If you’re behind on your mortgage, selling is one option.
Here’s how much time you usually have and what each option involves, including a sale to us. A person on our team reads every request and gets back to you.
What’s going on with the house?
Start here. You don’t need to give your address.
Where is the house?
Just the ZIP code for now, so we can check that we buy in your area.
We buy houses in your area.
We don’t buy houses in that area yet. You can still call us at 215-440-6622 with any questions.
How should we reach you?
We use it only to talk about your house. We never sell or share it.
We use it only to talk about your house. We never sell or share it.
We couldn’t send this. Please call us at 215-440-6622 or email info [at] ajarhouses.com.
Thanks.
Someone from our team will call you, usually within a few hours. If now is a bad moment, just tell them when to call back.
You haven’t agreed to anything, and you can stop at any point.
If you have questions before then, call 215-440-6622 or email info [at] ajarhouses.com.
What usually happens when you fall behind
For a mortgage on the home you live in, federal rules set the first steps. After them, each state has its own process.
By day 36
Most lenders have to try to reach you, usually by phone, and tell you about options they may offer.
By day 45
They also have to send you a letter about those options.
After day 120
Once you’re more than 120 days behind, your lender can take the first formal step toward foreclosure. Federal rules generally don’t allow it sooner.
After that
The process depends on your state. The letters you receive from your lender or a court show where things stand.
If you’ve received letters, keep them handy for when we talk. The dates on them tell us whether a sale to us can fit your time frame.
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Regulation X (12 CFR 1024.39 and 1024.41). Checked October 13, 2026.
Compare your options before you decide
Selling to us is one of them.
What happens to your mortgage when you sell
At closing, the title company or closing attorney asks your lender for the exact amount needed to pay off the loan, including the payments you missed and any fees. They pay that amount from the sale and send you the rest.
You also get a statement that lists every amount paid at closing.
You don’t pay us anything, and you don’t fix, clean or empty the house.
What to have ready when we talk
- Any letters from your lender or a court
- A rough idea of how much you still owe
- The names of everyone on the deed, since they all sign the sale
Our promises to you
- We never ask you for a fee or a deposit.
- Talk to your lender whenever you want. We’ll never tell you not to.
- Take the time you need, and show the offer to your family or a lawyer.
- Your deed stays yours until closing.
Before you sign with any buyer
These questions work with anyone who offers to buy your house, us included.
Questions to ask
- Is the offer in writing, with the price and the closing date?
- Who handles the closing, and can I talk to them directly?
- Will I pay anything before closing?
- Can a lawyer read the contract before I sign?
- How can I cancel, and until when?
- Do I keep the deed until closing?
Warning signs
- Asking for money up front, especially by wire transfer, cashier’s check or a payment app
- Telling you to stop talking to your lender, a lawyer or a housing counselor
- Asking you to send your mortgage payments to them
- Asking you to sign over your deed before closing
- Offering to rent the house back to you or sell it back later
- Pushing you to sign before you’ve read everything
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Mortgage Relief Scams,” updated December 9, 2025.
Questions
Can I still sell if I’ve received foreclosure papers?
Usually, yes. The house is yours until the foreclosure sale. Tell us the dates on the papers you’ve received, and we’ll tell you plainly whether our timeline can work.
What if I owe more than the house is worth?
Tell us when we talk. Selling for less than you owe needs your lender’s approval. That’s called a short sale. If a sale to us can’t work, we’ll say so early.
Can I stay in the house until closing?
Yes. It’s your house until closing, and you choose the closing date.
Can I rent the house back or buy it back later?
No. We don’t offer rent-back or buy-back arrangements. When the sale closes, it’s final.
Will you talk to my lender for me?
No. We don’t offer foreclosure help, and we don’t negotiate with your lender. We buy houses. A HUD-approved housing counselor can usually help you for free.
Can I change my mind?
Yes, until you sign. After you sign, the contract explains how to cancel, and some states add extra time by law. In New York, if you live in the house and you’re behind on payments, you can cancel until midnight of the 14th business day after signing.
Do you share my information?
No. We use it only to talk about your house, and we never sell or share it. When a sale closes, the new deed is recorded with the county, as it is for every home sale.
If your question isn’t here, call 215-440-6622 or email info [at] ajarhouses.com.
Tell us about your house when you’re ready.
It takes two short questions, and you don’t need your address to start.
We buy houses as they are in smaller cities across New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
You can also write to us at info [at] ajarhouses.com.