Avvo Launches Save My House Contest in Florida

Avvo offers opportunity for Florida homeowner to win free legal services from a foreclosure lawyer

Seattle, Wash — Avvo, Inc. (www.avvo.com), the only free website that empowers consumers to handle their legal matters with confidence, announced today its Save My House contest for homeowners in Florida who are in danger of losing their house to foreclosure.

Starting Monday, June 7th, Florida homeowners can submit their story of how they are in need of legal help to Avvo’s Save My House contest. Avvo will select the top five stories; invite the user community made up of two million monthly visitors to vote for the most deserving story; and then pay for the winner’s legal fees. Visit the contest homepage for details.

According to industry reports, over the first three months of 2010, one in every 57 Florida properties received a foreclosure filing notice, the nation’s third highest state foreclosure rate.[1] In addition, seven out of the top 20 metro foreclosure hot spots are cities in Florida.[2]

“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. Homeowners are having a tough time in Florida and that’s why Avvo wants to help,” 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 rights as a homeowner and how to find a good lawyer to fight for their case.”

According to Florida attorney Margery Golant, key situations where a knowledgeable foreclosure lawyer can help include:

1)     Have you experienced a communication gap or disconnect between you and your mortgage company? Have you sent them information they claim to not have received in the hope they will agree to a modification?  Perhaps they’ve claimed to have sent certain documents to the investor, but you don’t believe they have? This is one example where a knowledgeable lawyer might be able to assist you in obtaining relief.

2)     Are your mortgage payments higher than what was promised at closing? Did you discover after the fact that your mortgage payment did not include property taxes and insurance? This is an example of a situation where a knowledgeable attorney might be able to assist you in obtaining relief.

3)     Are you underwater on your house and have a first and second mortgage?  Is the value of your home less than the total you owe on your first (primary mortgage)?  This is an example of a situation where a knowledgeable attorney might be able to assist you in obtaining relief.

4)     Were you served foreclosure papers from a company you do not recognize? Is it not the lender you borrowed from? If so, a knowledgeable attorney can investigate what has taken place and really determine if the foreclosure case is defensible.

5)     Did you take a hit to your income and miss some mortgage payments, but now are back with stable employment and working to regain good financial standing and still can’t get your mortgage company to work with you? Generally mortgage companies require a reinstatement of all missed payments.  However, if you now have a steady income, a knowledgeable attorney might be able to assist you in resolving the situation and ultimately help save your house.

To enter the Save My House contest, Florida homeowners are required to complete an application and submit their story to Avvo via email, postal mail or online video. The deadline for submissions is June 29, 2010. Next, Avvo will review the submissions and select the top five semifinalists to be featured on its website. During the following two weeks, the public will be invited to vote for who they believe to be the most deserving of free foreclosure legal services. After voting is closed, Avvo will feature the winner on its website, connect the homeowner with an experienced foreclosure lawyer and cover all the legal fees necessary to save their house.

Detailed instructions and contest rules are at Avvo.com. Only Florida residents may apply.

About Avvo

Avvo is the only free website that empowers consumers to handle their legal matters with confidence. Avvo offers ratings and profiles for every lawyer, as well as client reviews, peer reviews and attorney disciplinary records. Avvo also offers the world’s largest question and answer forum where people can ask real attorneys – anonymously if desired – any legal question and receive personalized answers. Additionally, Avvo Legal Guides are a resource of lawyer-generated best practices for consumers seeking guidance on their legal issues. The website currently covers all 50 states in the United States and the District of Columbia. Founded in early 2006, Avvo is privately held, with funding from private investors, Benchmark Capital, Ignition Partners and DAG Ventures. For more information, visit www.avvo.com.


[1] http://www.realtytrac.com/contentmanagement/pressrelease.aspx?channelid=9&itemid=8927

[2] http://www.realtytrac.com/contentmanagement/pressrelease.aspx?channelid=9&itemid=8930