by : Thomas Bladecki

Homeowners that are in default on the mortgage payments, are often surprised when they find out the lender is planning to sell their home right out from under them. Many believe that the process is too fast and they do not have any options, other then to let the bank auction the home and sell it for what they can. However, the bank, often times, has had the home scheduled for some time and the homeowner did not realize it. There are ways that you can find out if the lender is trying to sell your home.

If you are trying to find out if the home is for sale by the bank, then chances are good that you are behind in your payments, maybe a month or two, sometimes even more. If you are typically 60 -120 days behind in your payments, chances are that the lender has taken action to foreclosure on your home. Each state has different laws and requirements that dictate what has to happen before the lender can just sell your home. Investigate the laws, and make sure that you understand them as well.

Local attorneys can be very helpful to you as a homeowner; most lenders will hire a local law firm to represent them during the foreclosure process. This means that attorneys in the area will have detailed knowledge of the foreclosure laws in your state and be able to assist you in answering questions or concerns. Once the lender gets the attorney involve you will be getting letters from them to collect on the default mortgage payments, if you do not reply and try to work something out, they will proceed in processing your home for an auction.

You can also contact the county sheriff or recorders department for pending sale information, they will have the date of sale, partied involved in the process and often handle to process of transferring ownership once the property sells. All states handle this differently, but this is generally, what happens in the foreclosure process.

If more time is needed to save your home from foreclosure, try getting the auction date postponed, this may allow you the time needed to get the loan refinanced and stop foreclosure. Several options are available to avoid foreclosure on your home some of them are loan modifications, refinance or even selling your home are all options that will stop a foreclosure and get you back on the right track.

Find out if your home is scheduled for a foreclosure auction by contacting either the lenders attorney, or the sheriffs department they will be able to assist you. Knowing the date the sale is scheduled will give you the time line that you have to work with to stop foreclosure of your home.