Alice* avoided foreclosure by predatory lender

After settling in Washington to be close to family, I embarked on the journey of becoming a homeowner. I wanted a place my children could always call home. I qualified for a United States Department of Agriculture home loan and felt confident that the mortgage rate would be affordable while I built equity. I hired a general contractor to develop the land I purchased. He was charismatic and seemed attentive to the job. He even offered me a loan to offset some costs. Little did I know this would lead to a nightmare. When my income changed, I struggled to make full monthly payments to both the mortgage lender and the contractor. About a year ago, I was shocked to receive a foreclosure notice from the contractor’s attorney. I had trusted this contractor, unaware that he had been charging extra interest daily on late and partial payments, ballooning my debt to over $60,000. I was terrified of losing the house I had worked so hard for to the contractor who helped build it. Desperate for help, I found Northwest Justice Project (NJP). Their attorney, Anne, and her assistant Hanna were lifesavers. When refinancing my USDA loan didn’t work out, they helped me apply for a Homeowner’s Assistance Fund grant. After months of anxious waiting, the grant was approved. Thanks to Anne and Hanna’s excellent work, the contractor agreed to accept the grant funds as settlement. I felt such overwhelming relief when my home was no longer at risk of foreclosure. I’;m immensely grateful for NJP’s help in saving my home from a contractor who took advantage of my trust and financial vulnerability. Now that this stress is behind me, I am eager to get back to caring for my home and spending time with family, including my granddaughter. And I plan to build a new chicken coop. *Name changed at client’s request.