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By Caroline Cain, founder of The Home’s Hero. I’m an Army veteran who is tired of watching big banks and predatory investors take advantage of regular families.
Quick answer: Yes, you can stop a foreclosure in Los Angeles. California uses a nonjudicial foreclosure process, but it gives you more time and stronger protections than almost any other state. After a Notice of Default, the bank has to wait at least 90 days before they can file a Notice of Sale. After the Notice of Sale, at least 20 more days before the auction. You can reinstate your loan up to 5 business days before the sale. California also prohibits dual tracking, meaning the bank cannot foreclose while reviewing your loss mitigation application. And a new law (AB 2424) can give you an extra 45 to 90 days if you list the property. You have options at every stage.
If you are reading this from somewhere in Los Angeles right now, maybe in the Valley or the Westside or out near Pomona or Long Beach, staring at a Notice of Default that just showed up in the mail… breathe.
You are not the first family in LA County to be right where you are. In January 2026 alone, Los Angeles reported 781 new foreclosure filings, making it one of the top five metro areas nationally for foreclosure activity. There are over 380 upcoming trustee sales listed in LA County right now. Insurance premiums in California have jumped roughly 70% since 2019. Property taxes keep climbing. And if your rate just reset to the full payment amount, you might be staring at a bill that is hundreds of dollars higher than what you signed up for.
You are not alone. And California actually gives you more protections than most states in the country.
We work with Los Angeles families regularly. We understand the California timeline. We know about the dual tracking protection. We know about AB 2424. And we know that most families just need one person to explain their options without trying to sell them something.
If your sale date is already on the calendar, call (844) 991-4359 right now. Today. We pick up the phone, we tell you the truth, and the conversation costs you nothing.
A quick note from Caroline.
Hi, I am Caroline. My family almost lost our home. I know what it feels like to sit at a kitchen table and stare at a stack of bills that adds up to more than the paycheck. I know the shame. I know the fear. And I know that feeling of not even knowing what questions to ask.
Here is the part most people do not expect about us. We have helped more families stay in their home than we have ever helped them sell. That is the whole point. If we can find a way for you to keep your house, that is what we fight for. If selling turns out to be the best move for your family, we make it simple and fair.
A note before you keep reading
This page is general information about foreclosure in Los Angeles and LA County. It is not legal advice for your specific situation. Your loan type, your lender, and your specific circumstances can all affect your options. Before you make a big decision, talk to a HUD-approved housing counselor (free, number below), a real estate attorney in California, or someone who has actually walked families through this before. That is what we do every day.
How does foreclosure work in Los Angeles?
Think of it like a hallway with several doors. The bank is at one end. The auction is at the other. Every door you pass is a chance to step out. A loan modification is a door. A repayment plan is a door. Selling on your terms is a door. Bankruptcy is the door at the very back.
California’s hallway is longer than most states, and California law gives you more doors than almost anywhere else.
Here is the short version. For the full legal breakdown with every timeline detail and every California-specific protection, read our complete California foreclosure guide.
The timeline in plain language:
Your servicer cannot start the process until you are 120+ days behind (federal law). Before recording a Notice of Default, California law requires your servicer to contact you personally and discuss options. Then there is a mandatory 90-day waiting period after the Notice of Default before a Notice of Sale can be filed. After the Notice of Sale, at least 20 more days before the auction. Minimum total from Notice of Default to sale: about 110 days. In practice, most LA County foreclosures take 4 to 6 months, and many take longer.
Two protections that change everything for LA families:
No dual tracking. If you submit a complete loss mitigation application (like a loan modification), the bank has to pause the foreclosure until they give you an answer. This is huge. Many homeowners do not know about this.
AB 2424. If you submit a valid MLS listing agreement before the trustee sale, the sale must be postponed for 45 days. If you then present a purchase agreement, you can get up to 90 extra days total. California is literally giving you time to sell on your terms instead of losing the house at auction.
For the full step-by-step legal timeline: How to Stop Foreclosure in California: Your Complete 2026 Guide.
What are my real options to stop foreclosure in Los Angeles?
You have more options than you think. Here they are, from “I want to stay in my home” to “I need to sell.”
Option 1: Catch up on what you owe (reinstatement)
If you can come up with the total amount you are behind, including late fees and legal costs, you stop the foreclosure in one payment. In California, you can do this up to 5 business days before the sale date.
Who this works for: Families who hit a temporary rough patch and now have the income or savings to get current.
Option 2: Ask your bank to pause payments (forbearance)
A forbearance temporarily reduces or pauses your mortgage payments. Built for temporary hardships like a job loss or medical emergency.
How to ask: Call your servicer’s loss mitigation department. Not collections. Loss mitigation. Tell them you are experiencing a hardship. If that phone call feels impossible, call us at (844) 991-4359 and we will help you figure out what to say.
We have a full guide on forbearance vs. loan modification vs. refinancing if you want to compare options.
Option 3: Change your loan terms (loan modification)
A loan modification permanently changes the terms of your mortgage to make the payment affordable. Lower rate, longer term, or missed payments added to the end.
