Boatwright had made payment arrangements with her Florida-based lender on a North Philadelphia property she bought in 1991 for $3,100 and used to shelter homeless people rent-free. Unable to pay a lawyer, she spent hours studying at the law library at Eighth and Chestnut Streets and managed to get the house back, racking up $38 in legal costs. Too often, people who are behind in bill payments avoid opening late notices from their credit card companies, the bank, their mortgage lender or the utility company, or refuse to answer the phone. Almost 20 percent of men ages 18 to 34 didn’t know what a foreclosure is, according to the survey’s results, and nearly 20 percent of singles didn’t either. More than 50 percent would consider purchasing a foreclosed home, but 70 percent believe there are negative aspects to buying one, citing hidden costs, the home’s losing value, or simply that buying one was a risk. By the way, after Boatwright and Engle finally got the property back and the mortgage mess fixed, Boatwright’s lender informed her that her house was headed for sheriff’s sale. read more