Davis-Stirling: Partial Payments Reducing Assessments Must Be Accepted

  The Orange County Appellate Division concludes in Huntington Continental v. JM Trust that the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act compels a homeowner’s association to accept and apply partial payments that reduce delinquent assessments owed, but not any other amounts due such as late fees, interest, attorney fees, and costs. This is true even if an action has been commenced to foreclose the lien since there is nothing in the Act precluding the acceptance of partial payments of delinquent assessments once litigation has commenced. Continue reading

580b Purchase Money Antideficiency Protection Applies to Short Sales

  In a case of first impression, the Fourth Appellate District in Coker v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, holds that the antideficiency protections of Code of Civil Procedure section 580b apply to any loan used to purchase residential real property, commonly referred to as a “purchase money loan,” regardless of the mode of sale. Continue reading

Loan Servicer May Pursue Judicial Foreclosure in Own Name

   In California a secured lender has two foreclosure options if a note is secured by a deed of trust or mortgage: 1) non-judicial foreclosure and 2) judicial foreclosure. The great majority of lenders proceed by non-judicial foreclosure because it is less expensive and relatively quick. However, there are circumstances where a lender might proceed by way of judicial foreclosure such as when the deed of trust does not contain a power of sale, the lender seeks a deficiency judgment, or the lender has been sued by the borrower. Judicial foreclosures are governed by Code of Civil Procedure section 725a et seq. Continue reading