I will first assume that neither Chapter 7 cases are “involuntary” filings. I will assume that there were two voluntary Chapter 7 petitions filed, one by an entity and the other by an individual. I will further assume that all real property (except maybe, the individual’s residence) is titled to the entity. Lastly, I will assume there are mortgages (liens) against all 60 properties in varying amounts and with various lenders, one of whom is the OP. Even if my assumptions are not correct, the below would apply except, maybe in the case of a yet to be adjudicated Involuntary Chapter 7.
1. Issuing a Notice of Default to either an entity or an individual who is in bankruptcy without first obtaining an Order lifting the stay is a violation of the stay and could result in the imposition of sanctions.
2. If these really are Chapter 7 cases, the Trustee is now the “owner” of each property and each property is an asset of the bankruptcy estate. The Trustee will decide what to do with the properties. He/she will either market and sell them or, if he/she determines that there is insufficient equity in one or more properties, he/she will take steps to abandon those that have no value to the bankruptcy estate.
3. If a lienholder wishes to try to foreclose on a property, he/she/it will need to get the automatic stay lifted. Until the stay is lifted, the lienholder can do nothing but wait - but, when told to do so, the lienholder should file a proper secured Proof of Claim.
OP - you need to discuss your situation with a qualified bk attny in your area. Searching for answers off the Internet is not a smart move.
Des.
thanks, i do not think your assumptions are correct. but you did describe what is going on. i thought i would try to explain the situation more clearly, in case it makes a difference.
the company is a loan broker. i am a lender on one of the 60 or so properties. about a half dozen entities filed a suit against the company. i think these are unsecured investors.
there is only one bankruptcy. but i think it is involuntary, in the sense that it is not the company claiming bankruptcy. it is a bunch of angry investors who have hired attorneys. and the company is being forced into these bankruptcy proceedings.
most of these properties are secured, in that they have a registered title. i am secured, and am not really in any danger, as far as equity goes. there is a 2nd behind me though, who is in danger.
i may eventually need to hire a bankruptcy lawyer to get an RFS. i have had 3 experiences in the past with bankruptcy cases. it has been my experience that a judge looks almost exclusively at the equity a lender has, in determining whether to grant the relief. this bk is only just in the starting phase. few judges would grant me the order, at this point, cuz i have plenty of equity. a couple months into the bankruptcy may make a difference. i know some can drag out for years. i want to wait a couple of months to see where everything lays. and then i may hire a bk lawyer, if i think it is worth it.
some times in life the best thing is to do nothing. and that is where i am at, at the moment. i want to give it some time, see what else develops, what new info i learn, etc. i have the luxury of doing this, because i invest in high quality properties with lots of equity dollars in them, and a lower interest rate. but it allows me to sleep at night without worrying about stuff.
thanks for all the replies. the interesting thing in my case that i think will cause you guys to make some comments is the 2nd trust deed holder behind me. it is one of the entities that is being sued. i have found out that one of the principals is the manager or director of the LLC. but i do not know anything about the beneficiaries of the LLC.
my thought is that if they are being sued, it may be that the trustee figures he only has to worry about my lien. and in that case, he should be able to pay us off, and be able to make some money by selling it for his clients. i sent an email to the trustee's lawyer today, letting her know about the situation from our standpoint. my loan has what is called a default interest rate. which is the rate that gets charged should the borrower default on the note. it is 11%. so i explained to the lawyer that our property keeps getting more expensive each day. i wont settle for anything less than a full credit bid, as there is absolutely no reason to do so.