Behind On Your Payments? It Is Not Too Late.

The Next Decision You Make Matters Most

Whatever got you here is already behind you. What matters now is what you do next, and you have more choices than it feels like right now.

Being behind is a situation, not a verdict. People get through this every day, and a lot of them keep their homes.

This page walks through all of it. How much time you likely have, the help that is free, what to ask your lender, and when selling is the right call. You do not need to call anyone to use it.

You Likely Have More Time Than You Think

Missing a payment does not mean you lose your house next week. Under federal rules, your loan servicer generally cannot start the formal foreclosure process until you are more than 120 days behind. There are exceptions, and what happens after that varies a lot from state to state.

You probably have more time than your fear is telling you. But not unlimited time, and every month you wait narrows your options.

The single most useful thing you can do today is open the mail. Letters from your servicer contain dates, deadlines and options. Knowing exactly where you stand is the first step to changing it.

What To Do This Week

None of these steps involve us. Start here.

1. Call a free housing counselor

HUD-approved housing counselors are trained to help people who are behind on their mortgage, and their help is free. They can look at your whole situation and even help you talk to your servicer.

• Find one near you with the CFPB housing counselor search
• Call HUD at 800-569-4287
• Call the HOPE Hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 888-995-4673

2. Call your servicer and ask what help is available

Your servicer is the company you send your payments to. Ask them directly what options they offer. The most common ones:

A repayment plan. What you missed gets spread across your next several payments.

Forbearance. Your payments are paused or lowered for a set period. You still owe that money later, so ask exactly how it gets paid back.

A loan modification. A permanent change to your loan so the payment fits what you can afford.

3. Protect yourself

People who are behind on payments attract a lot of attention, and not all of it is honest. Never pay anyone an upfront fee to save your home. Walk away from anyone who promises they can stop the process for sure. And never sign anything that transfers your house without an attorney looking at it first. That includes anything from us.

If one of these steps keeps you in your home, that is the best outcome. You will hear the same thing from us.

When Selling Is The Right Call

Sometimes the payment cannot be made to work, even with help. When that is true, selling on your own terms is usually far better than waiting for the process to run its course.

When you sell, whatever equity you have built is yours. If the house goes all the way through the process, much of it can be lost.

There are three ways to sell, and you will see all three side by side with real numbers.

1. A Cash Offer

You sell it as it is. No fees, no commission, and closing costs are covered. The goal is an offer within 24 hours, and you close in 10 to 30 days or on the date you pick. It fits when you need a firm date you can count on.

A cash offer comes in below what the house would bring on the open market after months of work and marketing. That is the trade for speed and certainty, and we would rather say it plainly.

2. A Structured Sale

In some situations we can structure a sale that gets you full market value and still closes fast. Not every house qualifies, and we will tell you honestly whether yours does.

3. Listing It With An Agent

Justin is a licensed real estate agent in California. If your property is in California and listing is the better move, we can list it for you at 1%. Outside California we are buyers, not agents. If listing serves you better we will say so and help you hire the right local agent, rather than pretending we can do it ourselves.

Listing can net more when there is enough time for it. Be honest about your timeline, and you will see honestly whether there is.

What Comes Out At Closing

On a cash sale there are no fees, no commission, and we cover the closing costs.

Your mortgage, including the payments you are behind on, is paid off from the sale at closing, along with any lien, back taxes or solar loan, the same as in any sale. Those are not our fees. They are debts already attached to the house.

An independent escrow company, the neutral party that holds the money, pays you what is left after closing, by wire or mailed check, your choice.

We earn your trust either way, so we have no reason to push you toward the wrong path.

Questions People Ask When They Are Behind

Is it too late to sell?

Often not. Many homeowners sell well into the process. It depends on your state and how far along things are, which is why it helps to reach out as early as you can.

Will my lender work with me?

Many will, especially when you reach out early. A housing counselor can help you ask the right questions and understand what you are offered.

What if I owe more than the house is worth?

Then some paths work and some do not. A housing counselor can walk you through what your lender may offer, and you will hear honestly whether any sale option fits.

Does anyone have to know?

This conversation is private. Nothing happens with your lender or anyone else unless you decide to move forward.

How fast can a sale close?

A cash sale closes in 10 to 30 days, or on the date you pick. If you have a deadline, share it up front so the date is set around it before anything is signed.

Will selling affect my taxes?

It can, especially if any debt is forgiven along the way. That is a question for your accountant, and it is worth asking before you sell.