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Call (916) 436-3776Facing Foreclosure California
How Do I Stop or Handle a Foreclosure in California in 2026?
If you're facing foreclosure in California, you typically have 7 to 10 months from your first missed payment to the trustee sale, with built-in protections along the way. Your options include reinstating the loan (paying what's past due), a loan modification or refinance, a short sale, or, under AB 2424, listing the home to postpone the sale up to 45 days and sell with your equity intact. The key is acting early: once a Notice of Default is recorded, a 90-day clock starts, but you still have real choices.
If you've fallen behind on your mortgage in California, the most important thing to know is this: you have more time and more options than most people realize, and the earlier you act, the more of them stay open. California is a non-judicial foreclosure state with some of the strongest homeowner protections in the country, a required waiting period, a reinstatement right, the Homeowner Bill of Rights, and, since 2025, AB 2424's right to postpone the trustee sale by listing your home. This guide explains the timeline and every option, then links to a guide for your area. If you want to keep the home, Serve First Realty can explain your options, and Ashlar Lending can review a refinance; if selling is smarter, Serve First Realty can list it before the auction.
One family. Whichever path is right for you.
Save the home, or sell it on your terms
Facing default doesn’t always mean losing your home. There are two directions, and Serve First Realty can help you understand both:
- If you want to keep it: Serve First Realty can explain your options, including a loan modification or forbearance with your servicer. If a new loan might help, Ashlar Lending, a separate, affiliated provider, can review whether a refinance is realistic.
- If selling is the better move: Serve First Realty can list the home, and under California’s AB 2424, listing can postpone the trustee sale, giving you time to sell with equity intact rather than lose it at auction.
Serve First Realty is a real estate brokerage, not a lender or law firm. We do not control your lender, servicer, trustee, or any court. We cannot guarantee a loan modification, postponement, cancellation of a sale, loan approval, or any other result. Contacting us, requesting information, or booking an appointment does not stop a foreclosure or extend any deadline. Foreclosure timelines move quickly, so act early to keep the most options open.