First, Find Out Exactly Where You Are in the Process
Before deciding on a next step, gather this information. Having it in front of you makes every other conversation — with your servicer, a counselor, or an attorney — faster.
- The name and phone number of your mortgage servicer
- The total past-due amount
- A notice of default or intent to accelerate
- A notice of foreclosure sale
- The scheduled sale date
- The trustee or law firm handling the foreclosure
- Any second mortgages, tax liens, or HOA liens
- Whether you previously submitted a loss-mitigation application
- Whether the lender confirmed a postponement in writing
How the Texas Foreclosure Timeline Usually Works
This is the typical process, not an exact countdown — timing varies by loan type and servicer.
You Miss One or More Payments
The servicer may charge late fees, report missed payments, and begin contacting you about the delinquency.
Contacting the servicer early normally gives you more time to submit documents and consider available options.
Federal Pre-Foreclosure Period
For many residential mortgage loans covered by federal servicing rules, a servicer generally cannot begin the legal foreclosure process until the borrower is more than 120 days delinquent. Exceptions and different rules can apply to certain loans and servicers.
Texas Notice and Opportunity to Cure
For a standard nonjudicial foreclosure involving the borrower's residence, Texas law generally requires written notice providing at least 20 days to cure the default before the notice of sale is given.
"Curing" usually means paying the amount required to bring the loan current, including applicable fees and costs.
Notice of Foreclosure Sale
Texas generally requires at least 21 days' notice before a nonjudicial foreclosure sale. Receiving this notice means the situation is urgent, but it doesn't necessarily mean every option is gone.
Foreclosure Auction
Texas foreclosure sales generally occur on the first Tuesday of the month between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. In Bexar County, the sale is generally conducted on the west side of the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa, or at another location designated by the Commissioners Court. Bexar County also maintains an online foreclosure-notice map.
Can You Stop Foreclosure by Paying the Past-Due Amount?
Possibly. During the cure or reinstatement period, the servicer may allow you to stop the foreclosure by paying the amount needed to bring the loan current. Ask the servicer for a written reinstatement quote that shows:
- Past-due principal and interest
- Late fees
- Attorney or trustee fees
- Property-inspection charges
- Escrow shortages
- The date through which the quote is valid
- Accepted payment method
- Where the payment must be sent
Don't assume that paying several missed monthly payments is enough — the required reinstatement amount may include additional foreclosure expenses.
Need to know whether selling would leave you with equity? Request an as-is offer and compare it with your written mortgage payoff.
Get an As-Is OfferSeven Options for Stopping or Avoiding Foreclosure
There's rarely one right answer — the best path depends on your timeline, your equity, and whether you want to keep the house.
Reinstate the Mortgage
Reinstatement means paying the amount required to bring the loan current.
May make sense when:
- The financial hardship was temporary
- You now have enough funds to catch up
- You can afford the normal monthly payment afterward
Main issue: The reinstatement amount may include fees and legal expenses in addition to missed payments.
Ask for a Repayment Plan, Forbearance, or Loan Modification
Contact the lender's loss-mitigation department and ask which programs are available for your loan.
Repayment plan
The lender may allow you to repay the missed amount through larger monthly payments over time.
Forbearance
The lender may temporarily reduce or pause payments. The missed payments are generally not erased and must eventually be resolved.
Loan modification
A modification changes one or more loan terms. Past-due amounts may be added to the loan balance, and the payment or repayment period may change.
Get Free Foreclosure Counseling
A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you:
- Understand notices
- Prepare a household budget
- Organize loss-mitigation documents
- Communicate with the mortgage servicer
- Compare home-retention and exit options
- Identify possible scams
Foreclosure counseling through HUD-participating agencies is offered at no cost.
HUD Housing-Counseling Line: 800-569-4287
Additional official resources:
Are Foreclosure Assistance Grants Available in Texas?
