🏡 Understanding the California Foreclosure Timeline (And How to Protect Your Equity)
- Andrew Georgitsis
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
Falling behind on mortgage payments can feel overwhelming — but in California, the foreclosure process follows a very specific timeline, and knowing that timeline can give you back a sense of control.
Most importantly:You may still have options, and you may still have equity worth protecting.
This guide walks you step-by-step through what actually happens in a California nonjudicial foreclosure (used in over 90% of cases) and where homeowners still have the opportunity to stop the process.
📅 Step 1: Missed Mortgage Payments (Pre-Foreclosure Begins)
Foreclosure doesn’t start the moment you miss a single payment.California lenders typically begin the formal process after 90 days of missed payments.
During this period, the lender is required to:
Attempt to contact you
Provide information about foreclosure alternatives
Offer a chance to discuss repayment options
But if payments remain unpaid, the formal process begins.
⚠️ Step 2: Notice of Default (NOD)
This is the official start of foreclosure.
Once the lender records a Notice of Default, the clock starts ticking.
The NOD includes:
How much you’re behind
How to bring the loan current
Contact information for the lender or trustee
At this point, many homeowners feel panic — but the truth is:
👉 You still have time.
👉 You still have rights.
👉 You still have equity.
⏳ 90-Day Reinstatement Period (Your First Window to Fix the Situation)
After the Notice of Default is filed, California law provides a full 90 days for you to:
Catch up on payments
Negotiate with the lender
Apply for a loan modification
Sell the home
Or—if you have equity—use a short-term hard-money loan to bring the loan current and stop foreclosure completely
This 90-day period is critical.No sale or auction can happen during this window.
📄 Step 3: Notice of Trustee Sale (NOTS)
If the default is not cured within 90 days, the lender can file a Notice of Trustee Sale.
This is a public notice that the property is scheduled for auction.
Legally, the NOTS must be:
Posted visibly on the property
Published in a local newspaper
Mailed to the homeowner
Set for a sale date at least 21 days later
Even here, you still have options.
✋ Reinstatement Deadline: 5 Business Days Before the Sale
California allows homeowners to reinstate the loan — meaning bring payments current — up until:
👉 Five business days BEFORE the auction date
This means all the way through:
Notice of Default
90-day reinstatement period
AND part of the trustee sale period
You still have the legal right to stop foreclosure.
🔨 Step 4: Trustee Sale (Auction)
This is the final step.
If no action is taken:
The home may be sold to a third-party bidder
Or revert back to the bank (becoming REO/Bank-Owned)
You will lose ownership and the right to the property
There is no redemption period in California after a nonjudicial sale
Once the auction happens, it’s final.
🧮 Minimum Legal Timeline: 111 Days
(But often longer)
Here’s the minimum California timeline:
Stage | Minimum Time |
Missed payments before NOD | ~90 days |
Notice of Default | Day 0 |
Reinstatement period | 90 days |
Notice of Trustee Sale | After 90 days |
Auction | No sooner than 21 days after NOTS |
👉 Total Minimum: 111 days
👉 Typical Real-World Timeline: 4–9 months
Banks often delay, pause, or extend timelines — meaning homeowners usually have more time than they think.
💡 Where Most Homeowners Still Have Strong Options
If you have equity, you may be able to:
✔ Stop foreclosure
✔ Remove the NOD
✔ Bring the loan current
✔ Sell on YOUR terms — not the bank’s
✔ Walk away with your equity
Many owners mistakenly believe foreclosure is a “done deal.”But California law intentionally gives multiple windows to fix it.
🧭 How We Help Homeowners in NOD Status
If you’re behind on payments but have equity, we can often:
Arrange a short-term hard-money loan
Use it to pay off missed payments & reinstate the loan
Remove the NOD
Give you 3–6 months to sell the home at full market value
Pay back the temporary loan at closing
Help you walk away with your equity preserved
It’s a lifeline for homeowners who need breathing room.
📩 Want to See What Your Foreclosure Timeline Looks Like?
Every timeline is slightly different based on:
Your lender
Your loan type
How far behind you are
Your equity position
Whether a NOTS has already been filed
I can review your situation confidentially and show you exactly what options you still have.
✔ Request a Free Foreclosure & Equity Review
No pressure.No obligation.Just clarity — and a plan.
📞 1 (760) 801-6550 📧 info@socalrealtyandinvestments.com 🏡 SoCal Realty & Investments
Andrew Georgitsis, DRE#02266192
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