Falling behind on the mortgage is hard, and a foreclosure notice can make it feel like the walls are closing in. You still have room to move.
Yes, you can sell. It's one option. In Connecticut it shouldn't be the first one you look at, so here's the rest of the picture first.
What happens first in Connecticut
The 120-day line. Your mortgage servicer can't make the first foreclosure filing until you're more than 120 days behind on your payments.
The deadline most people miss. Once you're served, you have 15 days from the return date printed on the summons to file an Appearance (JD-CL-12) and a Foreclosure Mediation Certificate (JD-CV-108). The return date is a court date. It isn't the day the papers were handed to you.
After that, the case runs on the court's schedule. I wrote up how long a Connecticut foreclosure takes, from the first missed payment to the end.
Options that can keep you in the house
Foreclosure mediation. You're eligible if you're the borrower, you live in the home and it's a one to four family Connecticut residence. Mediation covers loan modifications and repayment plans, and also sales, short sales and deeds in lieu of foreclosure. The Judicial Branch reports that of 14,918 completed mediations, 91% settled and 74% ended with the homeowner keeping the home. Mediation doesn't stop the foreclosure unless you reach a settlement.
EMAP. Connecticut's Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program is open and state funded. It covers mortgage arrears plus non-escrowed property taxes, condo and HOA fees, and water and sewer liens. It's assistance you repay, secured by a second mortgage on your home, when title transfers. The EMAP line is (860) 571-3500.
MyHomeCT is closed. It stopped taking new applications on September 1, 2023, and no replacement grant program has opened. If you read somewhere that it's available, that information is out of date.
Free help. A HUD-approved housing counselor costs you nothing: (800) 569-4287. So does the Connecticut Fair Housing Center: (860) 247-4400. Our free Connecticut foreclosure guide lists every program and three more local agencies.
If selling is the right move
If keeping the house isn't realistic, selling before the foreclosure is final is another path. You can list with an agent, or you can sell to me.
Here's how it works with me. I come see the house, usually the same day you call or the next. You get a written offer, usually the same day we meet, and I walk you through how I got to the number. Once you say yes, it goes to title, which usually takes 2 to 4 weeks. No repairs, no cleaning, no showings, no commissions.
If you have a court date or a deadline you can't move, tell me up front. I'll be straight with you on whether or not I can hit it.
And if selling to me isn't your best option, I'll say so.
Questions people ask
Can I still sell my house once the foreclosure has started in Connecticut?
Yes. In most cases I can still help by buying the house right up until the foreclosure is final: the auction in a foreclosure by sale, or Law Day in a strict foreclosure. A sale is also one of the outcomes Connecticut's Foreclosure Mediation Program covers, along with short sales, deeds in lieu, loan modifications and repayment plans. If you sell to me, title usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, so tell me your court dates up front and I'll be straight with you on whether I can hit them.
What is the foreclosure mediation deadline in Connecticut?
15 days from the return date printed on the summons. That's when you need to file an Appearance (JD-CL-12) and a Foreclosure Mediation Certificate (JD-CV-108). The return date is a court date, not the day you were served.
Does foreclosure mediation stop the foreclosure?
No, not unless you reach a settlement. Most mediations do settle: the Judicial Branch reports that of 14,918 completed mediations, 91% settled and 74% ended with the homeowner keeping the home.
From homeowners
“When the bank stopped returning my calls, Clark St Homes didn’t. They saved me from foreclosure in under 10 days.”
“I was behind 4 months on my mortgage and had no idea what to do. Ed stepped in, walked me through every step and bought the house before the auction. I got to walk away with cash and my dignity.”
If you want to talk through your situation, call or text me at 860.554.1140, or fill out the form. The conversation costs you nothing and you leave knowing where you stand.