General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk with a CA attorney or CPA about your situation. Rules as of October 24, 2026; the source links hold the current text.
What is the foreclosure calendar after a notice of default?
Sidney Manzo is a Highland Park real estate agent who handles sales under a foreclosure deadline and helps owners see whether a market sale can pay off the loan, in real estate since 1990. A listing doesn't stop a trustee sale by itself. Only a reinstatement, a lender-approved change, or a closed sale does.
Write your own dates into this table the day you get the notice.
| Mark on the calendar | What California law or the County says | What to do that week |
|---|---|---|
| NOD recorded | Civil Code §2924 says not less than three months must pass from the filing of the NOD. The LA County Registrar-Recorder mails owners copies of recorded notices through the Homeowner Notification Program (DCBA). | Call DCBA (800-593-8222) or a HUD-approved counselor. Pull your payoff and reinstatement figures. |
| About 30 days after the NOD | In the City of Los Angeles, LAHD requires the lender to register the property in the City's Foreclosure Registry within 30 days of an active NOD. | Expect your property to appear on City lists. Watch for scam mail (see below). |
| 3 months after the NOD | The notice of sale can be given (§2924). §2924 lets it be recorded up to 5 days early, but then the sale date can be no earlier than 3 months and 20 days after the NOD. | If selling, the home should be listed or in escrow by now. |
| Notice of sale posted | The notice states the sale's time and place (§2924). Ask a HUD-approved counselor or attorney how much notice your sale date carries. | Escrow timing is critical. Talk to the lender about postponement in writing. |
| Sale date | Your counselor or attorney can confirm the earliest date from the recorded notices. | If escrow can't close first, your counselor and attorney discuss what's left. |
What does the City of Los Angeles foreclosure registry mean for you?
LAHD's Foreclosure Registry Program applies to lenders, not owners: a lender with a notice of default still active after 30 days on a residential property in the City must register it, pay a $155 fee, and re-register each January while it stays subject to the ordinance. Since a December 20, 2014 amendment, the lender must also inspect and report on the property's condition monthly. For an owner, the practical effect is visibility. A recorded NOD becomes public, and you may hear from people you didn't contact.
Who can help for free, and what should you avoid?
Free help first.
- LA County DCBA Foreclosure Prevention: free one-on-one counseling for homeowners and owners of 15 or fewer units, 800-593-8222.
- HUD-approved housing counselors: HUD's counselor search, or (800) 569-4287. On October 24, 2026, HUD's locator listed East LA Community Corporation (ELACC), 2917 E 1st St Ste 101, Los Angeles, 323-850-8050, as the nearest agency to Highland Park offering mortgage delinquency and default counseling, about 5 miles away.
Scam warning signs. The Attorney General and the DRE both describe California's foreclosure-consultant law: a foreclosure consultant may not collect a fee until every promised service is fully performed (Civil Code §2945.4), and the DRE states that no one, including licensees and attorneys, may charge advance fees for loan modification or forbearance. Be careful with anyone who:
- asks for money before doing anything,
- tells you to stop talking to your lender or counselor,
- asks you to sign over the deed, or
- promises to "save" the house.
Which option fits your numbers?
Your choices depend on one comparison: what you owe (loan payoff plus arrears, fees and liens) against what the house would likely sell for, less costs.
| If… | The options usually discussed with a counselor | Where Sidney fits |
|---|---|---|
| You can catch up | Reinstatement, repayment plan | Not needed |
| Payments are the problem, not the house | Loan modification, forbearance (no advance fees allowed) | Not needed |
| There is equity after costs | A market sale before the sale date | Price, prepare, list and manage escrow against the calendar |
| You owe more than it would sell for | A short sale, with lender approval | See the Highland Park short sale page |
Equity worksheet (fill in with real statements)
- Loan payoff from the servicer, good-through date: $______
- Second loan or HELOC payoff: $______
- Liens, property tax arrears: $______
- Likely sale price (from a written price opinion): $______
- Costs: commission, escrow and title, County $1.10 per $1,000 and City $2.25 per $500 transfer tax, LADBS Residential Property Report $70.85: $______
- Equity left (price − payoffs − costs): $______
What can slow a Highland Park sale under a deadline?
