The easiest way to stop a sheriff sale is simply to ask the lender to put it on hold. Most lenders will do this in order to give the homeowners more of a chance to pay back their loan or get out of foreclosure. Usually, they will want to see some sort of proof that the homeowners are pursuing some solution to the foreclosure, like selling or refinancing, or any other method to stop foreclosure.
Another way to postpone a sale is if the homeowners ask the court to grant them additional time to solve the problem. This is especially useful if the lender is unwilling to postpone the sale any further. The court can automatically have the sheriff sale held off and allow the owners to pursue their solution. The foreclosure victims would still have to provide some proof that they're working on a solution to foreclosure, of course. In our experience, this is the least known, least difficult way that a homeowner can gain some extra time to work on a solution to stop foreclosure.
The final way that is generally used to stop a sheriff sale is by filing bankruptcy to stop foreclosure. Obviously, this is the option that is least desirable to most homeowners that are in danger of losing their homes. Most would rather do anything than further damage their credit by filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. But if there is no other option besides losing the home to foreclosure, homeowners can file bankruptcy just to get the entire process put on hold. While they are in bankruptcy, everything that is involved in the filing is put on hold, giving the foreclosure victims one more chance to seek protection under the law and pay back their debts. There is a lot more to bankruptcy, of course, and it may not be a great option for homeowners who have other options to stop foreclosure, but it can be relied upon as a last resort for foreclosure victims who are intent on saving their homes no matter what.
These are the three most common ways that can be used to postpone a sheriff sale. The easiest is to ask the lender, of course, but this puts all of the decision-making power in the hands of the mortgage company. Seeking a postponement from the county court system is a little-known but effective method to gain additional time to stop foreclosure, as well. Bankruptcy, usually considered a last resort by most homeowners, sometimes has to be relied upon if there is a valid solution to foreclosure but if the lender and court will not provide additional time. Most homeowners should seek out foreclosure advice as soon as they miss more than one payment, so that they are not in a position to have to get their sheriff sale postponed. Ideally, the foreclosure process will be stopped long before a sheriff sale is even scheduled.