In Long Island, foreclosures are on the rise.  In fact, both Nassau and nearby Suffolk counties have some of the highest foreclosure rates in the entire state.  The alarming number of for sale signs and vacant homes evidences this.  For many local families, this means that they have had to “downgrade” to a less expensive home, renting an apartment, staying with friends or relatives, or receiving some type of government assistance.  While experiencing a foreclosure can be tough, there should be a relief in that there is a lot of help available for American families and individuals who need it.  Even for those who lose their home and have very little or no resources, there are always shelters available, food programs, and many types of free assistance.  In fact, we should be thankful that we live in such a country.  In other places in the world, families have no options at all. 

There are foreclosures, so to speak, in Gaza.  But it doesn’t occur after you’ve spent a year or two in a home rent-free while a bank slowly works to evict you.  It’s not when you simply decide a house is too much for you financially and you volunteer to give the keys back to the bank.  In Gaza, a foreclosure occurs when a bomb falls from the sky and obliterates everything you own.  In Gaza, a “foreclosure” often kills entire families.  Communities, relationships, and careers are destroyed all at once.  There is no recourse; there is no legal process or attorneys that get involved to help.  There is no leniency, and there are certainly no banking officials willing to lend assistance after listening to a sad story of economic loss.  In Gaza, a “foreclosure” means that, if you survive, you simply walk away from the rubble and start over with nothing.  You pray that your family, friends, and neighbors were not killed or maimed.  You pray that there will be food to eat, water to drink, and somewhere that you can go.  Desert nights drop down to freezing even in the summer, and those who are displaced often die of exposure.  What’s worse is that sometimes these people die from the desperate acts of others in similar situations.

So Americans should take heart.  A foreclosure is not the end of the world.  In fact, it can often be a fresh start- a way to climb out from under a financial burden that many find to be nearly insurmountable.  In the United States, a foreclosure doesn’t kill anyone.  It doesn’t rob you of life and possessions.  It won’t even put you on the street.  There are always options.  So if you are experiencing a foreclosure, you should feel relieved that nothing truly bad or harmful is going to happen to you.  Your loved ones will be safe, your job will likely be unaffected, and you’ll have somewhere warm to go.  Although it is certainly a difficult process to be foreclosed upon, we should give our thanks that we live in such a place where we can easily start our climb to the top again.  Because for other people around the world, this is simply not the case.  Remember this, and it will help you to keep things in perspective.      

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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 7:26 am and is filed under General Information, Long Island Foreclosure Firm, Long Island Law Firm, Nassau & Suffolk County. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.