Remember the dual tracking protection. In California, your lender cannot move forward with the foreclosure while your loss mitigation application is being reviewed. Submit your application as early as possible. The earlier you apply, the more leverage you have.
Option 4: Spread out the back payments (repayment plan)
Instead of one big lump sum, your servicer agrees to let you pay a little extra each month until you are caught up.
Who this works for: Families who have income now but cannot come up with a large payment all at once.
Option 5: Refinance
If you have equity and your credit is still in reasonable shape, refinancing might work. Los Angeles home values, even with recent plateaus, have left many families sitting on more equity than they realize.
The honest truth: Refinancing is harder once you are behind. But in a market like LA where homes have appreciated significantly, it is absolutely worth a conversation with a mortgage broker or HUD counselor.
Option 6: Sell your home on your terms
If staying is not the best path, selling before the auction lets you protect your credit and walk away with your equity instead of watching it disappear at auction. And with AB 2424, California gives you extra time to sell if you put the home on the market with a legitimate listing agreement.
When you sell on your terms, you control the timeline, and some families need to move fast while others need 90 days to find their next place. We work around your life, not ours. But selling is only one option, and we do not start there. We start by figuring out the full picture together.
The part that matters: Selling to us is never our first recommendation. If there is a way for you to keep the house, that is what we fight for first. If selling is the right move, we make it simple, fair, and stress-free. We have over 170 five-star Google reviews because we are straight with people.
A family we worked with in California walked away with over $400,000 in their pocket because they picked up the phone instead of freezing. Your numbers will be different. But the principle is the same. The families who act are the families who win.
Option 7: File Chapter 13 bankruptcy
Filing Chapter 13 triggers an automatic stay that halts the foreclosure. It can let you catch up on missed payments through a court-approved plan over 3 to 5 years.
But here is what we have seen firsthand. We have watched more families get hurt by Chapter 13 than helped by it. The 7-year credit hit is real. The payment plan is brutal. Most families cannot keep up with it long-term.
Bankruptcy should be the last door, not the first one you open. Talk to a licensed bankruptcy attorney in California.
Free Los Angeles foreclosure resources
You do not have to figure this out alone. These are real, local resources.
HUD-Approved Housing Counseling: Free, government-funded. Call (800) 569-4287 or visit hud.gov to find a counselor in Los Angeles.
LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA): Partners with Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County (NHSLA) for free foreclosure prevention counseling. Services include one-on-one counseling, loan modification assistance, and financial coaching. Eligible homeowners may qualify for up to $30,000 in assistance for missed payments.
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA): (800) 399-4529. Free legal services for low-income LA residents, including foreclosure cases.
California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA): (916) 326-8800. Visit calhfa.ca.gov for state housing assistance programs.
Keep Your Home California: The state-run foreclosure prevention program. Check keepyourhomecalifornia.org for current resources and eligibility.
HOPE Hotline: (888) 995-4673. Free 24/7 counseling from HUD-certified counselors.
California Attorney General: (800) 952-5225. If you think your lender is violating California foreclosure law (like dual tracking when they should not be), file a complaint.
211 LA: Dial 211 or text 898211. Available 24/7 for phone, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for text. Connects you to local help with utilities, food, rent assistance, and other needs that free up cash for your mortgage.
LIHEAP: Can help cover utility bills if energy costs are eating into your mortgage money. Apply through your local Community Action Agency.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): (855) 411-2372. If your servicer is not following the rules.
How working with us actually goes
We are not here to convince you to sell. We are here to help you figure out the right move.
Step 1: Tell us your situation. Call (844) 991-4359 or fill out the form on our website. Tell us what is going on. Where you are in the process. What you have tried. What you are worried about. We listen.
Step 2: We build your game plan together. Based on your situation, we walk you through every real option. If a loan modification makes sense, we tell you. If a forbearance could work, we tell you. If selling is the best path, we tell you that too. And if the right answer has nothing to do with us, we tell you that too.
Step 3: You move into your next chapter. Whether you keep the house or sell it, you move forward with clarity, with a plan, and with cash in your pocket if you sell. No foreclosure on your credit. No auction. No scramble.
What happens if you do nothing?
We have to be straight about this.
If you ignore the letters. If you do not call the bank. If you do not call a counselor or a buyer or anyone… the process keeps moving forward.
The Notice of Default gets recorded. The 90 days pass. The Notice of Sale goes up. The auction happens. Someone else owns your home. They give you 3 days to leave.
You walk away with a foreclosure on your credit for 7 years. In a rental market like Los Angeles, where a decent apartment can cost $2,500 a month or more, that credit hit makes everything harder. Future landlords see it. Future lenders see it. And the worst part? Many LA families had significant equity they could have walked away with if they had just made one phone call.
The loss is not the house. The loss is letting someone else take it when you had options.
What happens if you act?
You call someone today. A HUD counselor, a lawyer, us, anyone.
