What foreclosure means and what you can do

Foreclosure Help

Facing foreclosure is overwhelming. Understanding the process and your options can help you take back a sense of control.

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Foreclosure is the legal process a lender may use when a homeowner has fallen far behind on mortgage payments. It's frightening, but it's not a single moment — it's a process with stages, and at most stages there may still be options to explore. This hub explains what foreclosure means, how it typically unfolds, and what homeowners in each stage often consider.

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Each page answers a specific question and ends with your next step.

Stop Foreclosure

How to Stop Foreclosure: Options That May Help

Stopping foreclosure usually means taking a specific action before a specific deadline: applying for loss mitigation, catching up the past-due amount, or selling the home. There's no single trick — but there are several real paths.

Avoid Foreclosure

How to Avoid Foreclosure: A Step-by-Step Guide

Avoiding foreclosure isn't about one magic move — it's about taking the right steps in the right order, early enough that options are still open. This guide walks through those steps.

Stop the Sale

How to Stop a Foreclosure Sale

Once a foreclosure sale is scheduled, the window is short — but options can still exist. The key is acting immediately and in writing, because some rights expire at the sale itself.

Prevention

Foreclosure Prevention: Options and Steps

Foreclosure prevention is mostly about early action: communicating with your lender, applying for help before deadlines, and making a realistic plan before the process forces one on you.

Pre-Foreclosure

Pre-Foreclosure Help: What This Stage Means

Pre-foreclosure is the period after a default notice but before a foreclosure sale. It's serious, but it's also the stage with the most options still on the table — if you use them.

In Default

Mortgage in Default: What It Means and What to Do

A mortgage in default is a formal legal status — not just a late payment. It triggers the foreclosure timeline, but it also comes with rights and options you should understand immediately.

Foreclosure Started

Foreclosure Has Started: What Happens Next

Foreclosure 'starting' means the legal process is underway — not that it's finished. What happens next follows a timeline set by your state, and at most points along it, options still exist.

Sale Scheduled

Foreclosure Sale Scheduled: What to Do Now

A scheduled foreclosure sale is the final stage before losing the home. The window is short, but specific actions can still stop or replace the sale — if you move immediately.

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