Missing a payment or two doesn’t mean foreclosure is inevitable. Here are the paths people in this situation typically have.

Forbearance or repayment plans

Many lenders offer temporary payment pauses or reduced payments for a set period, especially if the hardship is temporary — job loss, medical issue, and similar situations.

Loan modification

This permanently changes the terms of your loan — interest rate, term length, or both — to make payments more manageable long-term.

Selling before it escalates

If neither of the above is realistic, selling the house — traditionally or for cash — lets you settle the mortgage and walk away with any remaining equity instead of losing it to foreclosure.

Whatever you choose, the earlier you act, the more options stay available — this is true whether you’re talking to your lender, a housing counselor, or us.