The 120-Day Window in Florida
Under federal law (the CFPB's Regulation X), your mortgage servicer cannot file a foreclosure action until you are at least 120 days delinquent. In practice, most Jacksonville lenders begin the foreclosure process shortly after that 120-day mark. Once they file a lis pendens with the Duval County Clerk of Courts, the situation escalates from "behind on payments" to "active foreclosure" — and your options narrow.
During that 120-day window, you have leverage. Your lender would rather receive a payoff through a voluntary sale than spend $15,000-$25,000 on foreclosure attorneys and court costs. They know foreclosure auctions in Duval County return less than market value. A voluntary sale is in everyone's interest — the lender gets paid, you protect your credit, and the house transfers cleanly.
If you're one or two payments behind, you're in the best possible position to act. Three payments behind, the clock is ticking. Four or more, you're approaching the filing threshold. Wherever you are in this timeline, there are still options — but the sooner you explore them, the more choices you'll have.
Why Jacksonville Homeowners Fall Behind
This isn't about financial irresponsibility — it's about math. Jacksonville homeowners are dealing with a perfect storm of rising costs that didn't exist when they signed their mortgage. Property insurance premiums across Northeast Florida have jumped 30-50% in the last three years, with some Duval County homeowners seeing annual premiums go from $1,800 to $3,200 or more. Those increases flow directly into your monthly escrow payment.
Duval County property taxes average approximately 1.01% of assessed value, and with Jacksonville's property values rising — the median home price in Duval County crossed $290,000 — tax bills have climbed accordingly. Add in flood insurance requirements for properties near the St. Johns River, Trout River, or any of Jacksonville's coastal zones, and a mortgage payment that was manageable three years ago can become crushing.
Then there are life events: job loss, medical bills, divorce, a spouse passing away. The specifics vary, but the result is the same — the gap between income and housing costs becomes unsustainable. If that's where you are, the goal is to sell on your terms before your lender forces a sale on theirs.
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Your Options When You're Behind
Loan modification: Your servicer may agree to modify your loan terms — lower rate, extended term, or adding arrears to the balance. Worth exploring, but approval rates are inconsistent, the process takes 60-90 days, and your servicer may deny the request. During that time, late fees and missed payments keep accumulating.
Forbearance: A temporary pause or reduction in payments. This doesn't forgive the missed payments — they're added to what you owe. If your income problem is temporary, this can help. If it's permanent, you're delaying the inevitable.
Sell for cash: A cash sale pays off your lender in full (or we negotiate a short sale if you owe more than the home is worth), eliminates your monthly payment obligation, and puts whatever equity remains in your pocket. No agent commissions eating into your proceeds, no repair costs, and no 3-month timeline to find a buyer. You can request a free cash offer here — it takes two minutes and commits you to nothing.
If you've already received a lis pendens or foreclosure notice, read our foreclosure page for information specific to that stage. But if you're behind and the formal process hasn't started, you still have time to sell on your own terms.
What to Expect When You Work With Us
Tell Us Where You Stand
How many payments behind are you? Have you received any notices from your lender? We ask these questions to understand your timeline and urgency — not to judge.
Get a Cash Offer — Fast
Within 24 hours, you'll have a written cash offer based on your Jacksonville home's market value. We'll also outline the net payoff — what goes to your lender and what you keep.
Pay Off Your Lender and Walk Away Clean
At closing, the title company pays your mortgage balance directly to the lender. Any remaining equity is wired to you. Zero commissions, zero closing costs on your end. Your lender is satisfied, and there's no foreclosure on your record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Being behind on payments does not prevent you from selling your home. You still own the property and have every right to sell it. The mortgage balance (including any late fees and arrears) is paid off at closing through the title company. As long as the sale price covers your outstanding balance, it's a clean transaction.
This is called being "underwater," and it's more common than you might think — especially for homeowners who bought in Jacksonville between 2020-2022 at peak prices. In this situation, we can negotiate a short sale with your lender, where they agree to accept less than the full payoff amount. We handle those negotiations and there's no cost to you. The alternative — foreclosure — is worse for both you and the lender.
Significantly. A foreclosure stays on your credit report for seven years and can drop your score 100-160 points. A voluntary sale — even a short sale — is far less damaging. Many homeowners who sell voluntarily can qualify for a new mortgage in 2-3 years. After foreclosure, the minimum wait is typically 3-7 years depending on the loan type.
It depends on your equity — the difference between what your home is worth and what you owe. We'll give you a clear breakdown: sale price, minus your mortgage payoff, minus any liens or back taxes. Since we charge zero fees and cover closing costs, the remaining equity is yours. If you're underwater, a short sale may be the path forward — you walk away free of the mortgage with no out-of-pocket cost.
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