In the District most lenders sue, and you have 21 days to answer.
A lender in the District of Columbia can sue in Superior Court or use the power of sale in the deed of trust. The power of sale route requires a Notice of Default, an offer of DISB mediation, a recorded mediation certificate and a 30 day notice of intention to foreclose, and because those rules do not apply to a court case most residential lenders have sued since 2011. You may cure up to 5 business days before bidding. We found no District statute giving a right to buy the home back after the sale.
Not sure what date to put in? Tell us which paper you were sent and we will work the timeline out backwards from it.
Each is a different statute.
When you first fell behind.
Local pace is the variable.
Past steps fade out.
FHA and VA add steps.
A tenant gets 90 days under federal law.
Three dates decide a District case. The day you are served, which starts the 21 days to answer. The judgment and decree of sale, after which the trustees must mail notice at least 21 days before the auction and advertise for four weeks. And the auction itself, which the court must ratify, after which we found no statutory right to redeem. On the power of sale route the Notice of Default starts a 30 day window to elect mediation and the notice of intention to foreclose starts a 30 day count to the sale.
What District of Columbia gives you
Rights that exist because the property is in District of Columbia, whatever a servicer tells you on the phone.
Where to get real help, free
Regional legal aid programs take foreclosure cases at no cost if you qualify by income. Start at LawHelp.org, which lists free legal aid programs state by state.
HUD-approved housing counselors are free everywhere, including the District — 1-800-569-4287. Some states, courts and counties run foreclosure mediation or counseling programs; ask your servicer or a HUD-approved counselor whether yours does.
Anyone who contacts you first, guarantees they can stop the sale for a fee paid up front, or asks you to sign the deed over is running a scam. Never sign a deed to someone promising to save your home.
Checked against the statutes cited beside each step. Every legal claim on this page is registered with its citation and was checked against official sources and then reviewed again by an independent checker. Dates marked as estimates are estimates. Appellate case law was not independently verified, and laws change, so have a District of Columbia foreclosure attorney confirm anything that matters before you act.
Questions people ask about District of Columbia foreclosure
Short answers, each one sourced to the statute cited on this page.
How long does foreclosure take in the District of Columbia?
A typical D.C. foreclosure runs roughly 350 days from the first missed payment to the sale. The lender must send a notice of default and mediation election, wait for a mediation certificate, then give at least 30 days notice of the sale. D.C. Code 42-815 and 42-815.02.
Does the District of Columbia have foreclosure mediation?
Yes. Within 30 days of the notice of default you can elect mediation with the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. No foreclosure sale can be held without a mediation certificate, and a sale without one is void. D.C. Code 42-815.02.
Can I catch up on my mortgage in the District of Columbia?
Yes. On a home of four or fewer units you can reinstate by paying what is past due plus costs up to five business days before the sale, once in any two consecutive years. D.C. Code 42-815.01.
Is there redemption after a D.C. foreclosure sale?
We found no statutory right to redeem after a trustee sale. The sale deed passes title, so treat the fifth business day before the sale as your deadline. D.C. Code 42-815.01 and 42-815.
How long do I have to redeem after a D.C. tax sale?
The purchaser cannot file a foreclosure suit until six months after the tax sale, and you can redeem until the court enters its final order by paying the taxes, interest and permitted expenses. D.C. Code 47-1370 and 47-1361.