Brevard County · Selling
Behind on mortgage payments in Brevard County
A local agent and a free HUD housing counselor first. Never a rushed cash sale.
Free · Agents who know Brevard County · Every step in one app
Falling behind on your mortgage can feel frightening and lonely. The letters, the calls and the worry about losing your home can make it hard to sleep or even open the mail. Many people who end up here did nothing wrong: a job loss, an illness, a divorce or a big repair can knock anyone off balance.
Please hear this plainly: you have more options than you may think, and there is free help. The earlier you act, the more choices you usually have. Federal rules give you time and require your mortgage servicer (the company you send payments to) to tell you about ways to keep your home or to leave it on better terms.
The first step is not selling in a rush, and it is not paying a stranger who promises to save your home. It is one phone call to a free HUD-approved housing counselor, who can look at your whole situation and help you talk to your servicer.
What’s different for you
- Talk to a free HUD housing counselor. They help you understand every option before you decide anything.
- Meet a local agent. If selling is the right answer, they plan it around your dates.
- Never a rushed cash sale. CloseHive does not run cash offer rounds for homes behind on payments.
When you start in CloseHive from this page, your plan already includes these steps, along with the usual ones for selling in Brevard County. You always see what to do next, and your agent handles the how.
What to know
You usually have at least 120 days before foreclosure can start
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says a servicer generally cannot make the first notice or filing for foreclosure until you are more than 120 days behind. Use that time. Call your servicer as soon as you know you cannot make a payment; the number is on your monthly statement.
Ask your servicer about options to keep or leave the home
Your servicer must tell you about loss mitigation options (ways to avoid foreclosure). Some help you keep the home, and some help you leave it on better terms than a foreclosure. Ask what applications they need and write down who you talked to and when.
Send a complete application early
The CFPB advises making sure your servicer gets your complete application more than 37 days before any scheduled foreclosure sale. You should hear back in writing within 30 days. If you are denied a loan modification and your complete application arrived at least 90 days before a scheduled sale, you may have a right to appeal.
Free counseling is real
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies cannot charge you to help you explore your options when you have trouble paying your mortgage. You can find one at (800) 569-4287. A counselor can help you understand your choices, talk with your lender and build a plan.
Florida foreclosures go through the court
Florida law says mortgages are foreclosed in equity, which means the lender must file a court case. If you are served with court papers, read them right away and note any deadline. A lawyer, legal aid or a HUD-approved counselor can explain what to do next.
Florida protects you from foreclosure-rescue scams
Under Florida Statute 501.1377, a foreclosure-rescue consultant may not collect any payment until they have fully done every service they promised. You can cancel a rescue agreement within 3 business days after signing. If someone offers to buy your home and rent or sell it back to you, Florida adds strict written rules and a right to cancel by 5 p.m. on the 3rd business day.
Selling can be one option, not the only one
If you have equity (the home is worth more than you owe), selling with a local agent before a foreclosure sale may let you pay off the loan and keep what is left. If you owe more than the home is worth, a short sale needs your lender's approval. A counselor can help you compare.
Your options
What to gather
- Your latest mortgage statement and your servicer's phone number
- Proof of income: recent pay stubs, benefits letters or profit and loss statements
- Recent bank statements
- A short written letter explaining your hardship and when it started
- Your monthly budget: income and every bill
- Any letters from your servicer or court papers, kept together
- A log of every call: date, name and what was said
- The name of your HUD-approved housing counselor
Mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring the mail or the phone. Waiting usually removes options. Open every letter and call your servicer and a counselor now.
- Paying someone upfront to save your home. Free help exists, and in Florida a foreclosure-rescue consultant cannot charge before finishing the work. Never pay upfront.
- Signing your deed over to a stranger. Some offers to take over your home or rent it back to you leave owners worse off. Have any offer reviewed by an attorney or counselor first, and remember your right to cancel.
- Taking a rushed cash offer without comparing. Selling fast for far below value can cost you your equity. Compare a cash offer with listing and with your servicer's options before you decide.
Brevard County in numbers
- The typical home in Brevard County is worth about $339,600, and 77% of homes are lived in by their owners.
- Typical rent here is about $1,556 a month, including utilities.
Free help
Questions people ask
Where do I find a HUD housing counselor?
Search “HUD approved housing counseling” on hud.gov; the help is free.
How far behind do I have to be before foreclosure starts?
Under federal rules, your servicer generally cannot make the first notice or filing for foreclosure until you are more than 120 days behind. Call your servicer and a counselor long before that.
Where can I get free help with my mortgage?
Call the HUD housing counselor locator at (800) 569-4287. HUD-approved agencies cannot charge you to help you explore your options.
Can I sell my house if I am behind on payments?
Often yes. If the home is worth more than you owe, the title company pays off the loan from the sale money at closing. Tell your servicer you are selling and ask for a payoff amount.
How long does foreclosure take in Florida?
Florida foreclosures go through the courts, so the time depends on the case and the court. Get help as soon as you are served, and keep working with your servicer.
Is it a scam if someone asks for money to stop my foreclosure?
It may be. The CFPB says you should not have to pay anyone to help you avoid foreclosure, and Florida bars foreclosure-rescue consultants from collecting before they finish their services.
What happens if I just walk away?
The home may still go through foreclosure, which can hurt your credit, and you could owe money left over. Talk to a counselor first; there may be a better way.
Will my servicer work with me?
Your servicer must tell you about options to avoid foreclosure. Send a complete application early, keep copies and follow up in writing.