Contra Costa County · Short Sale / Foreclosure
Short Sales and Foreclosure in Contra Costa County
If the payments no longer work, find out which options remain before committing to a sale. Mortgage assistance, county tax arrangements and a short sale involve different decisions and different people.
Request a home value review
A missed payment does not tell you what your home could cover
A short sale in Contra Costa County may be worth exploring when a sale would leave a mortgage shortfall. Difficulty making the monthly payment does not establish that shortfall. You need a current view of the property's likely sale price and the amounts that would have to be paid at closing.
I am Kate Fomina, broker and owner of Crypton Realty. I can review the real estate side with you: comparable sales, the property's condition and estimated selling costs. You can use that information while asking your servicer about options for keeping the home.
Starting in 2009, I worked as a short sale specialist at Princeton Real Estate Brokerage. Together, our team closed hundreds of transactions and helped homeowners avoid foreclosure. That experience informs how I approach these conversations today.
If you have a Notice of Default, a Notice of Trustee's Sale or an auction date, contact your servicer and a California foreclosure attorney promptly. Do not wait for a pricing appointment to get advice about that notice.
Keep the entire notice, including its dates and contact details. California Courts provides an overview of the nonjudicial foreclosure process, but a general timeline cannot establish how much time remains in your case. California Courts foreclosure guidance
Ask for mortgage help through a verified contact
Use the servicer contact on your mortgage statement to ask about assistance and the documents it needs. Explain whether the payment difficulty is temporary or ongoing. Keep a dated record of what you submit and any response, including requests for missing information.
A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you prepare for that conversation and understand the options being discussed. HUD states that foreclosure counseling is free. Use its agency locator or call 800-569-4287 and ask for mortgage delinquency or foreclosure counseling serving your ZIP code. HUD counseling information
For legal questions about notices or the foreclosure process, the Contra Costa County Bar Association offers a Lawyer Referral & Information Service at 925-825-5700. Ask about the relevant practice area, availability and fees. A referral request does not mean that an attorney has accepted your case. Find a lawyer in Contra Costa
County tax debt has its own account and payment rules
For property-tax arrears in Contra Costa, contact the Treasurer-Tax Collector at 925-608-9500. Have the parcel number and notices available. Ask for the current amount due, the status of the account and any deadline tied to a scheduled tax sale. County tax contact
The county explains that unpaid secured and supplemental taxes become tax-defaulted after June 30. Its redemption guidance describes when property becomes subject to the power to sell and when the right to redeem ends. Those rules concern a county tax sale, not the mortgage trustee's sale process. Defaulted-tax guidance
Contra Costa offers an installment plan of redemption for eligible defaulted taxes. Its contract sets entry limits and continuing payment obligations. Do not assume that a plan remains available once the property is subject to the Tax Collector's power to sell. Ask the office to confirm eligibility for your parcel and which current taxes must also be paid. County redemption-plan requirements
| What you are looking at | What to verify | Who can answer |
|---|---|---|
| A mortgage statement or servicer notice | Payment history, assistance application status and the notice deadline | Your mortgage servicer and, for legal questions, your attorney |
| A Contra Costa current-year tax bill | Which installment is unpaid and whether the payment has been credited | County Treasurer-Tax Collector |
| A county redemption balance | Defaulted years, current payoff amount and installment-plan eligibility | County Treasurer-Tax Collector |
| An HOA collection letter | Itemized charges, recorded claims and response deadlines | Association or its representative, with legal advice where needed |
If taxes are normally paid through your mortgage account, ask the servicer and county to reconcile the payment record. A payment to one account should not be assumed to resolve a notice from another. Keep the written confirmation with your records.
Compare the proceeds with the full closing picture
A countywide price trend cannot tell you what a particular home could sell for. The analysis for a Richmond condominium should reflect comparable condominiums and its ownership costs. An Antioch detached home needs a different set of comparable properties. We review the actual property instead of assuming that time owned equals available equity.
I can prepare a sale-price comparison and estimated selling expenses. Title and escrow can identify recorded matters and obtain the information needed for closing. Your creditors provide the applicable payoff or approval terms. Estimates need updating as dates, charges or proposed terms change.
| Part of the review | Information needed | What it helps establish |
|---|---|---|
| Likely sale price | Comparable properties, condition and competing listings | A supported range rather than an online estimate alone |
| Debt and recorded claims | Current payoff statements and title information | What the proposed closing would need to address |
| Sale expenses | Property preparation choices and an itemized closing estimate | How much of the sale price may remain available |
| Approval and timing | Written creditor terms and any confirmed sale-date changes | Whether the proposed transaction can proceed as planned |
If the sale can cover the required payoffs and costs, a conventional sale may be possible. If it cannot, we need to identify the shortfall and the approvals required before describing a short sale as workable. The Contra Costa home-value page explains the pricing side. The county selling guide covers preparation questions.
A buyer's offer is not short-sale approval
A short sale requires the lender or servicer to agree to accept less than the mortgage amount owed. Finding an interested buyer is only part of that process. Review the written approval requirements and any other claims affecting the proposed closing. CFPB short-sale explanation
Have a qualified California attorney review the approval terms and any remaining obligations. Ask a tax professional separately about potential tax consequences. Neither a general website explanation nor an estimate of sale proceeds answers those questions for your circumstances.
Do not treat listing the property, receiving an offer or submitting paperwork as confirmation that a scheduled foreclosure sale has been postponed. Ask your servicer and attorney to confirm the current status. I can keep the marketing and buyer discussion aligned with the information actually received. I cannot promise a lender's decision or a closing date.
Check a rescue offer before signing anything
An urgent offer of help deserves independent verification. Before paying someone or signing documents that affect title, have the proposed arrangement reviewed by a qualified attorney. Use contact details you verify independently, rather than relying only on a caller or an unsolicited letter.
The Contra Costa District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Unit lists foreclosure scams, home-equity theft and forged deeds among the crimes it investigates. Its official page provides complaint forms and a fraud-reporting number, 925-957-8608. Reporting suspected fraud is separate from obtaining advice about an approaching foreclosure deadline. Contra Costa real-estate fraud resources
Discuss the sale question without deciding to list today
Tell me whether you are exploring a sale and whether a notice includes a scheduled date. We can start with the property and the information needed for a realistic sale review. You do not need to decide on a short sale before asking what your home may sell for.
Discuss my sale options or call 415-305-6708. The Bay Area short-sale guide explains the broader alternatives. You can also return to the Contra Costa County overview.
This is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Sources checked October 12, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does mortgage delinquency mean my Contra Costa home needs a short sale?
No. First compare a supported sale-price estimate with the payoffs and costs a closing would require. Difficulty making the payment and a shortfall on sale are separate questions.
Can I put defaulted county property taxes on a payment plan?
Possibly. Contra Costa's redemption plan has eligibility limits and ongoing obligations. Contact the Treasurer-Tax Collector about your parcel, especially if you have received a power-to-sell or auction notice.
Will listing my home postpone foreclosure?
Do not rely on a listing as confirmation of postponement. Have your servicer and attorney confirm the sale's current status and the requirements that apply to your case.
The method
The E.P.I.C. Home Selling Strategy in Contra Costa County
Short Sale / Foreclosure: keep exploring
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