Facing Foreclosure in Seattle
You still have options. You still have time.
Facing foreclosure can feel isolating, overwhelming, and urgent. Missed payments, lender notices, and looming deadlines often arrive during moments of real hardship such as job loss, medical issues, divorce, or financial strain. If you’re behind on your mortgage or worried about losing your home, you are not alone and foreclosure is not your only path forward.
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What Is Foreclosure?
Foreclosure occurs when a lender begins the legal process of reclaiming a property due to missed mortgage payments. If the loan default is not resolved, the lender may sell the home at a public auction to recover the outstanding balance.
Foreclosure laws and timelines vary by state, but in Washington, the process typically unfolds over several months—creating a critical window where action matters.
Importantly, homeowners often retain the right to sell their property before the auction, including through a short sale when the mortgage balance exceeds the home’s market value.
Can You Sell Before Foreclosure?
Yes. In many situations, selling your home before auction is still possible.
One common option is a short sale, where the lender agrees to accept less than the total amount owed on the mortgage. While not right for every situation, a properly structured short sale may allow you to:
Avoid foreclosure on your credit report
Reduce long-term financial damage
Eliminate or settle remaining mortgage debt
Move forward without making repairs
Potentially qualify for a future mortgage sooner than after foreclosure
Homeowners may also explore loan modification, repayment plans, or other alternatives with the help of HUD-approved housing counselors. The key is acting early and understanding your full range of options.
Why Do Homeowners End Up in Foreclosure?
Foreclosure is rarely the result of a single bad decision. It is often triggered by life events that are difficult or impossible to plan for, including:
Job loss, layoffs, or income reduction
Medical emergencies or disability
Divorce or disputes between co-owners
Excessive debt and rising living costs
Job relocation or family changes
Major maintenance or repair issues
Owning a property that is underwater
If any of these sound familiar, know that there are solutions—and you do not have to navigate them alone.
The Foreclosure Process in Washington
A simplified overview
While every case is different, foreclosure generally follows five stages:
Stage 1: Missed Payments
Foreclosure begins when mortgage payments fall behind. At this stage, lenders are often open to communication. Early outreach can create opportunities to pause or redirect the process.
Stage 2: Public Notice
After several months of missed payments, the lender records a public notice of default. This signals that foreclosure proceedings have formally begun.
Stage 3: Pre-Foreclosure
This is a critical window. During pre-foreclosure, homeowners may still sell the property, negotiate with the lender, or resolve the default. Many successful short sales occur during this phase.
Stage 4: Foreclosure Auction
If no resolution is reached, the property is scheduled for auction. In some cases, homeowners retain redemption rights up until the auction date.
Stage 5: Post-Foreclosure
If the property is not purchased at auction, it becomes bank-owned (REO) and is sold by the lender.
The earlier you act, the more control you retain.
Types of Foreclosures in Washington state
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The lender seeks to foreclose by filing a civil lawsuit against the borrower and serving the borrower with a formal summons and foreclosure complaint.
The foreclosure process is handled through the local court system. The court appoints a referee to conduct the foreclosure auction on the courthouse steps.
The lender records a lis pendens with the county clerk where the property is located. This lis pendens becomes a lien on the property and gives notice to all of the pending foreclosure auction.
The court grants a judgment permitting the lender to conduct the foreclosure auction.
The Notice of Foreclosure Sale (NFS), which announces the date, time and place of the auction, is published and sometimes posted (depending on the locale) for a specified period before an auction.
The borrower can stop the foreclosure by repaying what he owes up to the moment of sale.
The process can take from four to eight months to complete if no one raises any legal objections to the foreclosure.
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Followed in deed of trust states. A deed of trust conveys an interest in real property to a third party (the trustee) to hold as security for repayment of debt. The trustee has the authority to initiate foreclosure proceedings by a power of sale clause included in the mortgage or deed of trust.
The trustee records a Notice of Default (NOD) with the county clerk where the property is located. This document gives notice of an impending foreclosure and also grants the borrower a period in which to object to the lender’s claim or pay what he owes.
