Families all over the country and all over the region are struggling with home foreclosures.

24 homes in La Crosse County alone are in the foreclosure process. In Eau Claire County, that number jumps to more than 30.

But experts in our area say all is not lost -- and you can recover.

Losing your home can be hard for people to deal with. Jackie Urban, a credit counselor with Credit Counseling Center of La Crosse, says there are ways to fix the problem

"The first thing is make sure they're doing the inventory. Make sure they're doing the math, making sure their budget is under control."

Urban helps about 500 people a year with credit issues and she says most are dealing with foreclosure.

"It seems the foreclosures are precipitating bankruptcies. They'll come in when they're behind mortgage wise."

Dave Schulz, an economics professor at Viterbo University, says the problem is even affecting new home owners.

"Certainly the foreclosure rate is much higher than it has been in the past. It's the lower and the moderate houses where people are trying to enter into the market is where they're having difficulty moving houses."

Schulz says he's already starting to see some changes in the housing market and thinks it may start to straighten itself out by sometime next year.

"In this area, we have a spring mentality so I think things will be coming back in 2008. I would look for 2009 to see strength back in the real estate market."

But foreclosure isn't just about dollars and cents. Ron Schafer is a psychologist with the Family and Children’s Center of La Crosse. He says someone trying to save their home will go through many different emotions.

"Some people are feeling betrayed by the people who signed them up enthusiastically. I'd warn against the expression of anger toward specific people and to let children know things are going to be okay."

Jackie Urban says owning a home can be a great accomplishment but making sure it's the right house for you is the most important part.

"It's not just the mortgage. It’s ‘Geez we just got in here and the water heater is going to take a dive and go bad.’ So it's just the full picture making sure they can afford the home," she says.

The Credit Counseling Center of La Crosse is a free service provided by the United Way. If you would like to contact Urban or the Counseling Center, here is the number: (608) 784-8380.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, these are the things you should do to avoid foreclosure:
-Don't ignore the problem.
-Contact your lender as soon as you realize you have a problem.
-Open and respond to all mail from your lender.
-Know your mortgage rights.
-Prioritize your spending.
-Use your assets to help save your home.
-Avoid foreclosure prevention companies and don't lose your house to foreclosure recovery scams.

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