Gov. Tim Kaine this week announced the schedule of a series of free regional mortgage clinics to help Virginians avoid home foreclosure. The clinics will be hosted by the Virginia Foreclosure Prevention Task Force, formed by Kaine in Nov. 2007 to help protect and preserve homeownership in the state. The clinics will be held in June, coinciding with national Homeownership Month.  

If you have concerns about the health of your mortgage, I encourage you to sign up for one of these free mortgage clinics, Kaine said. Whether you are just beginning to have trouble making your mortgage payments or you are already in foreclosure, our hope is that the information you receive at the clinics will help you keep your home. 

The clinics will include general foreclosure prevention information, as well as individual foreclosure counseling sessions with certified housing counselors trained in loss mitigation and foreclosure prevention. Clinics will last approximately 90 minutes, including a 30-minute general session and the free foreclosure counseling. 

“Don’t ignore the symptoms of foreclosure, said Susan Dewey, Executive Director of the Virginia Housing Development Authority.  Come learn what to say when you call your lender. The sooner you act, the better your chance of saving your home.  

Attendees will learn about the importance of contacting their lender at the first sign of trouble, working with a housing counselor, knowing their foreclosure prevention options, prioritizing spending plans and avoiding foreclosure scams. Each clinic will include a short video message from Kaine outlining how the Virginia Foreclosure Prevention Task Forces actions are providing proactive assistance to distressed homeowners.  

Walk-ins are welcome at the clinics, however space for the individual counseling sessions is limited and pre-registration is strongly encouraged. To register for a clinic counseling session, please visit the Virginia Foreclosure Prevention Task Force website at www.VirginiaForeclosurePrevention.com. The website also offers important foreclosure prevention tips and provides a list of Virginia certified housing counselors who can help Virginians assess their situation and offer specific suggestions.

The Virginia Foreclosure Prevention Task Force Mortgage Clinics are made possible by the sponsorship of Freddie Mac, VHDA, 1st Advantage Federal Credit Union, StellarOne Corp., and Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.

The clinics will be held June 21 in Chantilly and Woodbridge.