Generally speaking, what can a homeowner do to avoid foreclosure?

The first, easy answer is, "Make your mortgage payments on time."

O.K. That's obvious, right? But these are difficult times and many homeowners find it difficult, even impossible, maybe even not a good idea to make their payments on time.

Some cannot pay because they lost their jobs, because an extended illness kept them from working and used up all their reserves, because an adjustable rate mortgage let their payment suddenly go way up, or... the list goes on and on.

So the question gets refined down to, "If you can't make your mortgage payment, what can you do to avoid foreclosure?"

Answer: Everyone's situation is different, so there is a different answer for each case. The first thing you should do is educate yourself about the possibilities so you will know what might be done. Then choose a solution or potential solution or solutions that fit you and your situation.

Find out about how to:

Negotiate a forebearance of payment, new payment schedule or other new way to pay that requires less money.

Set up a short sale of your home to get you off the hook and avoid having your credit record ruined by a foreclosure.

Refinance at a lower interest rate and longer pay out.

Rent part of your house to get help in making the mortgage payment.

See if you qualify for Federal assistance.

Take the legal steps necessary to give yourself more time to work out a solution.

Consider personal bankruptcy to stop a foreclosure process.

Learn about the foreclosure laws in your state. In some states it is easy to stretch out the procedure for 1-2 years!

Learn about what has worked for other people in your same situation. Things change, so you also need to lean about what is working now!

If you do not make your payments and do not put up a fight, you will be foreclosed on and put out of your home. The first thing to do is to take a crash course on how to fight effectively, buy time, negotiate and win.

The first step in that is to get some eBooks on the subject, read them, learn and get started!

For example, try: Avoid Foreclosure Hell