Stop a Foreclosure Sale With Chapter 13
Sheriff sale scheduled? Chapter 13 stops it if filed before the sale.
Call (610) 255-7500Foreclosure filings across the country rose 21% in the first half of 2026, to 227,548 properties. Foreclosure starts rose 18%. Bank repossessions rose 33%. And the process is moving faster: a foreclosure now completes in an average of 563 days, down 13% in a year and the shortest timeline since 2013.
That last number is the one homeowners underestimate. There is less time between the first missed payment and the sale date than there was two years ago.
Can Chapter 13 save your home?
Three questions. Nothing is sent anywhere until you choose to contact us.
Chapter 13 can very likely stop the sale and let you keep the house. The case must be filed before the sale date, so call now rather than the week of the sale.
Chapter 13 may not be the full answer, but a filing can still buy time, and a loan modification, a short sale or Chapter 7 may protect more than you think. Call before the sale date either way.
Where the four states stand
| State | Filings, first half 2026 | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 8,269 | 0.22% of housing units, 7th worst in the country |
| Maryland | 4,985 | 0.19%, 9th worst |
| Pennsylvania | 8,399 | 0.14% |
| New York | 11,983 | 0.14% |
What Chapter 13 does about it
Filing Chapter 13 triggers the automatic stay, which stops the sheriff sale immediately. It does not matter how close the sale date is, as long as the case is filed before it happens.
From there, Chapter 13 does something no loan modification does. It takes the entire arrearage, meaning the missed payments, late fees and foreclosure costs, and spreads it across a three to five year plan while you resume the regular monthly payment. The lender has to accept that treatment. You do not need its agreement and you do not need to qualify for anything.
A Chapter 13 plan can also:
- Strip a second mortgage or home equity line entirely if the first mortgage is larger than the value of the house.
- Cure property tax arrears and municipal liens over the life of the plan.
- Bring a car loan current, and in some cases reduce it to the value of the vehicle.
- Stop wage garnishments and bank levies on other debts at the same time.
- Discharge the remaining unsecured debt at the end of the plan.
What it does not do
Chapter 13 does not reduce the principal balance on the mortgage on your home. It cures the default. It does not rewrite the loan. You also have to be able to make the ongoing mortgage payment plus the plan payment. If the income is not there, Chapter 13 buys time but does not solve the problem, and we will say so at the first meeting.
Timing
The case must be filed before the sale, not after. In Pennsylvania a sheriff sale can be scheduled quickly once judgment is entered. In New Jersey the timeline is longer, but the sale date, once set, is real. Call before the sale date, not the week of it, because a rushed filing risks the errors that get a case dismissed.
Free consultation. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Maryland.
Call (610) 255-7500Learn more on our Chapter 13 bankruptcy page.
Frequently asked questions
Can Chapter 13 stop a sheriff sale?
Yes. Filing a Chapter 13 petition triggers the automatic stay, which stops the sale immediately, provided the case is filed before the sale takes place.
How does Chapter 13 handle missed mortgage payments?
The full arrearage, including missed payments, late fees and foreclosure costs, is spread over a three to five year plan while you resume regular monthly payments. The lender must accept that treatment.
Can Chapter 13 remove a second mortgage?
Yes, if the balance on the first mortgage is greater than the value of the house. The second mortgage or home equity line is then treated as unsecured debt.
How close to the sale date can I file?
Any time before the sale occurs. Filing earlier is better, because a rushed petition is more likely to have errors that lead to dismissal.
Sources: ATTOM Mid-Year 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report; Epiq AACER and American Bankruptcy Institute filing statistics. Figures current as of September 2026.