Foreclosure Help in Sacramento: A Complete
Guide for Homeowners

Q: Can I sell my house if I've already received a Notice of Default?

Yes. You can sell your house at any point before the trustee's sale. In fact, selling during the NOD period is one of the most common ways homeowners in Sacramento avoid foreclosure. Cash buyers can close within the 90-day NOD window.

Q: How long does foreclosure take in California?

The minimum is about 120 days from the first missed payment to auction, but most cases take 150-200 days. The NOD gives you 90 days, plus at least 21 days after the Notice of Trustee's Sale.

Q: What's the difference between pre-foreclosure and foreclosure?

Pre-foreclosure is the period after you've missed payments but before the lender files a Notice of Default. During pre-foreclosure, you have the most options and the least pressure. Once the NOD is filed, you're officially in foreclosure.

Q: Will foreclosure affect my ability to buy a house later?

Yes. After a foreclosure, you'll typically wait 3 years for an FHA loan, 4 years for a VA loan, or 7 years for a conventional mortgage. A clean sale before foreclosure avoids these waiting periods entirely.

Q: How fast can I get a cash offer on my house?

We typically evaluate a property within 48 hours and present a cash offer shortly after. If you accept, we can close in as few as 7-14 days — sometimes faster if your auction date is imminent.

Q: What if I owe more than my house is worth?

You may qualify for a short sale, where your lender agrees to accept less than the full balance. This requires lender approval and takes longer than a standard sale. We can walk you through whether this makes sense for your situation.

Q: Does filing bankruptcy stop foreclosure?

Filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy triggers an "automatic stay" that temporarily halts foreclosure proceedings. This gives you time to catch up on payments through a 3-5 year repayment plan. However, bankruptcy has its own serious credit implications and should be discussed with a bankruptcy attorney.

If you've received a Notice of Default or you're behind on mortgage payments, you're not in this alone. Over the past 8 years, we've helped Sacramento homeowners in every stage of foreclosure — from the first missed payment to days before the auction — find a way out that protects their credit and puts cash in their hands.

This page walks you through how foreclosure works in California, what your options are at each stage, and how to decide which path is right for your situation. We've also linked to our in-depth guides on each topic so you can dig deeper wherever you need to.

Table of Content

How Foreclosure Works in California (Timeline)

Your Options at Each Stage

Selling Your House Before Foreclosure

How Foreclosure Impacts Your Credit & Future

California Programs That Can Help

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Do Right Now

How Foreclosure Works in California

California uses a non-judicial foreclosure process, which means your lender doesn't need to go through court to foreclose. That makes the timeline faster than states that require judicial approval — and it means you need to move quickly once the process starts.
Here's the timeline Sacramento homeowners are up against:

Here’s the timeline Sacramento homeowners are up against:

Missed payments
(Day 1-90)

After you miss your first mortgage payment, your lender will contact you to discuss options. Most lenders wait until you're 90 days behind before taking formal action. This is actually your best window to negotiate — lenders lose money on foreclosures and most prefer to work something out.

Notice of Default / NOD
(Day 90+)

Once you're 90+ days behind, your lender files a Notice of Default with the county recorder. This is the official start of foreclosure in California. You'll receive a copy by mail. From this point, you have 90 days to bring your loan current or find an alternative. Read our full guide on California Notices of Default

Notice of Trustee’s Sale
(Day 180+)

If you haven't resolved the default after 90 days, your lender records a Notice of Trustee's Sale. This sets a public auction date at least 21 days in the future. At this point your options narrow, but you can still sell the property right up until the day before the auction.

Trustee’s Sale / Auction
(Day 200+)

Your home is sold to the highest bidder at public auction. If no one bids enough, the lender takes ownership and it becomes an REO (Real Estate Owned) property

The full process typically takes 120-200 days from your first missed payment to the auction. But every day you wait, you have fewer options. See our detailed breakdown of each stage

Your Options at Each Stage

What you can do depends on where you are in the process. Here are your options, organized by timing

1

If you’re behind on payments but haven’t received a Notice of Default

You have the most flexibility here. You can negotiate a loan modification with your lender to reduce your monthly payments or extend the loan term. You can apply for forbearance, which pauses or reduces payments temporarily. You can also refinance if you have enough equity. And if you've decided you want out entirely, you can list the property or sell to a cash buyer without any foreclosure showing on your record. What to do when you're behind on mortgage payments in Sacramento

2

If you’ve received a Notice of Default (NOD)

You still have 90 days. During this period you can pay the full amount owed to stop the process (called "reinstatement"). You can negotiate a short sale with your lender if you owe more than the house is worth. You can sell to a cash buyer who can close before the 90-day window expires. Or you can file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which triggers an automatic stay that temporarily halts foreclosure. How to stop the foreclosure process

3

If a Trustee’s Sale has been scheduled

Time is tight, but you're not out of options. Cash buyers like us can close in as few as 7-14 days — often before the auction date. You can also pursue a last-minute loan modification or file for bankruptcy protection. The key is that you absolutely cannot wait any longer to act. Can I sell my Sacramento house while in foreclosure?

