30 days before the sheriff sale — your 5 honest options in Pennsylvania

If you can pay the full past-due amount plus penalties and legal fees in a single lump sum before the sheriff sale, the foreclosure stops and the mortgage returns to its pre-default status. Call the lender's loss mitigation department today and ask for the exact reinstatement figure. You have the legal right to reinstate up until the sheriff accepts the winning bid at auction. If you have access to funds (family loan, 401(k), estate liquidation), this is the option that preserves both your home and your credit.

Best for: sellers with access to emergency funds

HEMAP is a Pennsylvania state loan (not a "forgiveness" program) that can bring your mortgage current and cover monthly installments for up to 24 months if you've fallen behind due to circumstances beyond your control (job loss, medical emergency, divorce, death in the family). Your Act 91 notice came with the application forms. PHFA's hotline is 800-342-2397. Apply TODAY even if you think you won't qualify — submission freezes the foreclosure process while they review. HEMAP has a strict deadline and many families lose eligibility because they waited too long.

Best for: sellers with temporary income hardship but recovery prospects

Filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy triggers an "automatic stay" that stops the sheriff sale immediately — sometimes the same day. Chapter 13 lets you pay the missed payments over 3 to 5 years while making current mortgage payments on time. It's a big decision that affects your credit for 7 years, but it's the ONLY guaranteed way to stop an imminent sheriff sale without having all the money. You need a PA-licensed bankruptcy attorney — most offer free consultations. If the sale is next week, this might be your only option to keep the house.

Best for: sellers who want to keep the house but don't have reinstatement money

You voluntarily transfer the deed to the lender in exchange for them releasing your mortgage and canceling the foreclosure. It's better for your credit than a full foreclosure, and sometimes the lender contributes "cash for keys" money to help you move. But lenders only accept deed-in-lieu when the property won't sell at traditional listing AND when there are no second mortgages or liens. Approval takes 30–90 days, which is often too slow when the sheriff sale is in 30. Ask anyway — some lenders fast-track approval to stop an imminent sale.

Best for: sellers giving up on keeping the house but wanting to protect credit

A cash sale to a certified buyer can pay off the lender directly and release the lien BEFORE the sheriff sale date — even inside a 30-day window. The constraint usually isn't the money; it's the title work and lender coordination. For it to work: (a) the buyer needs to move at cash speed (no third-party inspection contingencies), (b) you need to authorize them to talk to your lender today, (c) the property needs to be able to close clean on title. ABE Homes does this. Mike Sup is an InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector — he walks, writes the firm offer, and we coordinate directly with the lender and the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office. No third-party inspector surprises at the closing table.

Best for: sellers when HEMAP isn't viable and reinstatement isn't possible