Foreclosure Defense Lawyer
Foreclosure defense is everything a homeowner can lawfully do to slow, contest, or stop a foreclosure. Have a sheriff sale date? It's almost never too late: if we file bankruptcy before the sale happens, the automatic stay generally stops it, even if the sale is days away. Our foreclosure defense lawyer helps homeowners across Philadelphia and South Jersey stop the sale, catch up, and keep the home. Call or text (609) 808-3300.
How do you stop a sheriff sale and keep your home?
Foreclosure runs on a clock, and the clock is different on each side of the river. Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania make lenders go through required notices, a court case, and a county sheriff sale before you can lose the home, and every step on that timeline is time you can use. Filing bankruptcy before the sale generally stops it, and Chapter 13 gives you a court-protected way to catch up the missed payments over 3 to 5 years while you keep making the regular ones. No need to come to an office, and no judgment from us. We serve homeowners across Greater Philadelphia and all of South Jersey, and everywhere else in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
How fast does the New Jersey foreclosure clock run?
- It starts with a Fair Foreclosure Act notice, sent at least 30 days before suit, that must state what it takes to cure
- You have 35 days to answer the Superior Court complaint; uncontested cases are processed by the statewide Office of Foreclosure
- After judgment, the county sheriff schedules the sale; you can adjourn it twice, up to 30 days each time
- Even after the sale, New Jersey gives you 10 days to redeem before it's final
How fast does the Pennsylvania foreclosure clock run?
- Act 6 requires at least 30 days' written notice and a chance to cure before most residential foreclosures are filed
- The Act 91 notice gives you 33 days to meet face-to-face with an approved counseling agency, which holds the foreclosure
- A timely HEMAP application through PHFA can keep the case on hold until PHFA decides (HEMAP is a repayable loan)
- The case runs through the Court of Common Pleas; filing bankruptcy before the sheriff sale generally stops it
The Foreclosure Defense Roadmap
A clear path to stopping foreclosure and catching up.
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Step 1 of 13
Free consultation
Phone or Zoom, zero obligation. We review your debts, income, and what you most want to protect.
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Step 2 of 13
Credit counseling
A quick, required online course before we can file. About an hour.
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3
Step 3 of 13
We gather your documents
Pay stubs, tax returns, and a list of what you own and owe. You dig them up, we do the rest.
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Step 4 of 13
We build your plan
One affordable monthly payment, shaped around your real budget, over 3 to 5 years.
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Step 5 of 13
We file
The moment we file, the automatic stay stops foreclosure, repossession, garnishment, and collection calls.
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Step 6 of 13
Your first payment
You start your monthly plan payment within 30 days of filing, even before it is approved.
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Step 7 of 13
Meeting of creditors
A short, routine video meeting with the trustee, often five minutes. We prep you for it.
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Step 8 of 13
The trustee reviews your plan
The Chapter 13 trustee checks your numbers and may ask for a small tweak or two.
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Step 9 of 13
Plan confirmation
The court approves your plan. Once it is confirmed, it is locked in and your creditors must follow it.
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Step 10 of 13
You make your payments
One payment a month to the trustee, who pays your creditors. Keep it up and you stay protected.
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Step 11 of 13
Debtor education course
One more quick online course, completed before your plan wraps up.
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Step 12 of 13
You finish the plan
After 3 to 5 years, you have caught up and met every obligation in the plan.
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Step 13 of 13
Discharge
The court wipes out any remaining qualifying debt. You are done, and you kept what matters.
We will help you get to a 720 credit score
It will not take long to rebuild your credit because we give you the tools to do it. 7 Steps to a 720 Credit Score is a free bonus course, included with your case, that walks you step by step toward a 720 credit score.
Follow the steps and you could be back to a great score in no time: qualifying for low-interest cards, saving thousands on car and home loans, and never again dreading a credit check from a landlord or employer.
Common questions about Foreclosure Defense
Can bankruptcy really stop my foreclosure?
Yes, in nearly every case. Filing triggers the automatic stay under section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code, which halts the foreclosure and any scheduled sheriff sale the moment your case is filed. Chapter 13 then gives you a structured, court-protected way to catch up on what you missed.
My sheriff sale is already scheduled. Is it too late?
Usually not. As long as we file before the sale happens, the automatic stay generally stops it, even if the sale is next week. In New Jersey you can also adjourn the sale twice, up to 30 days each time, which buys room to prepare. Call or text (609) 808-3300 right away so we have time to build the case and file.
Will I be able to keep my home?
In most cases, yes. That's the whole point of Chapter 13 foreclosure defense. Section 1322(b)(5) of the Bankruptcy Code lets your plan cure the missed payments over 3 to 5 years while you keep making the regular monthly payment. Stay current through the plan and the foreclosure ends with you still in your home.
How fast does the foreclosure stop?
Immediately on filing. The automatic stay takes effect the moment your case is filed with the court.
Can I do this from Philadelphia or South Jersey without coming in?
Yes. We handle everything over phone and Zoom, from your first call through your filing, anywhere in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.
I got a Notice of Intention to Foreclose in New Jersey. How much time do I have?
More than you may think, but don't waste it. The Fair Foreclosure Act notice must arrive at least 30 days before the lender can sue, and it has to state what it takes to cure. Once the Superior Court complaint is filed, you have 35 days to answer. If nobody contests the case, it's processed on paper by the statewide Office of Foreclosure, and the county sheriff schedules the sale after judgment. Filing bankruptcy at any point before that sale generally stops it.
What are the Act 6 and Act 91 notices I received in Pennsylvania?
Required warnings that come with real rights. Act 6 gives you at least 30 days' notice and a chance to cure before the lender can file in the Court of Common Pleas. The Act 91 notice gives you 33 days to meet face-to-face with an approved counseling agency, and that meeting holds the foreclosure. A timely HEMAP application through PHFA can keep the case paused until PHFA decides, though remember HEMAP is a repayable loan, not a grant. If the clock runs out anyway, bankruptcy is the backstop.