- The Residential Property Report. The Municipal Code requires the seller to deliver it to the buyer before entering into an agreement of sale, or, where escrow has been opened, through escrow before close of escrow (LAMC §§ 96.302, 96.307). Order it in week one.
- HPOZ status. Under the 2010 Highland Park–Garvanza Preservation Plan, foundation repair with no exterior change and same-color paint need no HPOZ review. Under a deadline, skip any work that needs staff or Board sign-off.
- Title items. Liens, an old permit issue or a missing signer can each slow escrow. Pull a preliminary title report early.
Listing commission is one of the sale costs.
The amount or rate of real estate commissions is not fixed by law. They are set by each broker individually and may be negotiable between the seller and broker.
Who helps owners in Highland Park?
Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914
In real estate since 1990 · RE/MAX Hall of Fame · Member, Pasadena Association of REALTORS® and California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.)
Brokerage: RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193
Sidney works alongside your counselor and attorney once selling becomes the plan. Listing commission is set in the written listing agreement and is typically paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
Last reviewed by Sidney Manzo · About Sidney
Questions
Foreclosure questions
- How long do I have after a notice of default in California?
- Civil Code §2924 says at least three months must pass after the notice of default is recorded before the notice of sale is given. If the notice of sale is recorded up to 5 days early, as §2924 allows, the sale date can be no earlier than three months and 20 days after the NOD. A HUD-approved housing counselor or attorney can confirm your dates.
- Will listing my Highland Park house stop the foreclosure?
- No. A listing alone does not stop or postpone a trustee sale. A reinstatement, a lender-approved postponement or agreement, or a sale that closes before the sale date changes the outcome. Ask your lender for any postponement in writing.
- Where can I get free foreclosure counseling near Highland Park?
- LA County DCBA offers free one-on-one counseling at 800-593-8222. HUD's counselor search, or (800) 569-4287, lists HUD-approved agencies; on October 24, 2026 the nearest one offering default counseling was East LA Community Corporation, 323-850-8050.
- Is it legal for someone to charge me upfront to stop my foreclosure?
- California's foreclosure-consultant law bars a consultant from collecting a fee until every promised service is performed (Civil Code §2945.4), and the DRE states no one may charge advance fees for loan modification or forbearance. Report concerns to DCBA or the DRE.
- What is the Los Angeles Foreclosure Registry?
- It is an LAHD program that requires lenders, not owners, to register City of Los Angeles residential properties with a notice of default still active after 30 days, pay a $155 fee, and inspect the property monthly.
- When is the listing commission paid in a pre-foreclosure sale?
- It is set in the written listing agreement and is typically paid from the sale proceeds at closing. A written price opinion and net sheet help you and your counselor compare options. Own a home in a nearby area instead? The Eagle Rock guide follows the same City of Los Angeles rules. South Pasadena and Pasadena are separate cities, so City of L.A. programs such as the Foreclosure Registry don't apply there.
Sources
Sources
- LA County DCBA, Foreclosure Prevention (accessed October 24, 2026)
- LA County DCBA, Homeowner Notification Program (accessed October 24, 2026)
- HUD, Avoiding Foreclosure (accessed October 24, 2026)
- LAHD, Foreclosure Registry Program (accessed October 24, 2026)
- Civil Code §2924 (accessed October 24, 2026)
- CA Attorney General, Mortgage Foreclosure Consultant Law (§2945 et seq.) (accessed October 24, 2026)
- DRE, advance fees (accessed October 24, 2026)
- LA County Registrar-Recorder, documentary transfer tax (accessed October 24, 2026)
- LADBS, Residential Property Report (accessed October 24, 2026)
- Highland Park–Garvanza Preservation Plan, §3.5 (accessed October 24, 2026)
Your agent
Who reviews your home?
Sidney Manzo, Agent, CA DRE #01108914.
- In real estate since 1990
- 155+ closed sales
- RE/MAX Hall of Fame
- Member, Pasadena Association of REALTORS® and C.A.R.
RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193
Last reviewed by Sidney Manzo.