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Prairie State Legal Services - "Making a Positive Difference" |
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| Lisa's Story Housing Law |
| Four more years and the house would be paid for. Now the court order said Lisa had 7 days to move and must pay a $16,000 judgment. When Lisa and her husband arranged to buy the home on a 10-year contract, it was a great opportunity for them and their two daughters. However, when Lisa and her husband separated, they were unable to keep up with payments. The owner filed a complaint in landlord/tenant court and obtained a judgment for possession of the home and for the remaining balance on the contract to purchase. This meant that Lisa lost not only her home, but all the equity she had in her home. When she came to Prairie State, she was frantic. |
| Prairie State staff realized that because of the amount of equity involved, the action by the owner should have been brought under the Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure law, which would have offered some protection for Lisa’s equity. The original order was vacated and the landlord/tenant action dismissed. In the meantime, Lisa was able to sell the home, repay all she owed the original owner and have money left over for a security deposit and a couple of month’s rent for a new home for herself and her daughters. |
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