Jason was about to lose his house.
Jason was a firefighter. Two jobs. Two kids.
Then in the same month, he lost his dad. His wife lost her mom. Two funerals. Their savings and their checking, gone.
Three months later, they were behind on the mortgage and afraid they were about to lose the house.
They called us.
We sat down with them at their kitchen table, walked through every option on the table, and helped Jason restructure his debt. He is still making the payment. He is still in the house.
That is why this page exists. Something unexpected hits. The math breaks. The letters start coming. And nobody tells you what your options actually are. So I will.
If your trustee sale date is already set, call (844) 991-4359 right now. The conversation is free.
Quick answer: Yes, you can stop a foreclosure in the East Valley. You have 7 real options, and the first one is free: pick up the phone and call your lender today. You can reinstate your loan up to 5:00 PM MST the day before the trustee sale. You can modify the loan. You can sell on your terms. Most of these options stay available at every stage, even the week before auction.
What the bank does not tell you
- You can reinstate your loan up to 5:00 PM MST the day before the trustee sale. Not 30 days before. The day before. Arizona law protects that right.
- Loan modifications work. Servicers do not advertise them. You often have to ask.
- A pre-auction sale protects your credit. If staying is not realistic, selling before the auction avoids a foreclosure on your record and usually lets you walk away with your equity.
- You have leverage under federal rules. Your servicer cannot start foreclosure until you are 120+ days behind, and must offer loss mitigation before proceeding.
You do not have to know all of this. A 30-minute free call walks you through exactly where you stand.
How fast does foreclosure move in the East Valley?
Fast. The entire East Valley sits in Maricopa County.
Your servicer cannot start until you are 120+ days behind. Once they file a Notice of Trustee’s Sale, the sale cannot happen for at least 91 more days. Maricopa County trustee sales run every weekday at 201 W. Jefferson St. in downtown Phoenix. Arizona provides no redemption period after the sale.
First missed payment to auction: 180 to 270 days. Roughly 6 to 9 months. Act now and every option is on the table. Wait 60 more days and some options start disappearing.
Full legal timeline in our Phoenix foreclosure guide and Arizona state guide.
Your 7 real options to stop foreclosure
Stay in your home:
- Contact your lender immediately. Call the number on your mortgage statement, ask for loss mitigation or hardship. This is the first move, every single time. It unlocks reinstatement, forbearance, repayment plans, and modification applications.
- Forbearance. Temporary pause or reduction while you get back on your feet.
- Loan modification. Permanent change to your loan terms (rate, length, principal) so the payment fits your reality. The strongest “stay in the house” tool when income drops.
- Repayment plan. Spread back payments across several months on top of your regular payment.
- Refinance. If you have equity and credit still holds. East Valley values have held up, so equity is often there even when families think it is not.
If staying is not realistic:
- Sell on your terms, before the auction. Better than losing it at auction. You protect your credit, keep your equity, and choose the timeline. Only the right move after we have walked through every option together.
- Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Read this carefully. This is the option I like least, and I want you to know why. Yes, it triggers an automatic stay. What attorneys do not always explain upfront: for 3 to 5 years you pay your regular mortgage PLUS a monthly trustee payment (often hundreds to thousands) to the court. Miss one and the plan can collapse and foreclosure restarts. It stays on your credit 7 to 10 years, longer than a foreclosure. Many families we have helped had already filed Chapter 13 and simply could not keep up with those trustee payments on top of everything else. They ended up back at square one with more credit damage and less time on the clock. Talk to a bankruptcy attorney in Arizona before you sign anything. For most families, the first 6 options are better.
Which option fits your situation?
Three questions decide:
- Do you have equity? If yes, reinstatement, refinance, or pre-auction sale. If no, loan modification, short sale, or deed in lieu.
- Is your income recovering? If yes, modification or forbearance. If no, selling on your terms protects what is left.
- How close is the auction? Under 30 days, reinstatement or a fast pre-auction sale. Over 60, every option is still on the table.
Not sure where you stand? That is what a free 30-minute audit is for.
What NOT to do
- Do not ignore letters. Every unopened envelope is a closer auction date.
- Do not fall for rescue scams. Anyone asking for upfront fees or asking you to sign over your deed is a predator.
- Do not pay a “modification consultant” who charges upfront. HUD counselors do it for free. So do we.
- Do not assume you are out of options. Even the week before auction, real options exist.
Free East Valley foreclosure resources
Free, HUD-approved, no sales pitch. Use them.
