The breach letter (demand letter)
Usually your first formal document, required by most mortgages before acceleration. It states the amount to cure and a deadline, typically 30 days. Paying the stated amount by the deadline stops everything — this letter is genuinely an offer, not just a threat.
Notice of default / the complaint
In non-judicial states, the recorded Notice of Default (NOD) starts the statutory clock; in judicial states, you'll be served a summons and complaint instead. The single most important thing in a judicial state: file an answer. Homeowners who respond typically add months to the timeline and preserve defenses; those who default lose by paperwork.
Lis pendens
Latin for 'suit pending' — a public record notice that litigation affects the property. It doesn't transfer anything and doesn't mean judgment; it's also why you suddenly receive dozens of letters from investors and 'rescue' companies. Vet anyone who contacts you because of it.
Notice of trustee sale / sheriff's sale
This one has a date on it. Depending on state, it arrives 21 days to several months before the auction. Reinstatement, closing a sale, finalizing a modification, or a bankruptcy filing before that date each still change the outcome. Get help immediately at this stage — but know that 'immediately' still usually means weeks of usable time.
Red flags in your mailbox
After any recorded notice, expect solicitations. Warning signs of foreclosure rescue scams: upfront fees, instructions to pay the mortgage to anyone other than your servicer, pressure to sign over your deed 'temporarily', and guarantees to stop the sale. Legitimate help — including ours and HUD counselors at 800-569-4287 — never charges upfront fees or asks for your deed.
Quick answers
What is a lis pendens on my house?
A recorded notice that a lawsuit (usually the foreclosure) affects the property's title. It is not a judgment and does not transfer ownership — but it does start the clock on responding to the underlying suit.
General information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Homeowner Foreclosure Prevention is not a law firm, lender, or government agency. Free HUD-approved counseling: hud.gov/counseling · 800-569-4287.