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I just got a Notice of Default: your first 7 days

A Notice of Default is serious, but it is not an eviction and it is not the end. California law generally requires a three-month wait after it is recorded before the sale notice stage, with a limited early-recording exception. What you do in the first week can open up choices that disappear later. Here is a simple day-by-day plan.

By Guillermo Serafin, broker and owner of Serve First Realty. Updated October 2026.

Day 1: Read the notice and breathe

  • Find the date the notice was recorded. It is usually near the top.
  • Find the amount needed to catch up, as of the date of the notice.
  • Know what it is not: it is not an order to move out, and your home has not been sold.
  • Write the recorded date on a calendar. The earliest a sale can generally happen is three months and 20 days after that date, if all other notice rules are met. Many cases take longer, but do not count on extra time. Your recorded notices decide your real dates.

Day 2: Call your loan company

  • Use the number on your monthly statement.
  • Ask for the exact amount to catch up, in writing.
  • Ask what options they offer, such as a payment plan, forbearance, or a loan modification.
  • Ask for your single point of contact. For many loans, California law requires one, but some servicers are exempt.
  • Write down the date, the person's name, and what they said.

Day 3: Get free, trusted help

  • Call a free HUD-approved housing counselor at 800-569-4287.
  • Find free programs in your county on our help programs page.
  • Book a free call with us to understand all your choices. Contacting us does not by itself stop a foreclosure or extend a deadline.

Day 4: Gather your papers

  • Your last two mortgage statements and the Notice of Default.
  • Your last two months of pay stubs or proof of income.
  • Your last two bank statements and your last two tax returns.
  • A short note explaining what happened, called a hardship letter.

Day 5: Decide your direction

Ask yourself: do I want to keep this home, and can I afford it long term? If yes, focus on catching up, a loan modification, or a refinance. If not, ask about a sale or a short sale, and compare the costs and credit effects of each. You do not have to decide alone; that is what the free call is for.

Day 6: Start the paperwork

  • If you want to keep the home, send a complete loan modification application to your servicer. Keep copies and proof it arrived. Only a complete application received by the servicer can bring the protections the law gives, and applying does not always stop a foreclosure. Sending papers to us is not the same as the servicer receiving them.
  • If you want to sell, talk to a licensed agent now. Selling takes time, and the sooner you start, the more you can protect. Listing the home does not by itself stop or delay a sale.

Day 7: Protect yourself from scams

  • Never pay anyone up front to change your loan. California generally prohibits fees for loan modification help before every promised service is fully done, and federal law adds more conditions.
  • Never sign over your deed to someone who says they will save your home.
  • Expect letters and calls from strangers now that your notice is public. Check every license.

General information, not legal advice. Sources: California Civil Code sections 2923.6, 2923.7, 2924, 2924c, and 2944.7.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

Serve First Realty is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender.

Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.

Asking for a guide or giving contact permission does not stop foreclosure or extend a deadline.

Got a Notice of Default? Talk to us this week.

A free call can help you understand your choices and use your time well. It does not stop a foreclosure or extend a deadline.

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