- HUD Housing Counseling: (800) 569-4287
- Arizona Foreclosure Prevention Task Force: (877) 448-1211
- Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC): (602) 253-0838, Phoenix metro
- A New Leaf (Mesa): mesa.anewleaf.org
- Tempe Community Action Agency: tempecaa.org
- Town of Gilbert Community Services: gilbertaz.gov
- City of Chandler Neighborhood Resources: chandleraz.gov
- HOPE Hotline: (888) 995-4673
- 211 Arizona: Dial 211
- CFPB: (855) 411-2372
How working with us actually goes
Step 1: Tell us your situation. Call (844) 991-4359 or fill out the form. This is a conversation, not an application.
Step 2: We audit where you actually stand. Timeline, equity, income, lender. You leave the call knowing what is possible.
Step 3: We build your game plan. Modification, reinstatement, sale, or refer you to who can help. Our job is to be the guide. Your job is to be the hero.
FAQ
How long does foreclosure take in the East Valley? Roughly 6 to 9 months from first missed payment to sale. Minimum 91 days from the Notice of Trustee’s Sale to auction, plus the 120+ day pre-filing period.
Can I stop a foreclosure in Chandler, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, or Ahwatukee if the sale date is already set? Yes. Reinstate up to 5:00 PM MST the day before the sale. Modify. Sell before auction. File Chapter 13. Under 30 days out, call us today.
Is Chapter 13 bankruptcy a good way to stop foreclosure? Rarely a good first choice. Trustee payments on top of your mortgage for 3 to 5 years. Stays on credit 7 to 10 years. Ask your attorney what happens if you miss a trustee payment before you file.
Will foreclosure destroy my credit forever? Stays on your credit 7 years and drops your score 100 to 150 points. Most families rebuild within 3 to 5 years. Short sale or deed in lieu cause less damage.
What if I owe more than my house is worth? Short sale, deed in lieu, loan modification, or bankruptcy can all provide relief. Being underwater does not remove your options, it shifts which ones fit.
Do I have to live in one of those specific cities to work with you? No. We help families across the East Valley including Queen Creek, Apache Junction, Fountain Hills, San Tan Valley, and any Maricopa or Pinal County home.
Are you lawyers? No. Not lawyers, not HUD counselors. For legal advice, talk to a licensed attorney in Arizona.
Call (844) 991-4359. The consultation is always free. No pressure. Just a real conversation about where you stand.
Who we help in the East Valley
We work with families across the entire East Valley corridor. If any of these neighborhoods sound like home, you are in our service area:
Chandler: Ocotillo, Sun Groves, Chandler Fashion Center corridor, and the semiconductor corridor. Chandler home values have held strong, so equity is often there even when families are behind. If tech layoffs from Intel, Microchip, or the surrounding fabs are part of your story, you are not alone.
Tempe: ASU campus area, Kiwanis Park, and south toward Guadalupe. Tempe property values are strong near the downtown and ASU corridor. Owner-occupiers and investor-owners of student rentals have both been squeezed.
Mesa: Dobson Ranch, Superstition Springs, and out toward Apache Junction. Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona. Older Mesa homes often carry real equity; newer 2021 to 2022 buys are closer to parity.
Gilbert: Val Vista Lakes, the Heritage District, Power Ranch, and the Spectrum area. Family-oriented, strong schools, home values have held up. Most Gilbert families have more options than they realize.
Ahwatukee: Lakewood, Club West, and the Foothills against South Mountain. Rate resets, insurance jumps, and HOA increases are the three big pressures. Values have held up, so equity is usually on your side.
We also help families in Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Apache Junction, Fountain Hills, and anywhere else in Maricopa or Pinal County.
A note before you keep reading
This page is general information about foreclosure in the East Valley and Maricopa County. It is not legal advice. Before you make a big decision, talk to a HUD-approved housing counselor (free, numbers above), a real estate attorney in Arizona, or someone who has walked families through this before.
When to call us
We are people who understand what it feels like to be overwhelmed and behind. We are not HUD counselors. We are not lawyers. We are regular people who decided to build a team that helps other families the way we wish someone had helped ours.
(844) 991-4359. The consultation is always free.
Written by Caroline Cain, founder of The Home’s Hero. Army National Guard veteran. Grew up in a family that almost lost their home, which is why she built a company that treats every homeowner the way she wished someone had treated her family back then. She and her team have walked hundreds of families across the United States through foreclosure, hardship, job loss, medical bills, and probate. More families kept their homes than sold them, and that is on purpose.
Not legal or financial advice. If you are in one of those moments right now, call (844) 991-4359. The consultation is always free.
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