Default and Foreclosure Timeline

We at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency encourage all homeowners to contact their lender as soon as you realize that you are not going to be able to make your payment on time. It is never too early to contact your lender and a Housing Counseling Agency to discuss your situation, and review your Alternatives To Avoid Foreclosure. If you delay too long, you may reduce the number of options that are available to you, so act immediately.

No situation is hopeless. Contact your Lender and a Consumer Credit Counseling Agency as soon as possible. If the Sheriff Sale has not actually occurred yet, it’s not too late.

The following is an example of an approximate timeline of events if a person were to stop making their mortgage payments on 1/1/2009, and not attempt to avoid foreclosure. This information is provided to give the reader a basic understanding of the steps involved in the Foreclosure process.

Example Timeline

1/2/2009 January payment becomes past due.

2/2/2009 February payment becomes past due account is now due for 2 payments.

3/2/2009 March payment becomes past due account is now due for 3 payments.

3/5/2009 Lender sends the Notice of Intent to Foreclose (Act 6 Notice) to the mortgagor. If applicable, the lender will also send an Act 91 Notice that makes the mortgagor aware of the Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program.

4/8/2009 Act 6 and Act 91 Notices have expired - Lender refers account to Foreclosure attorney.

5/8/2009 Foreclosure attorney begins the legal process by filing a "Complaint" at the county courthouse.

6/23/2009 Mortgagor does not respond to the complaint a "Default Judgement" is entered.

6/25/2009 Sheriff’s office schedules a "Sheriff Sale" date.

7/25/2009 Notice of "Sheriff Sale" is sent to each mortgagor on the loan.

8/25/2009 "Sheriff Sale" is held.

8/27/2009 Sheriff prepares and records a deed conveying title to the purchaser. If a third party does not purchase the property, the deed will convey title back to the lender.

8/27/2009 Eviction process begins if the mortgagor still resides in the property.