Losing a home through mortgage default is one of the most emotionally devastating events that can happen to someone. Our purpose is to fight foreclosure, and we think we have a better way of doing it.

Terradigm Real Estate Consultancy LLC is a local, full service real estate brokerage whose services include helping people who are behind in their mortgage payments with the Mortgage Rescue Café.

More than a half-dozen prevention options ranging from loan modifications to short sales are out there. Any of them can prevent a foreclosure in the right circumstances. We assess owners' circumstances and put together an action plan that works for them.

Traditionally, real estate brokers have been compensated primarily through sales commissions. At Terradigm, our service is fee-based consulting. Whether the work is on loan modifications or short sales, the hourly rates are the same. That's so we can avoid conflicts of interest and offer the advice that works best for the client. Our fee schedule is at www.terradigmrealestate.com and at www.portland-homes-marketplace.com

The first step in the process is a free consultation where we get to know one another and decide if we want to do business. At this point, we may determine that the client can work with her or his lender without our help, and we'll tell what to do and how to do it. Why pay someone to do something you can do yourself?

If that doesn't work, we'll do a needs assessment. Each client has unique circumstances and this part of the process may take some time to get it right. In fact, it should. At the end, though, we'll present the client with the best available options, and he or she can choose their course of action.

If the client chooses to do a short sale and he or she prefers to pay through a sales commission instead of by the hour, that's okay. Terradigm offers a competitive commission structure. If a client has a real estate agent who wishes to use our loss mitigation services, we will bill the agent $2,500 and get paid at closing.

We do not offer legal or accounting advice. If you need it, we'll refer you, or you can use your own professional.

At every step in the process, the client is in charge. We make the information available and the charges transparent, and the client chooses what she wants to do.