Free resource
Consultation prep checklist.
You don't need everything on this list. But the more you have, the more specific and actionable your plan will be. Five minutes of prep = a much better 15-minute call.
1
Your mortgage basics
- Lender / servicer name (check a recent statement or the lender's website login)
- Approximate loan balance
- Current monthly payment (principal + interest + escrow)
- Current interest rate and whether it's fixed or adjustable
- Loan type: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, or other
- Number of payments missed or currently behind
- Date of last payment made
2
Any notices you've received
- Notice of Default (NOD) — if received, note the date
- Notice of Trustee Sale / Notice of Sheriff's Sale — note the auction date if one is scheduled
- Any letters from your servicer's loss-mitigation or collections department
- Any legal summons or court documents (judicial foreclosure states)
- Any offers you've received from investors or 'foreclosure rescue' companies
3
Your income and employment
- Current employment status (employed, self-employed, recently laid off, on disability, retired)
- Approximate gross monthly household income from all sources
- Recent pay stubs or a recent bank statement if you can locate one
- Any income changes in the past 12 months (job loss, medical leave, reduced hours)
- If self-employed: approximate monthly net profit
4
Your hardship
- The main reason you fell behind — in one or two sentences is fine
- Whether the hardship is still ongoing or has been resolved
- If medical: whether disability income or insurance has kicked in
- Any other major debts (second mortgage, HELOC, auto loans, credit cards)
5
Your goals — what outcome do you want?
- Keep the home (loan modification, forbearance, repayment plan)
- Sell and exit with equity protected (traditional sale or vetted cash offer)
- Exit cleanly with as little credit damage as possible (short sale or deed in lieu)
- Buy time to figure out next steps
- Not sure — you just need someone to explain your options
Nice to have (but truly optional)
- A copy of your most recent mortgage statement
- Your servicer's customer-service phone number or website
- Any existing workout or forbearance agreement you've already been offered
- Property tax and insurance payment status (current or behind?)
Remember
- You don't need to have everything before you call — we can gather details as we go.
- Nothing you share is passed to any third party without your explicit permission.
- There is no commitment required and no fee for the consultation.
- If you're not sure whether something is relevant, mention it anyway. We'll tell you.
Tip: Use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P / ⌘+P) to save this as a PDF or print it out before your call.
Ready? Let's talk.
15 minutes. No fees. You'll walk away knowing exactly where you stand.