Texas does not currently have the former statewide Homeowner Assistance Fund open to new applicants — it closed to new applications on April 15, 2025. However, a HUD-approved counselor may help identify local or loan-specific resources that are currently available.
Sell the House Before the Foreclosure Sale
Selling may make sense when the property is worth more than the mortgage payoff, liens, and selling expenses. The sale proceeds can be used to:
- Pay the mortgage
- Pay valid liens and closing expenses
- Provide the remaining funds to the homeowner
The CFPB states that selling a home with sufficient equity is generally better for a homeowner's financial situation and credit than allowing a foreclosure, short sale, or deed-in-lieu to occur.
Traditional Listing
May be best when:
- The property is in marketable condition
- There's enough time before the auction
- Maximizing the possible price is the priority
- You can manage preparation, showings, and negotiations
Direct As-Is Sale
May be best when:
- The sale date is approaching
- The house needs substantial repairs
- You can't afford preparation costs
- Certainty and simplicity matter more than maximizing price
A direct as-is cash offer may be lower than the possible retail price after repairs, preparation, and full market exposure. The benefit is potentially avoiding repairs, showings, buyer financing, and a longer listing process.
Request a Short Sale
A short sale may be possible when the property is worth less than the total mortgage debt. The mortgage servicer must approve a short sale because the sale proceeds won't fully pay the loan — other lienholders may also need to approve it.
Confirm the following in writing before moving forward:
- Whether the remaining balance will be forgiven
- Whether relocation assistance is available
- Who will pay selling expenses
- Whether other lienholders approved the transaction
- Possible tax consequences
- The deadline for completing the sale
Note: Short-sale approval cannot be guaranteed by anyone.
Consider a Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure
With a deed-in-lieu, the homeowner voluntarily transfers the property to the lender instead of completing a foreclosure. The lender must approve it, and the homeowner should understand how the agreement handles any remaining loan balance.
This may make sense when:
- The homeowner is ready to leave
- A normal sale isn't practical
- A short sale was unsuccessful
- The lender agrees to the terms
Keep in mind: Selling with equity will usually be financially preferable when it's still possible.
Speak With a Bankruptcy or Foreclosure Attorney
Filing bankruptcy usually creates an automatic stay that temporarily stops most foreclosure and collection actions. However, bankruptcy does not automatically erase the mortgage, permanently prevent foreclosure, or allow someone to remain indefinitely without resolving payments. A lender may also ask the bankruptcy court to lift the stay.
Bankruptcy can have major legal and financial consequences — it's not a quick trick to delay an auction.
Possible legal issues requiring an attorney:
- The lender didn't provide required notices
- Payments were misapplied
- A complete loss-mitigation application was mishandled
- The borrower is protected by bankruptcy
- The debt or ownership is disputed
- You need advice about an injunction or restraining order
- The foreclosure involves an HOA, property tax, reverse mortgage, or home-equity loan
Should You Keep the House or Sell It?
Keeping the House May Make Sense When:
- The hardship was temporary
- You can afford the ongoing payment
- Reinstatement funds are available
- The lender offers an affordable modification
- You want to remain in the home long term
Selling May Make Sense When:
- The payment is no longer affordable
- The financial hardship is permanent
- The property has enough equity
- Repairs or carrying costs are becoming unmanageable
- The homeowner already planned to move
- There isn't enough time for a long recovery plan
- Avoiding a completed foreclosure matters more than keeping the house
Compare the Main Foreclosure Options
| Option | Keeps the Home? | Lender Approval Needed? | Usually Best When | Main Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinstatement | Yes | Servicer provides amount | Hardship ended and funds are available | Requires a large payment |
| Repayment plan | Yes | Yes | Borrower can afford increased payments | Higher monthly obligation |
| Forbearance | Temporarily | Yes | Hardship is temporary | Missed amount not normally forgiven |
| Loan modification | Yes | Yes | Modified payment is sustainable | Approval and documentation take time |
| Standard home sale | No | Usually no, if debt is paid in full | Property has sufficient equity | Requires enough time to close |
| Short sale | No | Yes | Property is worth less than the debt | Approval can be slow |
| Deed-in-lieu | No | Yes | Homeowner is ready to surrender property | Homeowner gives up the property |
| Bankruptcy | Possibly | Court process | Legal debt restructuring is appropriate | Serious legal and financial consequences |
Scroll to see the full table on smaller screens.
