It’s a true sign of the times that one lucky winner in a newly announced contest will win free legal counsel to fight their foreclosure.
That’s right, no cash prize, no European vacation, no lifetime supply of Twinkies. Nope, foreclosure defense.
The consumer Web site Avvo is sponsoring the contest, which begins today.
Florida homeowners are being asked to submit their story of woe and how they are in need of legal help to the Save My House contest at http://foreclosure.avvo.com/save-my-house-contest.
The story can be submitted via e-mail, snail mail or even video. The deadline for submissions is June 29, 2010.
“We see the pain people are going through every day, whether they’ve lost their job, fell behind in monthly payments, or have been victim of a mortgage scam,” said Mark Britton, founder and CEO of Avvo. “The goal of the Save My House contest is to not only save someone’s house, but also raise awareness of the options people have by understanding their legal right as a homeowner and how to find a good lawyer to fight for their case.”
Avvo will review the submissions, choosing the top five semifinalists. Those will be featured on line where the public will be invited to vote for who they believe to be the most deserving of free foreclosure legal services.
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Not quite sure it should be for the Saddest Story.
How about a contest for the most Fraudulent Foreclosure Action filed by any one of the Foreclosure Mills here in Florida?
Would you be interested to participate in a contest to expose the most Fraudulent Foreclosure Action filed by the mills?
If there is enough interest, I will see what can be done to make it happen.
~
I think my story could have for sure been in the running but its a long, long, story with many twist and turns. I really am starting to believe my case will never go any further anyway due to ALL my original mortage documents, note and any assignments are (gone????) all my paperwork just disappeared off the face of this planet! Now whats left is a made up assignment that apparently fell from the sky. I’m so fed up with this mess. But good luck in all your doing, even one house saved makes all the difference in the world to a family that does not deserve to be put out on the street. God bless you.
Interesting responses to this story.
I’m the guy (sick, miserable, twisted?) responsible for this idea, so any vitriol should be delivered directly to my doorstep. Having said that, I think it is very important to understand that there have been many many financial firms engaged in underhanded, shady, abusive and fraudulent behavior. One of the legal system’s jobs is to function as a counterbalance to illegal behavior and we hope we can call attention to this.
The goal of the contest is not to reward the saddest story, but instead to help educate the populace about how the legal system can assist enforcing legal rights. And yes, along the way, we’ll pay the legal fees to try to help someone keep their home. For more information on specific situations in which a lawyer may be able to help save a home, check out the contest itself: http://foreclosure.avvo.com/save-my-house-contest
Regards,
Conrad
Congrats to Semifinalists! Very disappointed we were not in the running however, maybe you could review our story and recommend an attorney that could help us. Thank you.
Imanda Waldon
My husband and I have been fighting mortgage fraud and foreclosure fraud for 54 months. We have paid an attorney to represent us only for us to end up in bankruptcy. I am proud they are offering a free legal team. We will be submitting our story and “PRAY” that we win. The mortgage company (CitiMortgage) took our dignity a long time ago. Finally, people are starting to understand that mortgage companies and banks have been committing fraud against the hands that feed them. We have nothing left to lose except our home. We will proudly hold our hands out and hope to shame this mortgage company right out of business.
I will pray for you also. This entire mess cooked up by these vile banksters makes me sick. God bless you and your home.
Oh bull crap! This is a great idea and if one family benifits from it, it will be well worth it. And yes, if all every state did was make the lenders pay for all the filing fees they dodged this whole mess would just about be paid for!
I am torn on this one.
While my first reaction was a bitter laugh of disbelief that this is what we’ve become; contestants in the misery Olympics, displaying our devastated lives for all to view, compare, vote upon and hopefully worth the toss a charitable bone.
Upon further thought, a good lawyer is often the only difference between having one’s home stolen by a bank or servicer who has no right to take the home and actually raising legal defenses to wrongful foreclosure.
It’s an exploitative contest in the name of advertising a lawyer referral service, but it will help one family avoid homelessness due to a wrongful foreclosure, and also will educate many on the possibility of defending homes against fraudulent foreclosures…………and at the very least it isn’t worsening the foreclosure crisis and doesn’t appear to be another scam.
I think I’d be on the short list for 4F’s “most f’ed up mill complaint!” Hit me up for sure when that contest rolls out!
The people over at Avvo may want to think about using their legal and marketing “talents” in some other kind of form because that was about the sorriest excuse for a marketing idea I’ve ever seen. Outside of this one;
http://www.lpsvcs.com/AboutUs/Brochures/Brochure%20PDFs/GS01_Govt_Solutions.pdf
As sick of an idea as this is, if more media attention is a benefit, then I’m all for it…
Seems the news is not focusing on this criminal act being purpotrated on the American homeowners…
B of A and then MERS!!! Stop them in every State in every County and make them pay for the filing fees they avoided paying, they lost the Mortgages and the Notes and they don’t even have a licence to do business in many States!! What a scam…
I am in California and would love as much guidance and direction from more Attorney’s who “get it”….
Keep on a fightin!!
Here’s something you might like to see (if you already haven’t)
http://livinglies.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/mers-amicus-brief.pdf
Found it!
Thanx for sharing!
To the people who are against this vote!
Question are you allowing people that have been murdered by their servicer or lender be allowed to vote?
Stan
How about nationwide?
I am beyond aghast. A contest to “win” free legal counsel? Are these people simply mad? Oh..my…God. Is anyone else appalled as I am? What universe are these people in? What planet? What reality? We are now reduced to a lottery for legal help; the most pathetic and miserable story all for entertainment. My God…what have we become? This is just beyond the pale. “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Spin the Wheel of Misfortune and win yourself a lawyer! Hurry…hurry up! While supplies last”!!
I need a drink.
This is a wrongful exploitation of misery. This will neither repair the condition of our economy nor the parlous state of due process in foreclosure proceedings.