How long after filing Chapter 7 can I sell my house?

Category: business and finance bankruptcy
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You can sell your house after your bankruptcy discharge. However, you must re-invest the proceeds in another home within six months. Otherwise, the trustee can sell your house and pay your creditors.



Likewise, how long after Chapter 7 Can I sell my house?

You can sell your house after your bankruptcy discharge. However, you must re-invest the proceeds in another home within six months. Otherwise, the trustee can sell your house and pay your creditors. Consult an attorney as to the specific facts of your case.

Additionally, what happens to my house after Chapter 7? Chapter 7 Wipes Out Mortgage Debt Specifically, you won't be responsible for any portion of the home loan when you surrender the house. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge will wipe out an obligation to pay back a mortgage deficiency. As a result, after bankruptcy, you'll be free of any mortgage-related liability.

Keeping this in view, can I sell my house after I file Chapter 7?

As soon as you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you lose control over your assets. The trustee is only interested in assets he can sell. If your home has equity, the trustee typically will order a sale. However, state laws protect some of your home equity, known as your homestead exemption.

Can I sell my house if I did not reaffirm?

Yes, you can sell the home. The effect of no reaffirmation is that you do not have a personal obligation to pay the mortgage. You still are the titled owner and the mortgage is still a lien on the property so it must be paid in order to sell the property.

21 Related Question Answers Found

How long does it take to rebuild credit after filing Chapter 7?

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy will stay on your credit reports for seven years, and a Chapter 7 will stay on your reports for 10 years. But, while a bankruptcy may impact your credit reports for a decade, you don't need to wait that long to rebuild your credit.

How can I get out of Chapter 7?

In most cases, you can only dismiss your Chapter 7 bankruptcy for cause (meaning that you must have a good reason). If you don't have any nonexempt property that the trustee can liquidate and you have a valid reason for requesting dismissal, many bankruptcy courts will allow you to voluntarily dismiss your case.

What happens to a mortgage in Chapter 7?

Although Chapter 7 bankruptcy gets rid of your personal liability on your mortgage, the lender can still foreclose if you stop paying. Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy will wipe out your mortgage loan, but you'll have to give up the home. So, if you want to keep the house, you must continue paying your mortgage payment.

Can you buy a house while in Chapter 7?


If you filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you'll need to wait at least two years before you'll become eligible for an FHA loan. These loans can be an excellent option for those who qualify, as they don't require any down payment, but you may need to meet minimum income requirements.

How long can you stay in your house after filing Chapter 7?

Depending upon where you live, you may be able to remain in your home for six months or more after your Chapter 7 bankruptcy has been finalized. Once your bankruptcy is discharged, you will need to find another place to live. However, you may not need to leave your house immediately.

Can you keep your house and car when filing Chapter 7?

By applying bankruptcy exemption laws to their lists of assets, most people filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy are able to keep their houses and cars if: Their budgets enable them to keep up with a mortgage and car loan payments. Loan payments, insurance, and taxes are up to date.

Is surrendering your home the same as foreclosure?

The primary difference between surrendering a home and foreclosure is the possibility of owing money after the sale. When a home is surrendered, a foreclosure will ensue — but only as a means of clearing title so the bank can sell the home.

When should you walk away from a house sale?

6 Reasons to Walk Away From a Home Sale
  • The house appraises for less than what you've offered.
  • The home inspection reveals major problems.
  • The title search reveals unexpected claims.
  • The house will cost a fortune to insure.
  • The deed restrictions are way too onerous.
  • Work has been done without a permit.

What happens when you don't reaffirm your mortgage?


A reaffirmation agreement with a mortgage lender means you agree to keep up payments, and that the court will not discharge the loan. Since the lender will still have a lien on the property, however, you risk foreclosure if you cease payments after the bankruptcy, with or without a reaffirmation agreement.

Can you just walk away from your house?

Three of the most common methods of walking away from a mortgage include holding a short sale, voluntary foreclosure, and involuntary foreclosure. A short sale occurs when the borrower sells a property for less than the amount due on the mortgage.

Is a reaffirmation agreement required?

As a promise to pay that debt, a debtor must enter into a reaffirmation agreement with the creditor. Reaffirmations are voluntary and not required by law. The creditor and debtor must fully complete the form indicating the nature of the debt, the value of the collateral, and the reason for reaffirmation.

How long must you wait between bankruptcies?

You must wait at least 6 years from the date of filing your previous Chapter 13 bankruptcy, to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and receive a discharge (unless the exception applies).

What happens if I walk away from my mortgage?

First of all, walking away from a mortgage will drop your credit rating by 150 points and it will take several years to recover. Such a drop has a huge impact if your credit is good, but a much smaller impact if your credit is already bad.

Can I refinance if I did not reaffirm my mortgage?


If you didn't reaffirm your debt, you might still be able to refinance later, as long as you still legally own the home. However, if you didn't reaffirm the debt, you can't refinance the loan with the same lender because of bankruptcy laws. So you'll have to find a new lender to refinance the loan.

How long after stopping paying mortgage will they foreclose?

Foreclosure. Under federal mortgage servicing law, the servicer can't start the foreclosure process by making the first notice or filing until you're more than 120 days overdue on the loan. The foreclosure will be either judicial or nonjudicial, depending on state law and the circumstances.

Can I walk away from my mortgage after Chapter 7?

If you received a discharge in your bankruptcy, then your mortgage was discharged. That means that you can walk away from the house and stop paying the mortgage and the mortgage company cannot pursue for the mortgage amount. Their only remedy is to foreclose on the house.