Selling Before Foreclosure in San Antonio
If keeping the house is no longer affordable, selling before the auction may allow you to resolve the mortgage and keep any remaining equity. The key is determining three numbers:
- The property's realistic as-is value
- The total mortgage payoff and other liens
- The amount of time remaining before the foreclosure sale
This is only an illustration. Use a title company and written payoff statements to calculate the actual amount.
Confirm the auction date
Obtain mortgage & lien info
Review the property
Receive & compare offers
Open transaction with title co.
Resolve title & payoff requirements
Close before foreclosure sale
Receive remaining proceeds, if any
Bexar County Foreclosure Information
Bexar County mortgage foreclosure notices can be viewed through the County Clerk's foreclosure map and public-record system. Foreclosure sales are generally held on the first Tuesday of each month between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the west side of the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa, unless another location is officially designated.
Appearing on the county foreclosure map doesn't prove the final sale will occur. Sales can be postponed, canceled, or resolved — verify the status directly with the servicer or trustee.
Watch Out for Foreclosure-Relief Scams
You'll likely receive calls, mail, and texts from investors and "foreclosure rescue" companies. Be cautious of anyone who:
- Guarantees a loan modification
- Charges an upfront fee for mortgage-relief services
- Tells you to stop speaking with your lender
- Tells you to stop making mortgage payments
- Asks you to send mortgage payments somewhere else
- Pressures you to sign immediately
- Asks you to transfer the deed without clearly explaining the transaction
- Claims to represent the government
- Refuses to put promises in writing
- Won't allow you to review the contract
The CFPB identifies upfront fees, title-transfer demands, guaranteed modifications, and instructions to stop paying the lender as major warning signs.
How Our As-Is Home-Selling Process Works
Tell Us About the Property
We Review the Property
We Explain the Written Offer
Title Company Reviews Ownership & Liens
Close Before the Foreclosure Sale
Step 1: Provide the address, condition, mortgage status, and scheduled auction date. Step 5: The sale must be completed and funded before the foreclosure auction unless the lender provides a written postponement.
What Your Written Offer Will Include
- Purchase price
- Earnest money
- Option or cancellation period
- Proposed closing date
- Who pays specific closing expenses
- Whether the contract may be assigned
- Any inspection or access requirements
Why a San Antonio Homeowner Might Consider Our Offer
Sell As-Is
No major repairs required.
No Open Houses
No public showings of your home.
No Agent Commission
When no agent represents the seller.
Flexible Closing
When the title and lender timeline allow.
Clear Written Offer
Plain-language explanation of terms.
Title Company Closing
Handled through a Texas title company.
Time to Compare
Weigh this against your other options.
No Obligation
You're never required to accept.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to stop a foreclosure in Texas?
Can I stop foreclosure by paying the past-due amount?
How do I stop a foreclosure sale in Texas?
Can I sell my house after receiving a foreclosure notice?
Does listing my house stop foreclosure?
What happens when the house is worth less than the mortgage?
Can bankruptcy stop foreclosure?
What is a hardship letter?
Are there foreclosure assistance grants in Texas?
How long do you have to move after a Texas foreclosure?
Can an HOA foreclose on a house in Texas?
Need to Know Whether Selling Is Still Possible?
Tell us the property address, approximate condition, and scheduled foreclosure date. We'll review the property and provide a written as-is offer so you can compare selling with your lender, legal, and home-retention options.
Contacting us does not stop the foreclosure, and you're not obligated to accept an offer.