A foreclosure is the legal process where your mortgage company obtains ownership of your home (i.e., repossess the property). A foreclosure occurs when the homeowner has failed to make payments and has defaulted or violated the terms of their mortgage loan.
A foreclosure can usually be avoided—even if you already received a foreclosure notice. See the chart (in “Foreclosure Comparison”) to compare some other options: Short Sale and Mortgage Release (Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure).
No matter the option, you must take action as soon as you can.