Beginning with the case filing, the case can be completed and the home sold at sale within 180 days. We have provided a Mortgage Foreclosure timeline below for your convenience. This timeline can play out in less than 180 days! Don’t wait…act immediately…Contact your lender first 30-90 Days that owner is behind in mortgage payments. 20 Days later owner receives letter stating that within 10 days legal proceedings will occur. 30 Days later Legal proceedings begin when mortgage company files complaint (lawsuit). 28 Days later owner has 28 days from receipt of complaint to respond or file an answer with the clerk of court. This must be done. Owner has no ability to stop foreclosure by dodging certified mail. Legal advice is recommended. Within 5-30 days later, mortgage lawyer files a motion for default judgment if owner does not file a response or answer with the clerk of court. Judge will sign default judgment, frequently without owner’s knowledge. This judgment will order the appraisal and sale of the property. Mortgage lawyer files with the clerk of court a legal form known as a praecipe for an order of sale which also orders the appraisal of the property. This is usually done without the knowledge of the owner. Within 3 Days the Clerk delivers the order of sale to the Sheriff. During the next 3 months an appraisal is ordered and completed, frequently without the owner’s knowledge. The sale date is set, usually around 5 months after the order of sale is filed. The sale is advertised in the newspaper and/or legal news for 3 weeks. This may be the only notice the owner gets of the sale date. Day of the sale the Sheriff will auction the property and sell to the highest bidder. Bidding generally starts at 2/3 of the appraised value. 7-60 Days After Sale a legal form called a confirmation entry is filed by the mortgage lawyer with the clerk of court. This orders the sheriff to prepare a deed, and it gives the new owner the right to file for a writ of possession. After the confirmation entry is filed, signed by the judge, and recorded by the clerk, there is nothing that can be done to stop the sale by the owner. Only rare legal irregularities can stop the sale at this point. Even bankruptcy cannot stop the sale. Sheriff deed is issued; new owner files for writ of possession. Sheriff will place a red tag on the door of the house stating the owner has 10 days to move out of the home. This may be extended for up to 7-10 days for hardship; any time needed beyond that will require the consent of the new owner. If the owner does not move out, the sheriff will enter and remove his/her belongings and place them by the curb.