How Long Can I Stay in My House After Foreclosure?

Once a house has been foreclosed on, the prior owner needs to vacate.

The Property Is No Longer Yours

Once the property has been sold at the foreclosure auction or retained by the lender, all rights that you had are extinguished, and you are trespassing, which is a crime.

If You Have No Where To Go

Homeowners who have nowhere to go might need to stay in their property after foreclosure. They will likely be evicted, but this will take time to accomplish. Evictions normally take between three and 21 days.

Bottom Line

If foreclosure is inevitable, there are community resources available to assist with housing post-foreclosure. HUD has free counseling resources for homeowners facing foreclosure. It is best to leave the property prior to the foreclosure auction and to have found a new dwelling so that no laws about trespassing are broken and eviction proceedings do not have to occur.

References

• Broker Outpost: How Long Can I Stay In My Home After Foreclosure
• Debt Workout: Foreclosure FAQ

Resources

• HUD