The best solution when facing foreclosure is knowing what your options are. There’s no need for embarrassment or putting it off anymore. It’s time to take control of your financial future and educate yourself on what’s available.

The Partnership for HomeOwnership is urging any homeowner who is concerned about their mortgage, in the process of foreclosure, or who would like to get educated on the options to join us on April 24 at the Illinois Association of REALTORS® headquarters in Springfield (522 S. Fifth Street) for a “Foreclosure Prevention Workshop”—free and open to the public. We will have two educational sessions for homeowners: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. After each session, loan servicers and local housing counselors will be available to assist borrowers to discuss their situation one-on-one or schedule a future appointment. Get details and find a registration form here: www.illinoisrealtor.org/foreclosureprevention

The goal of the event is to bring concerned borrowers to a free foreclosure-prevention workshop where they can meet with appropriate staff from loan servicers, make their case for forbearance or loan modification, begin to clarify and hopefully improve their current situation, and ideally begin a process to avert a foreclosure.

A “Rock the House Blues Bash Concert” fundraiser for the foreclosure workshop takes place Wednesday, April 21 at the Eagles Club at 2700 E. Ash Street in Springfield. The concert features two national blues acts, Tommy Castro and Shannon Curfman, along with three local artists Christan Barnes, Josie Lowder and Mother Road Rockers. Ticket prices are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the concert will start at 5:30 p.m.

If you know anyone who would like to attend the concert or the Foreclosure Prevention Workshop, please send them to www.afamr.org or www.pfho.org to purchase tickets and register for the workshop.

Both events are sponsored by the American Foreclosure and Mortgage Relief Foundation, the Partnership for HomeOwnership, the National Association of REALTORS®, and the Illinois Association of REALTORS®.