Within a few days, you know where you actually stand. You know how much you owe. You know what programs exist. You know whether staying is realistic or whether selling makes more sense.
If you stay, you have a plan and a counselor in your corner. If you sell, you close on your timeline, walk away with your equity, and start fresh without a foreclosure on your record.
The families who pick up the phone are the families who win. Every single time.
Why we built The Homes Hero
We built this company because we watched too many good families lose their homes for bad reasons. We work with Los Angeles families regularly. We understand the California timeline. We know about AB 2424. We know how dual tracking works. And we know that most families just need one person to explain their options without trying to sell them something.
FAQ
How long does foreclosure take in Los Angeles?
Most LA County foreclosures take 4 to 6 months from the Notice of Default to the trustee sale. The minimum is about 110 days (90-day waiting period plus 20-day notice period). With dual tracking protections, loss mitigation reviews, and AB 2424 postponements, it can take much longer. Read our full California foreclosure timeline.
Can I stop a foreclosure in LA if the sale date is already set?
Yes. You can reinstate your loan up to 5 business days before the sale. You can submit a loss mitigation application (and the bank must pause while reviewing it). You can file an MLS listing under AB 2424 to postpone the sale by 45 days. You can sell the home. Or you can file Chapter 13 bankruptcy to trigger an automatic stay.
What is dual tracking and why does it matter in LA?
Dual tracking is when a lender moves forward with foreclosure while also reviewing your loan modification application. California law prohibits this. If you submit a complete loss mitigation application, the bank has to stop the foreclosure process until they give you an answer. This is one of the strongest homeowner protections in the country.
What is AB 2424?
AB 2424 is a California law passed in 2024 that lets homeowners with 1 to 4 unit properties postpone a trustee sale by submitting a valid MLS listing agreement. You get a 45-day delay, and if you present a purchase agreement during that time, you can get up to 90 extra days total.
Is there free foreclosure help in Los Angeles?
Yes. HUD-approved housing counselors are free. Call (800) 569-4287. You can also call the HOPE Hotline at (888) 995-4673 for 24/7 help, LA County DCBA for foreclosure counseling (eligible homeowners may qualify for up to $30,000 in assistance), or Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles at (800) 399-4529 for free legal help.
Will I owe money after the foreclosure in California?
For most purchase-money loans on owner-occupied homes, the lender cannot pursue a deficiency judgment after a nonjudicial foreclosure in California. But this depends on your loan type. Talk to a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Are you lawyers?
No. We are not lawyers, and we are not HUD counselors. We are a team of real people who have helped hundreds of families navigate foreclosure, job loss, and financial hardship. We can help you understand your options, connect you with the right resources, and, if selling is the right move, make the process fast and fair. For legal advice specific to your situation, please talk to a licensed attorney in California.
What if selling is my best option?
If we sit down together and selling makes the most sense for your situation, we handle everything. No repairs, no agent commissions, no fees, and you pick the timeline. But we only get there after we have walked through every other option first. Selling is never the first conversation.
What if I am not sure whether to sell or try to keep the house?
Call us anyway. That is literally what the free consultation is for. We will walk you through your situation, help you understand what is realistic, and give you our honest opinion. If the right move is a loan modification, we will tell you that. We have no interest in buying a home from someone who can keep it.
Call (844) 991-4359. The consultation is always free. No pressure. No pitch. Just a real conversation about what your options look like in Los Angeles right now.
When to call us
We are people who have been in the same situation before. We understand what it is like to go through this and feel completely overwhelmed by it. We are here to help you find a path forward. Some families we help keep the house. Some families we help sell on their terms and walk away with money instead of a foreclosure on their credit. Either way, the family wins.
What we are NOT: We are not HUD counselors. We are not lawyers. We are just regular people who understand what it feels like to be overwhelmed and get behind, and who decided to build a team that helps other families through it.
If you want a real human in your corner, call us. (844) 991-4359. The consultation is always free. No pressure. No pitch. Just an honest conversation about what your real options look like.
Written by Caroline Cain, founder of The Homes Hero. Caroline served six years in the Army National Guard as a light-wheeled mechanic, which is a fancy way of saying she fixed trucks for a living. She 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 is just an average American who got tired of watching big banks and predatory investors take advantage of regular families and decided to do something about it.
Here is the part most people do not expect. Caroline and her team have helped more families stay in their home than they have ever helped them sell. That is not an accident. That is the whole point. We are a help-first team that helps families sell when selling is the best answer, and fights to keep them in the house when staying is the best answer. The order matters.
Together, Caroline and her team have walked hundreds of families across the United States through foreclosure, hardship, job loss, medical bills, probate, and every other reason a good family can end up in a scary season. Sometimes that means negotiating with the bank so they can stay. Sometimes that means selling fast on their terms so they walk away with money in their pocket instead of a foreclosure on their credit. Either way, the family wins.
This is not legal or financial advice. It is what we have learned from actually sitting across the table from families in crisis. If you are in one of those moments right now, call us at (844) 991-4359. The consultation is always free.