Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/18/2014 -- According to the National Association of Realtors, six out of 10 homeowners wish they had a better understanding of their mortgage terms or details. The Association also notes that six out of every 10 homeowners who are facing foreclosure do not know of the help their mortgage companies may be able to provide. With these facts in mind, David Chang, a partner at Chang and Carlin, LLP (http://www.changandcarlin.com/), announced his legal firm's real estate law services.

"Many people don't realize how helpful it can be to hire a real estate lawyer in Chicago (http://www.changandcarlin.com/real-estate/chicago-real-estate-attorney)," Chang says, "so they try to navigate dangerous legal waters on their own. This often leads to trouble with mortgages and other standard agreements. It's even worse when foreclosure looms. Houses can be lost thanks to a lack of understanding of mortgage terms, help available, and the legal requirements for a foreclosure to be approved by the courts."

"One of the problems we see is the idea that a real estate lawyer only handles big transactions or complex deals," Chang notes. "In reality, most people should hire a lawyer to read and demystify every real estate contract or mortgage before it gets signed. Doing this will save a person from running into unexpected trouble related to their legal agreements."

We then noted that sometimes, ads will appear claiming that people can avoid foreclosure by declaring bankruptcy. Since we were talking to a lawyer, we decided to ask if this is really true. "It's absolutely not true," Chang told us. "What really happens is that, when it comes to foreclosure, a bankruptcy declaration just postpones the inevitable. Collections are temporarily blocked until the case comes up in court, but then, the bank will get the court's okay to proceed with the foreclosure. We address these and other bankruptcy myths in the free ebook that we offer on our site."

This doesn't mean that bankruptcy isn't a solution to anything. Instead, it just means that a filing has some limitations. "To learn even more about bankruptcy filing, someone who is in debt should talk to one of our bankruptcy lawyers in Chicago. If it turns out that a filing is a good idea, our attorneys will handle the entire case. We'll also be sure to let the client know exactly what will be involved with the filing they are considering."

Finally, we noted that many people only hire lawyers if they have encountered some kind of trouble. "This is true," Chang said, "but it's not the best practice. It's usually worth it to have an attorney look over documents before they are ever signed. This way, clients can either move ahead with the deal or renegotiate as appropriate."

About Chang and Carlin, LLP
Chang and Carlin, LLP is a law firm that focuses on real estate law, bankruptcy, foreclosure services, and tax issues. It has served over 10,000 clients through its four offices around Chicago.