What occurs when a lender seeks a court order after a property has been foreclosed?

When a lender seeks a court order after a property has been foreclosed, this is known as a deficiency judgment. This legal action occurs when the sale of the foreclosed property does not cover the total amount owed on the mortgage. For instance, if the property is sold at auction for less than the outstanding mortgage balance, the lender may pursue a deficiency judgment to recover the remaining amount owed by the borrower. This process allows the lender to obtain a court order that requires the borrower to repay the additional amount, effectively making the borrower responsible for any shortfall that remains after the foreclosure sale.

Understanding deficiency judgments is crucial as they provide lenders with a means to mitigate losses while also holding borrowers accountable for their full debt obligations, even after a foreclosure has taken place.