Facing Foreclosure in Sonoma or Marin County? You Have More Options Than You Think
A missed-payment letter or a Notice of Default in the mail is frightening — but it does not mean you've already lost your home. In California, foreclosure follows a defined legal timeline, and that timeline gives you a real window to act. The single most important thing to understand is this: if your home has equity, selling it before the auction lets you pay off what you owe, walk away with your remaining money, and avoid a completed foreclosure on your record.
We're Evan and Alex — local, licensed buyers based right here in Sonoma County. We've helped homeowners across both counties navigate exactly this situation. There's no judgment here, and no pressure. Just honest help understanding where you stand and what your best move actually is.
How Foreclosure Works in California — and Where Your Window Is
California uses mostly non-judicial foreclosure, which moves through a set sequence of steps. Knowing which step you're on tells you roughly how much time you have:
1. You fall behind on payments
Under federal rules, most lenders wait until you're around 120 days behind before they can start the formal foreclosure process. This is often the best time to act — while you have the most time.
2. Notice of Default (NOD) is recorded
Your lender records a Notice of Default with the county recorder. It's public record, and it starts the clock. From here, there's a minimum 90-day waiting period before the next step.
3. Reinstatement period
During that period you can usually "reinstate" the loan by paying the past-due amount plus fees — up until 5 business days before the sale. You can also sell the home during this entire window.
4. Notice of Trustee's Sale (NOS)
After the 90 days, the trustee can record and publish a Notice of Sale, setting an auction date at least 21 days out.
5. The trustee's sale (auction)
Your home is sold to the highest bidder. In a California non-judicial foreclosure, there is generally no right to buy it back after the sale — so this is the deadline that matters most.
The takeaway: from the Notice of Default, you typically have somewhere around three to four months before the auction — and you can sell the home at any point before that sale happens. Wait until the auction, and any equity you had is usually gone. For the full step-by-step breakdown of this timeline, your rights at each stage, and every option available to you, read our complete guide: How to Stop Foreclosure in California.
Timelines vary, and you may have more options than selling. Your servicer may offer a loan modification or forbearance, and a HUD-approved housing counselor can review your situation for free. We're glad to point you to those resources — even if it means you don't sell to us.
Why Selling Before the Auction Protects You
When a home goes all the way to a trustee's sale, the homeowner usually walks away with nothing — even if there was equity in the property. Selling beforehand changes that outcome in three important ways:
- You keep your equity. The sale pays off your loan and any liens, and the remaining proceeds are yours — instead of being lost at auction.
- You protect your credit. A completed sale stops the foreclosure, so a foreclosure never lands on your credit report. A finished foreclosure can affect your credit for up to seven years.
- You stay in control. You choose the closing date and move on your own terms, rather than being forced out on the lender's schedule.
Your Options When You're Behind on Payments
Selling isn't the only path, and we'll always tell you honestly which one fits your situation:
- Reinstate the loan — catch up the past-due balance if you're able to. Best if the hardship was temporary.
- Loan modification or forbearance — work with your servicer to change the terms. The right choice if you can afford the home long-term.
- Sell before the auction for cash — the fastest, most certain way to protect your equity and credit. This is where we come in.
- List it on the market with us — if you have enough time before the sale and the home would net more on the MLS, we're licensed agents and we'll tell you so honestly.
- Short sale — if you owe more than the home is worth, we can help negotiate a payoff with your lender for less than the full balance.
How We Help — Fast, Local, No Pressure
When the clock is running, certainty matters. Here's what working with us looks like when you're facing foreclosure:
- A fair cash offer within 24 hours — no obligation, no games.
- We close fast — in as little as 7 days — to beat your sale date.
- We handle the moving parts — we coordinate directly with your lender, the trustee, and a local title company so the payoff lands in time.
- No fees, no commissions, no repairs. You don't fix or clean anything, and you walk away with your equity.
- Local and discreet — we're based in Sonoma County, not an out-of-state call center. This is our community too.
How the Process Works
Step 1 — Tell us about your property. Fill out the form on this page or call us at (707) 390-0399. If you have a sale date, mention it — it helps us move fast. It takes about 5 minutes.
Step 2 — We'll review and make you an offer. Within 24 hours we'll present a written, no-obligation cash offer based on current local market conditions and the condition of your home. We walk properties personally — our offers aren't sight-unseen guesses.
Step 3 — Close on your schedule, before the auction. If you accept, we handle the paperwork and coordinate with title and your lender to close in time. You keep your equity and move forward.