Baxter & Baxter, LLP

Jason Skelton

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:25:36 +0000

Jason Skelton
Heiling Dwyer
Portland Oregon

Today I am writing about a friend and colleague of mine, Jason Skelton. Jason is a top notch personal injury attorney with the Portland, Oregon law firm Heiling Dwyer & Associates. Jason and his firm handle Personal Injury Claims, Vehicle Collisions, Premises Injuries, Product Defects, Worker’s Compensation, Insurance Claims, Wills and Probate, Contracts, Real Estate Sales and Disputes, Corporations and Partnerships, and General Litigation.

One of the great things that Jason brings to his practice is his experience on the other side of the bar. From his website: “For the first years of his legal career he defended insurance companies in personal injury cases and insurance policy disputes. During this time he learned how insurance companies evaluate and defend claims, which helps him advise his clients as he represents them against the insurance companies.”

Jason is also a great cyclist and community activist. I first got to know Jason on the 100 mile Reach the Beach charity ride. A hundred miles on a bike is a lot of time to get to know a guy. Jason and his firm are on the short list of referrals for cases that we don’t handle.

You can contact Jason at:

Heiling Dwyer & Associates
1220 SW Morrison, Suite 820
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 274-0404

http://www.heiling.com/

Baxter & Baxter, LLP Social Media

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:20:35 +0000

Find Baxter & Baxter, LLP on your favorite social media websites by clicking the links below.

Welcome to our Mini-Site!

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:50:25 +0000

Welcome to our mini-website for Portland, Oregon bankruptcy. The attorneys of Baxter & Baxter, LLP, are dedicated advocates for consumers. Baxter & Baxter, LLP, is a Pacific Northwest consumer protection law firm with offices in Oregon and Washington. To visit our firm’s main website, visit www.baxterlaw.com.

The Oregon consumer protection lawyers of the Consumer Litigation Group represent individuals in cases with false credit reports, identity theft cases, unlawful debt collection cases, and consumer fraud cases. The Portland Oregon bankruptcy attorneys, Oregon City bankruptcy attorneys, Hillsboro, Oregon bankruptcy attorneys, and Vancouver Washington bankruptcy lawyers of the Bankruptcy Practice Group represent individuals in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Our mission of committed and zealous consumer advocacy is unrivaled, and our track record of excellence and professionalism is recognized nationwide.

For more information about bankruptcy in Oregon and Washington, click the links below:

“We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for relief under the Bankruptcy Code.”

Eliminating a Second Mortgage Through Bankruptcy

admin — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 01:32:12 +0000

The bursting of the housing bubble in the midst of a flagging economy has caused home values to drop precipitously. Zillow.com reports that national home values have fallen by about 12% in the last year alone. Home values in Portland, Oregon metropolitan area have dropped by about 11% in the last year alone, and some neighborhoods, such as the Pearl District, have dropped over 20% this year. Many of the homes sold in during the housing boom were purchased with an “80/20″ mortgage, that is, a first mortgage for 80% of the purchase price, and a second mortgage for the remaining 20%.

Where the value of the home has fallen below the total outstanding balance of the first mortgage, it is possible in some cases to “strip” the second mortgage in Chapter 13 bankruptcy. A second mortgage may be converted into unsecured debt and could be discharged or classified as non-priority debt in the Chapter 13 plan.

Example 1: The homeowners paid $500,000 for their house in 2006, with a $400,000 first, and a $100,000 second. Since that time, their home has fallen in value to $395,000. These homeowners could strip off the second mortgage, eliminate $100,000 in debt (most likely at a much higher interest rate), and keep their home.

Example 2: The homeowners paid $500,000 for their house in 2006, with a $400,000 first, and a $100,000 second. Since that time, their home has fallen in value to $405,000. These homeowners cannot strip off the second mortgage, because the home value exceeds the first mortgage, and therefore the second mortgage remains secured by the property.

Stripping the second mortgage is not possible in every case. However, even if a homeowner does not qualify for a “strip down” of a second mortgage, they may be able to renegotiate the terms of the second mortgage, which may be at a high or variable interest rate.

Baxter & Baxter, LLP
8835 S.W. Canyon Lane, Suite 130
Portland, Oregon 97225
Telephone (503) 297-9031
Facsimile (503) 291-9172

Baxter & Baxter, LLP
5635 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 300
Hillsboro, Oregon 97124 USA
Telephone (503) 681-9752
Facsimile (503) 291-9172

Baxter & Baxter, LLP
1101 Broadway Street, Suite 213
Vancouver, Washington 98660
Telephone (360) 574-5239
Facsimile (360) 326-1613