Can I Sell A Home In Pre-Foreclosure?

Foreclosure is a scary word, especially if crushing mortgage payments after an accident, illness, divorce, or another tragedy have rocked you and left your finances unstable. If you’re worried about being able to pay your mortgage and the possibility of foreclosure, here’s what you need to know about selling a home in pre-foreclosure and how to sell your house before the foreclosure happens.

Can I sell a home in pre-foreclosure?

Yes! If you’re facing foreclosure, you have the opportunity to sell your home up until the home is sold at auction in a Sheriff’s Sale by the mortgage lender. 

A home will be foreclosed upon when a mortgage lender exercises its right to sell a property which the owner has not kept up payments on. The lender gives the homeowner a period of time to make payments or other arrangements before selling the property.

The lender will then auction the property in a Sheriff’s Sale. The notice of the Sheriff’s Sale must be published for four weeks before the auction, during which time the homeowner can sell the property, refinance the property, make all outstanding payments on the property, negotiate a loan modification with the lender, or file bankruptcy.

When is it too late to sell my home during the foreclosure process?

After a foreclosed home is sold by the mortgage lender at auction, the homeowner has a redemption period (typically between six months and a year) to pay the lender in full to retain ownership of the home. So, after the Sheriff’s Sale, unless you pay the mortgage lender all that you owe them, you no longer own the home, and you can’t sell it.

How can I sell my home

pre-foreclosure?

When you’re facing a foreclosure, you have a couple of options for selling your home. You can go the traditional route, listing your home for sale and possibly hiring a realtor. While this is the best way to get the full market value for your home, it can take months, even years, to sell a home this way, and in a pre-foreclosure scenario, you don’t have that time. There are only a few weeks of notice before the Sheriff’s Sale and a year or less of a redemption period, which would make it hard to sell the house on the traditional market, through a realtor.

However, there are selling options that are quick, easy, and relatively painless—selling for cash to a development company. These companies buy homes that they see great potential in—whether for renovation, the neighborhood, etc.—quickly, for cash.  

If your home is facing foreclosure, the Hometown Development team can help. We purchase properties in cash and can close on a sale in as little as 5 days. To avoid foreclosure, and move on with your life quickly, give us a call at 616-379-3090 or contact us online today.