Every day when I step into the office, the work we do resonates with me. Keeping people in their homes is an important, life-changing endeavor, and I’m proud to play a part in helping families find the peace and security they need to thrive. But when the holiday season hits and the phrase “home for the holidays” saturates the air from Christmas songs and TV ads, my firm’s goal feels even more important.
I’m lucky to have a place to go this Christmas. Lyn, the girls, and I are planning to spend the week with her family in Maine, so we’ll get to enjoy a snowy scene straight out of a holiday card. In the past, when we’ve stayed in California for Christmas, we’ve been just as blessed. We’re always able to watch the girls participate in the Christmas Eve pageant at church, enjoy a family dinner, and videotape them tearing into their presents on Christmas morning without worries hanging over our heads.
Many of my clients aren’t so lucky. For those facing foreclosure, my team and I do our best to take the stress of potentially losing their homes off their plates during the holidays so they can spend time with their loved ones and friends. Often, we’re able to do that (including stopping a sale on Christmas Eve) but not every case has a perfectly happy ending. We can’t guarantee every client will be able to stay in their home, but our goal is to make sure they’re in a better position when they leave us than they were in when they first walked through our doors. We try to help them move forward with their lives and close this chapter of their life and open a new and better one.
For example, with one of our long-term clients, there was no way we could ultimately win her case in court, but we were able to keep her in her home for over five years. Just recently, it was finally time for her to move forward, and we helped facilitate those next steps and made the transition as easy as possible. Sometimes we need to act not only as lawyers but as counselors to help our clients through these tough times. It’s a role we’re happy to step into, because over time — especially over five years! — many of our clients become part of our family.
Looking back at 2019, I’m proud of all my firm has accomplished. We’ve been able to keep more than 40 families in their homes and help even more move on to lead happy, successful lives in new places. This month, we’ll sit down as a team to reflect on how we’ve helped people in 2019 and what we can look forward to in 2020.
In the coming year, my goal is to ensure even more families are home for the holidays. That said, I’m also worried about what 2020 will bring for the country as a whole. I keep a close eye on market indicators, and right now, all the signs indicate a correction is coming. It’s not expected to hit families as hard as the 2008 recession did, but any kind of downturn can spell disaster for those living on the edge. Just know that if the worst happens, my firm will be ready to help you weather the storm.
If you or someone you know is spending their holidays worrying about losing their home in the new year, call us at 510-982-3001 for a free consultation. We’re ready to put our experience to work for you.