Timeline: What to Expect Month by Month in Foreclosure

Days 1–30: Missed payment. Your lender contacts you; a single payment can often resolve everything at this stage.

Days 30–120: Late notices and a breach letter arrive. Under federal rules, most lenders can't formally start foreclosure until you're 120 days behind — this is your highest-leverage window.

Day 120+: Notice of Default and Intent to Accelerate, sent by certified mail. Texas law gives you at least 20 days to catch up before the lender can demand the full balance.

21 days before sale: Notice of Sale is filed with the county clerk, posted at the courthouse, and mailed to you. The sale date is always the first Tuesday of the month.

Sale date: The property is sold at public auction, typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the county courthouse. There is no right to redeem after a mortgage sale — it's final.

After the sale: The new owner must give at least 3 days' written notice to vacate before filing an eviction suit.

Seeing it laid out this way makes one thing clear: the real decision window is in the first 120 days, not the final 21.