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Fla. Woman Fights Epic 25-Year Foreclosure Battle

She hasn't paid since '85, vows she's going to die there

By savageviking,  Newser User

Posted Dec 4, 2010 6:42 AM CST | Promoted on Newser Dec 4, 2010 7:53 AM CST

(User Submitted) – A retired Florida woman who hasn't paid her mortgage since 1985 is engaged in one of the longest foreclosure battles ever. Armed with a stack of legal challenges both legit and frivolous and protected by a 105-pound pit bull, the 71-year-old has successfully staved off six lenders in a cautionary tale for those who have engaged in sloppy mortgage practices, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Taking advantage of numerous lender errors, the woman has cited one reason after another to challenge the process—and gotten several courts to go along. A lawyer for the current lender who is buried in her paperwork calls it “the foreclosure from hell.” The woman remains defiant saying “They’re not going to take this house, I intend to stay in this house until I die.” Her latest trick? Filing for bankruptcy, which temporarily halted the process again.

  (AP)
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It's almost like clockwork. You know you're going to get another three-inch stack of documents every month or so, and you have to take the time to read through it.
- Robert Summers, lawyer for current lender trying to foreclose since 2000

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 27 comments
dailyview
Dec 4, 2010 12:29 PM CST
the solution is simple. tie her taxes to her mortgage payment, much more difficult to default on the taxes. if she makes a payment it would be applied to the late payments first and not the escrow, have the city kick this deadbeat out and sell the property. bankruptcy doesn't cover everything...including back taxes
Box1Car
Dec 4, 2010 12:09 PM CST
As for using Laws against the economic system, how about this idea for bringing the gov't spending IN- LINE
IRS allows 3 years for you to file a claim for income tax refund due. 10% penalty applies to ZERO tax owed
If every tax payer simply paid their income tax owed on 15Apr, but waited 3 years to file for a refund claim,
it would bring the gov't spending to a screaching halt for 3 years until they had tax returns to figure revenue
How does this work? I've been doing it since the 70s and MISSED the 2008 economic meltdown- This past
15Apr10 I filed a 2006 refund claim for $9,875 that I would have LOST if I'd filed for it back on Apr15 2007
Penalty & Interest were 10% of ZERO or NADA' since I had already paid all tax in '06
Naked_Emperor
Dec 4, 2010 11:58 AM CST
These are the people that are responsible for the housing crisis.
People that believe they are owed something for nothing.

More Newser Stories

$26B Mortgage Settlement a 'Modest' Help: Experts

Florida Law Firm Bribed Workers to Forge Foreclosures

Years of Bank Incompetence Led to Foreclosure Crisis

Dozens of States Plan Foreclosure Probe

Home Repos Hit Recession High


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