For a broader look at all the strategies available to you: 10 Strategies to Avoid Foreclosure in Sacramento

Selling Your House to Avoid Foreclosure

For many Sacramento homeowners we work with, selling is ultimately the best option. Not because there's anything wrong with trying to keep the home — but because foreclosure does lasting damage to your credit score (300-160 point drop that stays for 7 years) and a clean sale avoids that entirely.

Here's what selling before foreclosure looks like in practice:

Traditional listing with a realtor: If you have 4-6 months before the auction, listing on the market may net you the highest price. The downside is that traditional sales take time — Sacramento's average is 47 days to get an offer plus 43 days to close. If your foreclosure timeline is shorter than that, this path won't work.

Selling to a cash buyer: Cash buyers (like Bridgehaven Homes) can close in 7-14 days because there's no bank financing, no appraisal contingency, and no waiting for buyer approval. Your offer will be below full market value — that's the tradeoff for speed and certainty. But for many homeowners facing an imminent auction, the alternative is losing the house entirely and taking the full credit hit.

Short sale: If you owe more than your house is worth, a short sale means your lender agrees to accept less than what's owed. This requires lender approval, which can take 2-4 months. It will still impact your credit, but less severely than a foreclosure. Traditional sales vs. short sales vs. foreclosures compared

Pick the path that fits your timeline:

"I have 4-6 months" → Learn if listing is right for you

"I need to sell now" → Get a fair cash offer in 48 hours

How Foreclosure Impacts Your Credit & Future

We won't sugarcoat it — a foreclosure stays on your credit report for 7 years. Most homeowners see a 100-160 point drop in their credit score. That affects your ability to get a new mortgage (typically a 3-7 year waiting period), car loans, credit cards, and even rental applications.

A clean sale before foreclosure, by contrast, shows up as a standard property sale on your credit report. No foreclosure notation. No deficiency judgment risk. No 7-year shadow.

That's the real math most homeowners need to run: The difference between what a cash buyer offers you and what you'd get at auction is often far less than the financial cost of carrying a foreclosure on your credit for 7 years. The full impact of foreclosure on your finances and credit

California Programs That Can Help

1. California Mortgage Relief Program:
By educating yourself, you gain the knowledge Launched in 2021, this program provides up to $80,000 in grants to eligible homeowners who fell behind on mortgage payments due to financial hardship. The money doesn't need to be repaid. It can cover past-due mortgage payments, property taxes, and even reverse mortgage arrearages. Check eligibility at camortgagerelief.org.

2. California Homeowner Bill of Rights:
This law protects you from dual-tracking (where a lender forecloses while simultaneously reviewing your loan modification application). It also requires lenders to provide a single point of contact and gives you the right to dispute errors in your loan records.

3. HUD-Approved Housing Counseling:
Free foreclosure counseling is available through HUD-approved agencies in Sacramento. These counselors can negotiate directly with your lender on your behalf and help you understand all your options. Call 1-800-569-4287 for a referral.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell my house if I've already received a Notice of Default?

How long does foreclosure take in California?

What's the difference between pre-foreclosure and foreclosure?

Will foreclosure affect my ability to buy a house later?

How fast can I get a cash offer on my house?

What if I owe more than my house is worth?

Does filing bankruptcy stop foreclosure?

What to Do Right Now

If you're reading this page, you're already ahead of most homeowners in your situation. Most people wait too long because facing foreclosure feels overwhelming. The single most important thing you can do is take one step today.

Option A

Get a free cash offer. No commitment, no pressure. Tell us about your property and your situation, and we'll give you a fair cash offer within 48 hours. If it works for you, we can close on your timeline. If not, you'll at least know what your options look like. (916) 414-9997

Option B

Option B: Learn more first. Browse our foreclosure guides below to understand the process and your options better. Knowledge is the best defense against making a rushed decision.