Can I sell my house if I am behind on mortgage payments?

Yes. As long as the foreclosure has not been completed, you can sell your house. The mortgage balance, including late fees, is paid from the sale proceeds at closing.

Will selling my house stop foreclosure?

Yes, if you sell before the foreclosure sale is finalized. A cash sale can close in 7-21 days, often fast enough to beat the foreclosure timeline and protect your credit.

How to Sell Your House When Behind on Mortgage Payments

Q: What if I owe more than my house is worth?

You may qualify for a short sale, where the lender accepts less than what is owed. Cash buyers can work with your lender to facilitate the short sale process, which is still faster and less damaging than foreclosure.

Falling behind on mortgage payments is stressful, but you have more options than you think. If you act before the bank completes a foreclosure, you can sell your house, pay off the mortgage, and walk away with your credit largely intact. A cash sale is the fastest way to do it.

Chitty Buys Houses is a nationwide cash home-buying service that buys houses in any condition, helping homeowners sell fast without repairs, fees, or waiting.

What Happens When You Fall Behind on Payments?

Here is the typical timeline after you miss payments:

30-90 days late: Late fees accumulate. The lender sends notices and attempts to contact you.
90-120 days late: The lender files a Notice of Default or lis pendens, beginning the pre-foreclosure process.
120+ days late: The foreclosure process moves forward. Depending on your state, this can take months or happen quickly.

The key takeaway: you have a window to act, but it shrinks every month you wait.

Can You Sell a House with Missed Payments?

Yes. As long as the bank has not completed the foreclosure sale, you still own the property and can sell it. The mortgage balance, including any late fees and penalties, gets paid from the sale proceeds at closing. If the sale price covers what you owe, you keep the difference. If it does not, you may need to negotiate a short sale with your lender.

Why a Cash Sale Makes Sense When You Are Behind

Every month you wait costs more — another missed payment, more late fees, and a deeper hit to your credit. A traditional listing takes 3-5 months from start to closing. A cash sale closes in 7-21 days, stopping the bleeding fast.

Benefits of a cash sale when behind on payments:

Close before foreclosure completes
Avoid a foreclosure on your credit report (which stays for 7 years)
Stop accumulating late fees and penalties
Sell in any condition — no need to spend money on repairs
No agent commissions eating into your remaining equity

What If You Owe More Than the House Is Worth?

If your mortgage balance exceeds your home's current value, you may qualify for a short sale. In a short sale, the lender agrees to accept less than what is owed. Cash buyers can work with your lender to facilitate this. The process takes longer than a standard cash sale, but it is still faster — and far less damaging to your credit — than a completed foreclosure.

What About Loan Modification or Forbearance?

Contact your lender about loan modification or forbearance if you want to keep the house. HUD offers free housing counselors at 1-800-569-4287 who can help you evaluate your options. But if keeping the house is not realistic, selling quickly protects what equity you have left.

Take Action Now

The sooner you act, the more options you have. Call Chitty Buys Houses at (888) 913-9906 or request your cash offer online. We can close before your next payment is due.