identify errors and reduce the homeowner's monthly mortgage liability. Often the homeowner would pay exorbitant fees then waited on services that never materialized, often finding themselves deeper in debt with no where to turn.

If you are an Illinois citizen who is facing foreclosure do not trust your financial freedom and your home to any fly by night operative looking to make a few dollars at your expense. It is time to contact an experienced Illinois foreclosure attorney who is knowledgeable in the areas of foreclosure and the options available to perhaps save you money and your home.

Unfortunately when a homeowner is facing dire straights and facing foreclosure, far too often those seeking mortgage assistance fall victim to experienced scam artists. These experts are prey on the homeowner's emotional state to drain you of your money and your home but also leaving your liable for your mortgage debt.

To alleviate falling victim to a scam artist that could only make the overall situation worse, it may be in your best interest to consult with an experienced foreclosure attorney to further discuss your options under the federally funded Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program or the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

These programs, initiated in 2009 at the height of the real estate bubble have been extended through 2014. Either program could be the catalyst to vault you out of the financial hardship. Perhaps before meeting with an attorney the following brief synopses may provide you with a brief introduction to both programs.

A recent article published by the Association of American Retired Persons Bulletin (AARP) exposes a new crisis in our country. It appears that seniors are under siege due to delinquent property bills and haunted by credit collection agencies ready to either secure the debt or take control of the home through a tax lien foreclosure.

The article profiles Melvin Phillips, a security guard and retired Army captain thought he was current on his property tax obligation, but according to the article Elm Capital, LLC (Jericho, N.Y.), Phillips was facing foreclosure over a $8,000 tax lien levied against his home. He thought he would be able to establish a payment plan in court but Elm Capital was prepared to take his house by foreclosing on Philips and his property if he could not produce $15,000 immediately. Through assistance offered by the AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE), Captain Phillips was able to reach an agreement with Elm Capital and save his home.

This appears to be a growing crisis, as supported by data compiled by the National Consumer Law Center, a nonprofit advocacy group. The center estimates U.S. property tax delinquencies may total $15 billion and it has labeled this foreclosure movement as “the other foreclosure crisis”.

According to an article published by the Chicago Tribune, Illinois homeowners plotting to strategically walk away from their homes is not an alarming new trend. For years, homeowners who have been feeling the sting of the housing market whims have often turned to an experienced Strategic Defense attorney to discuss Strategic Default of their mortgage as a method to relieve persistent debt concerns.

Joanne Gaskin, director of product management for scores at FICO Inc. believes “that this is not a problem that is going away”. It is also reported that the Chicago area is conducive to this form of debt relief due to three primary circumstances:

1. Although the housing market is experiencing a slight rebound, some homeowners are still experiencing a negative equity balance.
2. Illinois foreclosures, processed through the court system, are over their heads in paperwork. From default to foreclosure some homeowners are living mortgage-free up to and over one year's time.
3. In a recent national consumer survey, Fannie Mae reported that 27 percent of homeowners feel no loyalty to their homes as they strategically walk away to alleviate financial distress.

Of course, this is not a decision homeowners make hastily. Opting to default purposely on your mortgage leaves a cautionary black mark on your credit and often paying rent at nearly the same monthly expense as their mortgage. Further more, homeowners in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania may even find themselves facing a lawsuit filed by their mortgage holder.