California Foreclosure Process

Trustee Sales:
What You Need to Know

A trustee sale is the final step in California's non-judicial foreclosure process — the public auction where your home is sold to the highest bidder. Understanding the timeline and your rights is critical to taking action before it's too late.

Act immediately. Once a trustee sale is complete, your options are extremely limited. Every day counts — contact us as soon as you receive a Notice of Default or Notice of Trustee Sale.

The California Foreclosure Timeline

Day 1

Notice of Default (NOD)

The lender records a Notice of Default after 90+ days of missed payments. This starts the formal foreclosure clock. (Cal. Civ. Code § 2924)

Day 90

3-Month Reinstatement Window

You have 90 days from the NOD recording to reinstate the loan by paying all overdue amounts, fees, and costs. (Cal. Civ. Code § 2924c)

Day 111

Notice of Trustee Sale (NTS)

If the loan is not reinstated, the lender records a Notice of Trustee Sale. The sale must be scheduled at least 21 days after the NTS is recorded and published. (Cal. Civ. Code § 2924f)

Day 5 Before Sale

AB 2424 Deadline

Under AB 2424 (Cal. Civ. Code § 2924.11), if you submit a valid listing agreement at least 5 business days before the sale, the sale must be postponed 45 days.

Sale Day

Trustee Sale / Auction

The property is auctioned to the highest bidder at a public sale. Once the sale is complete, your right of redemption is extinguished. (Cal. Civ. Code § 2924h)

Options to Stop or Delay the Sale

Loan Modification

Apply for a modification to change your loan terms and make payments affordable. The lender cannot proceed with the sale while a complete application is pending.

Learn About Modifications

Short Sale

Sell the home for less than owed with lender approval. Avoids the auction and gives you more control over the outcome.

Learn About Short Sales

AB 2424 Postponement

Submit a valid listing agreement at least 5 business days before the sale to trigger a mandatory 45-day postponement.

Learn About AB 2424

Don't Wait Until Sale Day

Call us now — even if the sale is days away, there may still be options available to you.