Homeowners' Move To Foreclose On Banks Begins To Take Hold In Florida

CNNMoney reports:

• Since the housing bubble burst in Florida five years ago, more than 400,000 borrowers have had their homes foreclosed on by their lenders. But for some, it's payback time.
  
  Hundreds of homeowners and condo associations are foreclosing on banks that have failed to pay dues and other expenses on the properties they've repossessed.
  
  When banks foreclose on a home they become responsible for paying fees to the homeowners association -- both any unpaid fees going back as far as 12 months and all expenses going forward.
  
  In many cases, however, banks are failing to pay, leaving these associations short on cash, according to Miami-based attorney Ben Solomon.
  
  But now, homeowners groups are putting liens on the properties until banks pay up and foreclosing on them if they don't.
  
  So far, Solomon's firm has filed more than 1,100 liens against banks on behalf of homeowners and has pursued 131 foreclosures. In more than 90% of the cases, he said, the banks settle by paying the bills.

For more, see Payback time: Florida homeowners foreclosing on banks.