Foreclosure Help If you begin to fall behind in your monthly mortgage payments, your lender may have the right to foreclose on your home. Learning what to do and knowing who to contact when facing foreclosure may help you save your home.

What Is Foreclosure?

Foreclosure is the legal process used to seize your property if you fail to keep up your payments. In some states, foreclosure involves a court proceeding ("judicial foreclosure"), while in others, foreclosure occurs by creditor action alone ("non-judicial foreclosure"). In Washington, creditors have the option of using either the judicial foreclosure process (for mortgages or deeds of trust) or the non-judicial foreclosure process (for deeds of trust only).

Foreclosure Counseling Is Available

Residents who are having trouble paying their monthly mortgage payment should contact the Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project (HFLAP) at 1-877-894-HOME (4663).

• About The Foreclosure Legal Aid Project

Obama's Making Home Affordable Program

Through President Obama's Making Home Affordable program, Washington families may be eligible to refinance or modify their loans to a payment that is affordable

• Refinancing Through Making Home Affordable
  If you are a homeowner who is current on your mortgage payments but unable to refinance to a lower interest rate because your home value has decreased, you may be able to refinance.
• Loan Modification Through Making Home Affordable
  If you can no longer afford to make your monthly loan payments, you may qualify for a loan modification to make your monthly mortgage payment more affordable. Millions of borrowers who are current, but having difficulty making their payments and borrowers who have already missed one or more payments may be eligible.

Contact Your Lender

Do not ignore letters or phone calls from your lender when you fall behind on your monthly payments. Contact your lender and explain the situation to them. Write down who you spoke to, the date, and what was said. Don’t wait.

Before you contact your lender, print and complete this checklist (PDF) of information you will need to have available when talking to your lender.

• Contact Information for Lenders and Servicers
• Contact Information for Washington State Banks
• Contact Information for Washington State Credit Unions

Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project

This Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project provides an opportunity for lawyers to provide meaningful and much-needed assistance to homeowners in need. Participating lawyers will receive free online training. Ongoing support from fellow members of the Bar who are experienced in housing and foreclosure matters will also be available.

Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project

Resources

• Possible Alternatives to Foreclosure
  Information from the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) about possible alternatives to foreclosure.
• Beware of Foreclosure Rescue Scams
  Information from DFI to help you avoid becoming a victim of a foreclosure rescue scam.
• Free Foreclosure Brochure (PDF)
  A free pamphlet from DFI explaining how you can avoid foreclosure and what to do if you are facing foreclosure. Request a paper copy of the brochure by calling the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions at 1.877.RING DFI.
• HB 2791 – Distressed Property Conveyances
  A message from the Attorney General’s Office about legislation proposed by the Attorney General’s Office to help protect financially strapped homeowners from equity skimming and foreclosure rescue scams.