Cornerstone Retention Solutions · Homeowner Guide

5-Day Sale Date Action Plan

You have a foreclosure sale date within days. Here is what to do in the next few hours.

Read this first. In many states, once a foreclosure sale is completed it cannot be undone. Days matter, and so do hours. Work top to bottom. Do not stop to research — do the steps, then research.

Reach us directly: (866) 299-5134, ext. 1. Tell whoever answers that you have a foreclosure sale date and how many days are left — that moves your file to the front.

Hour 1 — Confirm the facts

Find the exact sale date, time, and location. It's on your Notice of Sale. Don't rely on memory or on what someone told you weeks ago.
Verify it's still scheduled. Call your servicer's foreclosure department, and also call the trustee or foreclosure attorney whose name and phone number appear on the notice. Sales are postponed and re-set frequently. Ask: "Is the sale currently scheduled, and has it been postponed?"
Write down today's date and how many days remain. Count calendar days, not business days.

Hour 2 — Make the three calls that can actually change the outcome

A foreclosure defense attorney licensed in your state. This is the single highest-value call. If you can't afford one, call legal aid and say the words "I have a foreclosure sale date in [number] days" — that usually triggers emergency intake. Only an attorney can advise you on an injunction, a temporary restraining order, or bankruptcy.
The HOPE Hotline: 888-995-HOPE (4673). Free, 24/7, HUD-approved counselors.
Your servicer's loss mitigation department. Ask directly: "What do you need from me today to postpone this sale?" Then ask them to note the request on your account and send it in writing.
Cornerstone Retention Solutions: (866) 299-5134, ext. 1. We deal with the servicer's loss mitigation and escalation channels for you, and we can push a postponement request while you work the rest of this list.

Hour 3 — Ask about each of these, by name

Option	What to ask for	Realistic if…
Sale postponement	"Please postpone the sale so a complete loss mitigation application can be reviewed."	You can get a complete application in, or one is already pending
Reinstatement	"Send me the itemized reinstatement quote and the deadline and wiring instructions."	You can raise the full past-due amount from savings, family, or a grant program
Emergency loss mitigation review	"I'm submitting a complete application today. Please confirm receipt in writing."	You have your documents ready — see our Document Checklist
Loan modification or deferral	"Am I eligible for a modification, a deferral, or an FHA partial claim?"	Your hardship is documented and your income supports a payment
Short sale or deed-in-lieu	"Will you postpone the sale to allow a short sale review?"	Keeping the home isn't feasible and you want to avoid a completed foreclosure
Bankruptcy	Ask an attorney, not your servicer.	Nothing above is available and the automatic stay is the only tool left
State assistance funds	Ask your state housing finance agency about emergency mortgage assistance.	Your state still has an active program with funds available

Today — the paperwork sprint

Gather everything on the Loss Mitigation Document Checklist. Incomplete beats nothing, but complete is what starts the clock.
Submit through the servicer's portal and email it to your assigned contact. Screenshot every confirmation.
Email the same package to the foreclosure attorney or trustee handling the sale, and ask them to confirm receipt.
Put your request for postponement in writing, today, and keep the timestamp.
Send the urgent request form at cornerstoneretention.org/contact, or email info@cornerstoneretention.org with "URGENT — SALE DATE" and the date in the subject line.

What not to do this week

Don't pay an upfront fee to anyone promising to stop the sale. Sale dates attract scammers; they read the same public notices you received. Advance fees for mortgage assistance relief are generally illegal (16 CFR Part 322).
Don't sign anything transferring your deed or title — not to an investor, a "rescue" company, or a relative — without an attorney reading it first.
Don't send your mortgage payment to anyone other than your servicer.
Don't stop opening mail or answering the phone. A postponement notice or an approval can arrive with very little warning.
Don't move out early. You may have rights, relocation assistance, or more time than you think.

Fill this in and keep it with you

Sale date & time
Days remaining
Trustee / foreclosure attorney + phone
Servicer loss mitigation direct line
My single point of contact
Attorney / legal aid + phone
Reinstatement amount & good-through date
Date complete application submitted
Postponement requested in writing on

If the sale happens anyway, it is not the end of every option. Some states allow post-sale redemption or provide relocation assistance, and a sale conducted in violation of the dual-tracking rules may be challengeable. Talk to an attorney before you assume it's over, and do not abandon the property until you understand your rights.

Cornerstone Retention Solutions · (866) 299-5134 ext. 1 · info@cornerstoneretention.org · cornerstoneretention.org · Se habla español
This guide is general housing-counseling information, not legal or financial advice. Cornerstone Retention Solutions is not a mortgage lender, mortgage broker, or law firm, and we do not guarantee any outcome. Rules differ by state, loan program, and investor. For advice about your specific situation, speak with a licensed attorney in your state or a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. Citations to federal servicing rules refer to Regulation X (12 CFR Part 1024) as of 2026.
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