Catch up on payments
Pay all past-due amounts, plus allowed costs and fees, usually until 5 business days before the foreclosure sale. Ask now for the full amount and deadline in writing.
Free foreclosure help for all of California
Behind on your house payments? You have more options than you think.
Falling behind can happen to anyone. What matters now is what you do next. The sooner you act, the more choices you have. It costs nothing to find out what they are.
Or call us at 916-436-3776. Se habla español.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Serve First Realty is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender.
Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
You do not have to pay a third party to ask your mortgage lender or servicer for a loan modification or forbearance. You can contact your servicer directly. HUD-approved nonprofit housing counselors also offer free help at 800-569-4287. Our free guides and help directory are available without buying any service.
Time matters. Here is why.
In California, a foreclosure follows set steps. Each step has a deadline. When a deadline passes, some choices go away.
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You miss payments
For many loans, before the first official notice, your mortgage company generally must try to reach you to talk about your choices, and then wait at least 30 days.
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Notice of Default
This is the first official notice. It is recorded with your county. California law generally requires a three-month wait after it is recorded before the sale notice stage, with a small early-recording exception.
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Notice of Trustee Sale
This notice sets a sale date at least 20 days later. The earliest a sale can generally happen is three months and 20 days after the Notice of Default is recorded.
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The sale
Your home can be sold at an auction. You can generally catch up on missed payments until 5 business days before the scheduled sale. Other options have their own rules, and some must be started much earlier.
The bottom line: The earlier you start, the more doors stay open. Many choices, like changing your loan or selling on your own terms, take weeks to set up.
Find out where you are in the process
Foreclosures are going up in California. In the first half of 2026, foreclosure filings rose about 13 percent from the year before. Source: ATTOM mid-year 2026 foreclosure report
Your choices
Every situation is different. Here are the most common ways people keep their home or protect their money.
Change your loan
Ask your lender to change your loan terms and apply early. Approval and a lower payment are not guaranteed, and asking alone does not stop a foreclosure.
Get a new loan
A new loan can replace your current loan if you qualify and it closes before the foreclosure sale. Ashlar Lending, our affiliated company, can check what loans may fit you.
Sell before foreclosure
Selling before the foreclosure sale may help you keep money left after loans and sale costs are paid. Serve First Realty can help, but listing your home or getting an offer does not stop a foreclosure.
Ask for more time
Ask your lender for a payment plan or a short payment pause, called forbearance. Your lender must agree, and a pause does not erase what you owe.
Talk to a lawyer
Bankruptcy may pause a foreclosure, but not in every case, and it does not guarantee you keep your home. Talk to legal aid or a State Bar certified lawyer referral service.
Not sure which choice fits you?
A free call can help you sort it out. You decide what to do.
Or call 916-436-3776. Se habla español.
One team, three kinds of help
Serve First Realty
A licensed California real estate company. We help you sell, do a short sale, or plan your next move.
DRE license 02298264
Ashlar Lending
A licensed mortgage broker. We look for loans that may fit, including refinance options.
NMLS 2699657
Ashlar LDA
A registered legal document assistant. We prepare the documents you choose, at your specific direction. We are not lawyers. We cannot give legal advice, choose forms for you, or recommend a strategy.
Bonded and registered LDA No. 2026109426 and UDA No. 2026134816
Free help near you, in every county
California has free programs for homeowners in all 58 counties. Click the button below, then type your county to see programs near you.
You can also talk to a free housing counselor approved by HUD. Call 800-569-4287.
How to stay safe from scams
People facing foreclosure are often targets for scams. Be careful if someone:
- Asks for money up front to save your home. California generally prohibits charging for help changing your loan before every promised service is fully done, and federal law adds more conditions.
- Asks you to sign over the deed or title to your home.
- Promises they can stop your foreclosure for sure. No one can promise that.
- Rushes you to sign papers you do not understand.
Always check a license. Look up real estate licenses with the California Department of Real Estate and loan licenses at NMLS Consumer Access.
Meet Guillermo Serafin
Guillermo has helped California homeowners since 2004. He lost his sight at 15, and he knows how much it means to have someone in your corner who is honest with you and does not give up.
He is the broker and owner of Serve First Realty. He works with Ashlar Lending and Ashlar LDA so homeowners can get real estate, loan, and paperwork help in one place.
Guillermo is also the author of Breaking Free From Foreclosure. Download his book free on Kindle (opens in a new tab).
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It costs nothing to find out your options
Book a free call. We will listen, explain your choices in plain words, and help you pick a next step. You decide what to do.