Behind on your mortgage in Washington County? Here's where you are and who helps for free.
Most Utah foreclosures happen outside of court, on a set schedule. You have more time and more options than it may feel like tonight, and free help is a phone call away.
- How it works in Utah
- Trustee sale, outside of court
- Time to catch up after the notice
- 3 months
- Notice of sale
- At least 20 days before
- 24/7 HOPE Hotline
- (888) 995-4673
Updated November 7, 2026. A plain-language summary, not legal advice. Illustrative photo, not a listed home.
Here's where you are, and what comes next
Pick the step you're at in Utah's process. Each one tells you what happens next and what to do now.
What happens now
Your loan is behind, but foreclosure has not started. Utah law requires a notice giving you at least 30 days to catch up, and a single point of contact to talk to about your loan.
Time you likely have
120+ days
Federal law usually stops a servicer from starting foreclosure until you are more than 120 days behind.
Your best moves now
- Call your lender to explain what happened and ask about a payment plan or a modification. Get any agreement in writing.
- Call a free HUD-approved counselor or the HOPE Hotline.
- Send a complete application early. The earlier it's complete, the more protections you get.
Sources: Utah Courts: Foreclosure, CFPB: How to avoid foreclosure.
Free help for Washington County homeowners
Start here before you talk to anyone selling something. These people help at no cost.
Find a HUD-approved counselor by ZIP code
(800) 569-4287HOPE Hotline, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
(888) 995-4673Sources: CFPB: How to avoid foreclosure, CFPB: HUD-approved housing counselors.
Housing counselors
Free foreclosure counseling by phone. HUD's list doesn't show a mortgage default counselor in Washington County, so start with a hotline or a Utah agency that offers it.
HOPE Hotline
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Community Development Corporation of Utah
Salt Lake City. Ask whether they can help you by phone.
NeighborWorks Mountain Country Home Solutions
Orem. Ask whether they can help you by phone.
Sources: CFPB Find a Counselor (HUD's list), CFPB: HUD-approved housing counselors.
Legal aid
Free civil legal help for people who qualify.
Utah Legal Services, St. George office
229 E. St George Blvd., Ste. 103. Open to the public Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Statewide intake: (801) 328-8891.
Source: Utah Legal Services: Offices.
Court self-help
The Utah courts explain each step of a trustee sale, the deficiency rules and eviction after foreclosure in plain language.
Utah State Courts
Foreclosure self-help page
Source: Utah Courts: Foreclosure.
Do you have equity? Check in 30 seconds.
Equity is what your home is worth minus what you owe on it. It's the biggest clue to which options fit. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Not sure what your home is worth in Washington County? Use a recent online estimate, or ask an agent what similar homes nearby sold for.
Enter both numbers to see your estimate.
An estimate, not an appraisal. Back payments, fees and selling costs come out of any sale, so you'd walk away with less than this.
Source: CFPB: Options to avoid foreclosure.
Six ways forward
Your servicer decides which ones you qualify for. A free counselor can help you ask for the right one.
Keep your home
If you can afford the home going forward.
Catch up (reinstatement)Pay everything that's past due, plus the fees and costs, and the loan goes back to normal.
Who it fits: The hardship is behind you and you can pay the full past-due amount at once. Ask your servicer for the exact amount in writing first.
Repayment planRepay the missed payments a little at a time by adding part of the past-due amount to your regular payment for a set period.
Who it fits: You're back on your feet and can pay a bit extra each month.
Loan modificationThe servicer changes the terms of your loan. Some or all of the missed payments are added to what you owe, and your payment could be lower, though it could take longer to pay off.
Who it fits: Your income changed for good and the old payment won't work again. You may have to make trial payments first.
Leave on your terms
If keeping the home no longer works.
Sell and keep your equitySell the home yourself or with an agent, pay off the mortgage and selling costs, and keep what's left. You don't need your servicer's approval, but it helps to tell them.
