HARDSHIP ASSISTANCE IN ARIZONA
Behind on your mortgage?
Let’s look at your options. A change in income, an unexpected expense, or a difficult life event can make a home payment hard to manage. You deserve a clear conversation about what comes next.
Woods Hometown Realty helps homeowners explore selling and short sale options in Yavapai, Maricopa, and Coconino counties.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Begin your short sale online.
You do not have to schedule a call before getting started. Complete our homeowner intake form with information about your home, mortgage, and situation so our team can review what you need.
The intake is completed directly on our website. Submitting your information starts our review and does not create a listing agreement or guarantee lender approval.
WHAT YOU CAN SHARE
A clear place to begin.
- Your contact details and how you prefer to hear from us
- Information about your property and mortgage
- Your current situation and timing
Our team will review your information and contact you about the next steps toward a possible short sale listing.
WHEN THE PAYMENT BECOMES A PROBLEM
You can ask for help before you miss a payment.
Whether the difficulty is recent or has been building for months, start by contacting the company that services your mortgage. Ask for its mortgage assistance or loss mitigation department and find out what information it needs.
If keeping your home is your goal, ask about available payment relief. If selling may be the better fit, we can help you look at market value, estimated selling costs, and whether a traditional sale or a short sale is worth exploring.
You do not need to know which path is right before you reach out.
Open the conversation.
Ask what options apply to your loan and how to submit a complete assistance request. Keep copies of communications and note any deadlines.
Look at the numbers.
A home with enough equity may be sold through a traditional listing. A property value review helps you understand the real estate side of the decision.
Bring in the right people.
A HUD approved housing counselor can help you discuss mortgage assistance. An attorney and tax professional can explain legal and tax consequences.
HUD says foreclosure prevention counseling is free. Find housing counseling through HUD ↗
ARIZONA SHORT SALE HELP
What is a short sale?
A short sale is a sale of your home for less than the mortgage balance, with the lender’s approval.
Ask about a short sale review ↗If the expected sale proceeds will not cover the debt and selling costs, a short sale may be an option to discuss. Your mortgage servicer, the loan’s owner or investor, and any other lienholders may need to approve the terms.
We can help with the property value review, listing strategy, buyer offers, and coordination of the real estate transaction. Your lender decides whether it will accept a short sale and on what terms.
Approval to sell and release of the remaining debt are different questions. Have an Arizona attorney review the written approval and any potential remaining liability before you agree to proceed.
START WITH YOUR GOAL
Compare the paths available to you.
Eligibility depends on your loan, finances, property, and lender requirements. Use this as a starting point for conversations with your servicer and professional advisers.
| Option | What it may involve | A question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Payment relief | Forbearance, a repayment plan, or a loan modification may help an eligible borrower keep the home. | What will I owe during the plan and afterward? |
| Traditional sale | Selling when the proceeds can cover mortgage payoffs and transaction costs. | How much equity would remain after estimated costs? |
| Short sale | Selling for less than the mortgage balance with required approvals. | What does each approval say about costs and remaining debt? |
| Deed in lieu | Transferring ownership to the lender under an agreement it approves. | How would the agreement address liens and remaining liability? |
Forbearance is a temporary payment pause or reduction, not forgiveness of the missed payments. Ask your servicer how repayment would work for your loan.
HOW WE CAN HELP WITH A SALE
From the first conversation to a clear selling plan.
We focus on the real estate work while you get the legal, tax, and mortgage guidance your situation requires.
Have a trustee sale notice?
Tell your servicer and attorney about the scheduled date immediately. Listing a home or submitting a short sale request does not automatically stop a sale.
Talk through your property and goals.
Tell us the location, your preferred next step, and whether you have received a notice with a deadline. A general conversation is enough to begin.
Review value and estimated proceeds.
We look at the local market and estimated selling costs so you can compare a traditional sale with a possible short sale.
Prepare the listing and required information.
If you choose to move forward, we discuss representation, marketing, and the lender’s requested sale documents. You review your financial information with the appropriate professionals.
Coordinate offers and approvals.
We help manage the buyer side of the transaction and communication about the sale. Required lenders and lienholders must agree to the terms.
Review the terms and close.
Your attorney and tax adviser help you assess the approval terms. We coordinate the real estate closing with the buyer and title company.
GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT GETTING OVERWHELMED
What may be needed later?
Your servicer sets its documentation requirements. You do not need to upload financial records to start a conversation with us.
- Mortgage statements and information about other liens
- A description of the hardship and your current goals
- Income, expense, asset, and tax documents the servicer requests
- Any notices, scheduled sale dates, or assistance correspondence
- Property condition information and listing documents, if selling
Share sensitive records only through a method agreed upon with the appropriate professional.
LOCAL REAL ESTATE GUIDANCE
Short sale and home selling help across three Arizona counties.
Yavapai County
Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey and Humboldt, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Sedona, and surrounding communities.
Maricopa County
Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Buckeye, Scottsdale, and surrounding communities.
Coconino County
Flagstaff, Sedona, and surrounding communities. We serve Sedona in both Yavapai and Coconino counties.
Tell us where the property is located and what you are considering. We can start with its local market and the selling options you want to understand.
Talk about my Arizona property →MORTGAGE HARDSHIP AND SHORT SALE FAQ
Answers to the questions homeowners ask.
Do I have to be behind on payments to ask about a short sale?
You can ask questions before missing a payment. Your lender’s eligibility rules and your circumstances determine whether a short sale can be considered. Do not stop paying your mortgage based on information on this website.
Can I sell if I owe more than the home is worth?
A short sale may be possible if the required lenders and lienholders approve. Start with a property value and estimated proceeds review, then discuss the lender’s requirements.
Does a short sale stop foreclosure?
Not automatically. A listing, offer, or pending short sale request does not by itself confirm that a scheduled sale has been postponed. Get the current status from your servicer or trustee and legal advice from an Arizona attorney.
Will I still owe money after a short sale?
Possibly. The written approval terms, your loan, and applicable law matter. Arizona’s protections against certain deficiency claims do not apply to every loan or situation. Have an attorney review your potential liability and the approval language.
Will a short sale affect my credit?
It can. Missed payments and how the lender reports the account may affect your credit. There is no universal point loss or guaranteed timeline for qualifying for another mortgage.
Who pays the selling costs?
Some costs may be paid from the sale proceeds if the lender approves them. Ask about commissions, closing charges, liens, and any requested seller contribution before agreeing to a sale. Do not assume every short sale has no cost to the seller.
How long does a short sale take?
The timing varies. Documentation, valuation, buyer financing, title issues, and the number of required approvals can affect the schedule. We will discuss the known dates and the steps that remain.
Is forgiven mortgage debt automatically tax free?
No. Canceled debt may have tax consequences, and federal exclusions have eligibility and date limits. Ask a tax professional to review the current IRS rules and your circumstances before proceeding.
What if I want to keep my home?
Tell your mortgage servicer that keeping the home is your goal and ask about assistance options. A HUD approved housing counselor can help you understand those options. Our brokerage’s role is to help with real estate selling decisions if you decide to explore a sale.
WOODS HOMETOWN REALTY
Let’s start with your questions.
You do not need to make a selling decision today. Tell us where the property is and what you would like to understand. We will help you identify a practical next step for the real estate side of your situation.
stephanie@stephaniewoodsteam.com
If a foreclosure sale is approaching, contact your servicer and an Arizona attorney now. Sending this form does not stop a sale or create a representation agreement.
Request a conversation.
Tell us only what we need to reach you and get started.