Florida Realtors Reveal Face of Foreclosure

Across Florida, people are struggling to deal with some of the aftershocks caused by the current economy, including the state’s alarming rise in foreclosed homes.
To gain a better understanding of foreclosure, the people who are affected by it, and the impact it has on their lives, the ""Florida Association of Realtors"":http://www.floridarealtors.org (FAR) has initiated """"The Face of Foreclosure"":http://www.floridafaceofforeclosure.com,"" a project aimed at gathering as much meaningful information as possible on Florida’s foreclosure crisis.
According to FAR President Cynthia Shelton, Florida Realtors are launching the Face of Foreclosure ""Web site"":http://www.floridafaceofforeclosure.com to better define the true face of foreclosure in the Sunshine State. ""Our goal is to ask consumers - especially those who have personally experienced foreclosure - to visit the Web site and take a survey to help us compile this vitally needed research,"" Shelton said.
She continued, ""We are discovering that in most cases, many victims of foreclosure believe they were never more than a loan number or a case number. They have a story to tell - a story that we all need to hear. Through this Web site, Florida Realtors are asking the questions that will reveal these personal experiences of foreclosure.""
FAR recently received a $97,000 grant from the ""National Association of Realtors"":http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/foreclosure_preventionxwt.mc_id=rd0025 to assist with foreclosure prevention and promote foreclosure prevention awareness. With the funds, FAR purchased statewide radio announcements to educate consumers about foreclosure prevention resources and will continue to provide educational materials and support efforts aimed at foreclosure prevention.
In conjunction with these efforts, FAR has undertaken a research project that the organization says will foster a more thorough understanding of foreclosure trends throughout the state of Florida.
John Sebree, FAR's VP of public policy, explained, ""As part of this project, we are currently examining the past three years of Florida foreclosure data from numerous sources, which we expect will shed light on some of the reasons for disparities in foreclosure information reported in the media.""
Through the Face of Foreclosure ""Web site"":http://www.floridafaceofforeclosure.com, FAR also hopes to collect quality, factual survey data regarding foreclosure victims and the circumstances surrounding their experience, Sebree added.
""All of this information will provide the building blocks for strong advocacy and ultimately, good public policy as it relates to the housing market in all its facets,"" Sebree said. ""Along with further research, this data will help us find solutions as we seek to better understand foreclosures in Florida.""