Who it fits: Your home is worth more than you owe. Selling is typically better for your money and your credit than a foreclosure, a short sale or a deed in lieu.
Short saleSell for less than you owe with your servicer's approval, and ask them to forgive the difference. Any other mortgages on the home need to approve too.
Who it fits: You owe more than the home is worth. Make sure you understand the terms, including any tax effects.
Deed in lieuTurn ownership over to your servicer and move out, without having to sell. It could mean you don't owe what's left on the mortgage after you leave.
Who it fits: You're ready to move on and a sale isn't working. You need to apply and be approved.
If your loan is FHA-insured, you may be able to get relocation money with a short sale or a deed in lieu if you meet certain conditions.
Sources: CFPB: Options to avoid foreclosure, HUD: FHA loss mitigation, NRS 107.0805, Utah Courts: Foreclosure.
If anyone asks for money to save your home, stop
Help from your servicer or a HUD-approved counselor costs nothing. These are the signs of a foreclosure scam.
They want money up front.
A company can't charge you for mortgage relief until you've accepted a written offer from your lender.
They promise you'll keep your home.
Or that they'll get your loan terms changed. Real counselors can't promise that.
They ask you to sign over your deed.
Or to sign papers you don't understand. Never hand over title to get help.
They say to stop talking to your lender.
It's illegal for a mortgage relief company to tell you that.
They want your payment sent to them.
Your payment goes to your mortgage company or servicer, no one else.
They push you to sign today.
High pressure is a warning sign. Read it, keep a copy and show it to a counselor.
They offer a forensic audit.
Charging you to review your loan papers is a warning sign.
They hint they're with the government.
Or use a seal that looks official but isn't quite right.
Sources: CFPB: How to avoid foreclosure, FTC: Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Rule, Utah Courts: Foreclosure, Nevada B&I: Mortgage and foreclosure fraud.
If someone took money or pressured you, report it.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Complaints about your servicer or a scam
Submit a complaint
Source: CFPB: Submit a complaint.
Thinking about selling? Talk to a local agent who handles these sales.
Chris Jones · Team leader, Red Stone Realty Team · Red Rock Real Estate, St. George
Free counselors come first. If selling turns out to be right for you, ask through us and we'll introduce you by email.
Real Estate Intel recommends people we work with. You're free to use any agent.
Questions homeowners ask
How long does foreclosure take in Utah?
The law sets minimums, not a fixed schedule. A servicer usually can't start until you're more than 120 days behind. After the notice of default you have three months to catch up. Then the notice of sale must be mailed and posted at least 20 days before the sale and published once a week for three weeks.
Can I stop the sale by catching up?
Within the three months after the notice of default, you can catch up on the missed payments plus late, legal and collection fees. After the notice of sale, stopping it usually means paying the entire loan balance and the fees.
Can the lender come after me if the home sells for less than I owe?
Yes. The lender can sue for the difference, called a deficiency, within three months after the sale. The amount is limited to the gap between what you owed and the home's fair market value.
Do I have to pay anyone for help?
No. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies help with foreclosure for free, and the HOPE Hotline is open around the clock. A company can't legally charge you for mortgage relief until you've accepted a written offer from your lender.
Can I sell my home if I'm behind?
Yes. You don't need your servicer's approval to sell, though it helps to tell them. If your home is worth more than you owe, selling is typically better for your money and credit than a foreclosure, a short sale or a deed in lieu.
What happens after the trustee sale?
You no longer own the home. If you don't leave, the new owner can give you an eviction notice and then go through the courts. If the home sold for more than you owed, you might be entitled to the extra money held by the court.
Not sure what to do next? Ask us.
Tell us where you are. We'll reply by email with the free counselor and legal aid contacts for your county and point you to the next step.
- Help from HUD-approved housing counselors is free.
- We're a real estate newsletter, not lawyers or counselors. This isn't legal advice.
- We only use your details to answer you. This doesn't sign you up for our newsletter.
Want to talk to someone now? Call a free counselor at (800) 569-4287.