Who We Serve

​Foreclosure and property tax resources are available for homeowners in the following counties:
  • Arenac
  • Bay
  • Clare
  • Gladwin
  • Gratiot
  • Isabella
  • Lake
  • Mason
  • Mecosta
  • Midland
  • Muskegon
  • Newaygo
  • Oceana
  • Osceola
  • Saginaw
 
We work with homeowners who:
  • Are behind on mortgage payments
  • Are behind on property taxes
  • Are behind on land contract payments
  • Have received foreclosure notices, delinquency notices, or legal papers
  • Are trying to understand letters from their lender, loan servicer, or county courthouse
 
If you own your home and are worried about losing it because of mortgage payments, property tax foreclosure, or land contract payments, we encourage you to contact us.

How We Can Help

​Our HUD-Certified Housing Counselors can:
  • Review letters and notices from your lender, servicer, or county courthouse
  • Explain what the notices mean and important dates
  • Talk through your income, expenses, and goals
  • Help you explore options to keep your home when possible
  • Support you in talking with your lender, servicer, or county office
  • Talk with your lender, servicer, or county office
  • Connect you with other programs that may help with payments, if available
  • Provide additional resources
 
Counselors use clear, straightforward language and will take time to answer your questions so you can make informed decisions.
 
While our counselors can sometimes connect people to programs that help with past-due taxes or other housing costs, they do not control these funds and cannot promise financial assistance.

Mortgage Foreclosure Help

​If you are behind on your mortgage or have received a notice from your lender or servicer, housing counseling can help you:
  • Understand the type of notice you received and what it means
  • Review your mortgage statement and payment history
  • Explore options such as repayment plans, loan modifications, or other loss mitigation options (when available)
  • Prepare information you may need when speaking with your loan servicer
  • Plan questions to ask your servicer so calls feel less stressful
  • Talk to your lender or servicer on your behalf
 
We cannot promise that any one option will be approved, but we can help you understand what may be possible and how to ask for it.

Property Tax Foreclosure

​If your county has started the property tax foreclosure process, or you are worried that it might, a housing counselor can help you:
  • Understand the property tax timeline where you live
  • Review notices from the county and highlight key dates
  • Explore options such as payment plans or hardship programs, when available
  • Connect with local offices or programs that might help with taxes
  • Resources to help with future property tax costs
 
Every county has its own rules and deadlines. Your counselor will walk through what applies to your situation.

Land Contract Forfeiture

​If you are buying your home on a land contract and are behind on payments or have received a notice about forfeiture, housing counseling can help you sort through what is happening and what options you may have.
 
A Housing Counselor can help you:
  • Review your land contract and any letters or legal notices you received
  • Explain key terms in your contract in plain language
  • Talk through the forfeiture timeline and what important dates mean
  • Explore options to talk with the seller about the forfeiture process
  • Prepare information you may need when you talk with the seller, their representative, or an attorney
  • Connect you with legal aid or other legal resources when appropriate
 
Land contracts are private agreements between you and the seller. Your counselor does not take sides and cannot change the contract, but they can help you understand it and think through the next steps.
 
Housing counseling does not replace legal advice. If you have court papers, a court date, or legal questions about your rights, we strongly encourage you to contact legal aid or another attorney as soon as possible.

How to Get Started

To ask about foreclosure help, call or text the office nearest you:
• ​Bay City: 989-894-9060
• ​Big Rapids: 231-660-0271
• ​Farwell: 989-386-3805
• ​Gladwin: 989-426-2801
• ​Hart: 231-923-3066
• ​Midland: 989-832-7377
• ​Muskegon: 231-557-7622
• ​Reed City: 231-791-7078

You can also email us at [email protected]
 
When you call, text, or email, it helps if you can share:
  • That you’re asking about foreclosure help
  • What county you live in
 
If you have letters or notices, keep them nearby. Your counselor may ask about dates, amounts, or wording in the documents.
 
If you have a sale date or other deadline listed in your letters, please mention that when you contact us.

Important Notes

Through this program, we:
  • Cannot guarantee that foreclosure will be stopped in every case
  • Cannot promise that a particular option (like a modification) will be approved
  • Cannot provide legal advice or represent you in court
  • Cannot change deadlines set by your lender, servicer, or county
 
We can walk alongside you, explain your options, help you prepare for conversations with your lender or county, and support you as you take each next step.
 
If you have a court date or a very close deadline, we may also encourage you to contact legal aid or another attorney as soon as possible.

More Support

​Housing Counseling
Our HUD-certified housing counselors offer free, confidential help with renting, buying a home, mortgage or property tax concerns, and building a budget that works for you. They explain your options in plain language so you can make informed decisions about your housing and money.
Financial Capability Workshops
Our HUD-Certified Housing Counselors offer free virtual workshops on topics like credit, debt, foreclosure prevention, renting, and preparing to buy a home. Workshops are open to anyone and are designed to make money and housing decisions easier to understand and act on.
Homebuyer Education
Homebuyer education helps you get ready to buy a home with confidence. Our HUD-certified housing counselors walk you through your budget, credit, and each step of the homebuying process, from getting ready to buy through closing and beyond.
Property Tax Help
If you’re behind on property taxes or getting letters from the county, our staff can help you understand what they mean and talk through your options. In some situations, our property tax program may be able to help with a portion of past-due taxes, and we’ll always work with you to make a plan to move forward.