GET HELP · THE FIRST 72 HOURS
The first 72 hours
If you are behind, in foreclosure, or facing eviction.
Take it one step at a time. You are not alone, and you have more options than a servicer’s letter suggests. Work down this list in order. The first two steps are the most time-sensitive.
WHICH KIND OF STATE ARE YOU IN
One question changes your timeline more than any other. Does a court have to approve the sale where you live? Find your state’s answer before you rely on any date, including the ones on this page. The legal-aid line below will know it.
NO COURT HEARING
A trustee, a third party named in your loan papers, can sell the home without a judge. Washington is one of these states. Loans like this are usually a deed of trust, and the sale is called a trustee sale. Timelines are short. Start today.
COURT HEARING REQUIRED
The lender files a lawsuit and you are served with court papers. You get a place to answer, and usually more time. Answer by the date printed on the papers. Missing that date can end the case without you.
BOTH KINDS No one can remove you without a court order. If a sale happens, the new owner has to file a separate eviction case, called an unlawful detainer or UD. A sale date is not a move-out date.
WORK DOWN THIS LIST IN ORDER
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Reach the right help for your stage today
Sale date or eviction notice: call legal aid or a foreclosure attorney today; timing can change what is still possible.
Home not sold, trying to keep it: call a HUD-approved housing counselor at 1-800-569-4287 and ask for your state foreclosure-prevention or mediation program.
Housing instability, displacement, or rehousing: call SSVF at 1-877-424-3838 and ask about homelessness prevention or rapid re-housing.
Local food, utilities, rent, and resource discovery: dial 211.
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Gather your documents
- COVID forbearance approval letter
- Every modification offer (rate + new payment)
- All servicer letters & denial notices
- Your original payment & rate
- Any sale-date or eviction notice
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Start a call log
For every call, write the date, who you spoke with, and what they said. Save every letter, email, and voicemail. Your records may be the only running account of what happened, they matter.
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Ask your servicer
- “Have you implemented the VA Partial Claim. What is your ETA?”
- “Is this rate at or below VA’s posted maximum for modifications this week (the Freddie Mac weekly rate plus 0.5%)? Can you offer a lower rate?”
- “Are you pursuing foreclosure at the same time (dual-tracking)?”
Get answers in writing.
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File to create a record
You can file with the CFPB, the VA Inspector General, your State Attorney General, and your member of Congress. Filing builds a record and can prompt casework on your behalf.
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You are not the first
Other veteran families have been through this and triage new arrivals every week. Find the community and the full resource list at veteransforeclosurecrisis.org, and share this page with anyone who needs it.
One thing to remember
A “cash for keys” offer asks you to give up your home, and sometimes your rights, for a payment. Never sign it, or any settlement, before a legal-aid attorney reviews it with you.
NEXT
The full help page, by stage, then build your case for the months after.