The borrower may not stop the foreclosure after the expiration of this period.
Following the end of a pre-determined amount of time (which varies from state to state), the trustee records a Notice of Trustee’s Sale (NTS) with the county clerk. This notice establishes the date, time and place of the foreclosure auction.
It can take up to 12 months to complete a foreclosure, depending upon the state.
It is important to remember that neither judicial nor non-judicial foreclosures are “one size fits all.”
Seattle Foreclosure Help
Experience. Strategy. Protection.
Kirk Russell has spent more than a decade helping Seattle-area homeowners navigate foreclosure, short sales, and distressed property sales. He has represented clients with mortgage balances ranging from $50,000 to over $1,000,000 and understands how lenders, trustees, and timelines actually operate.
What sets this work apart is not just market knowledge—but process, documentation, and advocacy.
Kirk works alongside a trusted network of mortgage professionals, attorneys, title experts, and escrow partners to build solutions that protect homeowners and reduce risk.
As a husband and father, Kirk understands that a home is more than a financial asset. It’s stability, identity, and security. He is also keenly aware of the scams that target homeowners in distress and works to safeguard clients from predatory actors during vulnerable moments.
You Don’t Have to Walk Away
Walking away or waiting until the last moment often limits your options. Having an experienced advocate in your corner can mean the difference between chaos and clarity.
There is no fee and no obligation to explore your options.
If you’re facing foreclosure in Seattle or anywhere in Washington state, reach out today. We’ll assess your situation, explain your choices clearly, and help you take the next step with confidence.
Start the conversation. Protect what you can. Move forward with a plan.
Facing Foreclosure in Seattle FAQs
Clear answers for homeowners navigating missed payments, notices, timelines, and next steps in Seattle and across Washington.
Foreclosure is the legal process a lender uses to take back a property when mortgage payments are not made. In Washington, many foreclosures are nonjudicial, meaning they can proceed through a trustee sale under the deed of trust process.
Timelines vary by lender and situation, but the process often unfolds over several months. Early outreach matters because options like reinstatement, loan modification, or a short sale are usually easier before a trustee sale date is set.
A Notice of Default is a formal notice that the loan is in default due to missed payments. Treat it as an urgent signal to review your options, confirm the status with your lender or servicer, and build a plan for reinstatement, modification, or sale.
Yes. Many homeowners sell before the trustee sale date. If you owe more than the home is worth, a short sale may be possible with lender approval. Selling earlier typically gives you more control and more options.
A short sale is when the lender agrees to accept less than the full amount owed on the mortgage so the home can be sold. It can help you avoid foreclosure, reduce long term credit damage, and close the chapter with a documented resolution.
Not usually. Foreclosure is a process with notices and timelines. However, waiting can reduce your options, so it is best to act early and get clarity on deadlines and expectations tied to your specific loan and notices.
Depending on your situation, options may include loan modification, repayment plans, refinancing, reinstatement, or a deed in lieu of foreclosure. A HUD approved housing counselor can also help you evaluate programs and paperwork requirements.
Foreclosure can significantly impact credit, but it is not permanent. Many homeowners focus on choosing the best available path, documenting the outcome, and then rebuilding with a clear plan.
In some cases, yes. Certain lender programs and transaction types may offer relocation assistance. Eligibility depends on the loan, investor guidelines, and the path you take, such as a short sale or deed in lieu.
We coordinate access plans, vendor scheduling, and clear documentation so the file keeps moving. If the property condition or occupancy makes a retail sale unrealistic, we can evaluate an as is investor path designed for speed and certainty.
Be cautious of anyone promising guaranteed results, demanding upfront fees for foreclosure relief, or pressuring you to sign documents quickly. Use verified professionals and confirm who you are speaking with at your lender or servicer before sharing sensitive information.
The first step is clarity. Confirm your loan status, identify deadlines from any notices, and map your viable options. A quick consultation can help you understand whether a retail sale, a short sale, or another resolution path is most realistic given your timeline.