What is going to happen with this house? Can I try to keep it somehow?

[skyrim]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NJ

Husband passed away year and a half ago. No will. No assets. The house he lived in sits empty. I dont live there. The mortgage wasn't paid for a year and a half. House is still full of furniture and his personal belongings. The mail doesn't get delivered there any more. I am the only survivor and there are no other relatives of his (all dead). I am not on deed, not on mortgage. What is going to happen with this house? Can i do anything to try to keep it?

thank you for any input

 

[AdjunctFL]

Any Equity

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NJ
The mortgage wasn't paid for a year and a half.
thank you for any input

If the mortgage hasn't been paid in a year and a half is there any equity in this house? If the house is worth less than the remaining mortgage balance, you may not want it.

 

[skyrim]

Thanks for the response.

There is no equity in the house, its about even between the balance and the value. Can I just pick up on his payments and continue paying his mortgage or will I have to pay for the year and a half of the missing payments too? I have the key to the property but I dont know what to do with it.

Also - there are things there...furniture, clothes etc. If nothing can be done on my part about the condo - what happens next? There is no one bank can contact. Thank you.

 

[FlyingRon]

Were you married at the time he purchased the house, at the time he died? Was there a will? Were there children?

Anyhow, if you end up the owner, you will have to bring the mortgage current (though if there are other assets in the estate they may assist with this).

 

[skyrim]

I was not married to him at the time he bought the house. I was however married to him when he passed. There are no children and no other assets.

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to your other thread, skyrim, so FlyingRon and AdjunctFL and other knowledgeable forum members have easier access to the information you provided there.

https://forum.freeadvice.com/probate-personal-representatives-114/probate-pros-cons-618298.html

 

[Zigner]

In your other thread you mention that the ex wife is on the mortgage. Is she also on the deed?

 

[LdiJ]

Thanks for the response.

There is no equity in the house, its about even between the balance and the value. Can I just pick up on his payments and continue paying his mortgage or will I have to pay for the year and a half of the missing payments too? I have the key to the property but I dont know what to do with it.

Also - there are things there...furniture, clothes etc. If nothing can be done on my part about the condo - what happens next? There is no one bank can contact. Thank you.

Personally, I would not take over something that had no equity and where a year and a half worth of mortgage payments was due. I would offer to buy the property from the bank as is, or walk away from it after removing whatever personal property I felt it appropriate to remove.