The Foreclosure Story We Don’t Talk About Enough

[David Litt]

Most conversations about foreclosure focus on the numbers — the equity, the debt, the timelines. But behind every notice of default is a family trying to make sense of something they never thought would happen to them.

I recently spoke with a homeowner who had fallen behind after a medical emergency. They weren’t lazy, careless, or financially reckless — just overwhelmed. They’d been avoiding calls, ignoring letters, and living with this quiet dread that it was all too late.

Here’s what struck me: once we walked through what foreclosure actually meant — the process, the timeline, and the possible solutions — their whole mindset changed. They realized there were still options. They could negotiate, apply for a modification, or even sell on their own terms instead of losing everything.

That moment made me rethink how I view foreclosure. Sometimes, helping someone through it isn’t about “getting a deal.” It’s about giving them back a sense of control they thought they’d lost.

For those who’ve been around foreclosure situations — investors, agents, or even homeowners — have you seen this shift too? How often do you find that education alone changes the entire outcome?