heroSOLD is a marketing brand of the James Sanson Team at Real Broker, LLC. heroSOLD is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Military hardship home options for service members and families.
Falling behind on mortgage payments after a PCS, deployment-related income gap, medical event, or family financial strain? You are not the first military family in this situation, and you will not be the last. There are real options. heroSOLD walks through the full menu, coordinates with your lender, JAG, and HUD counselor, and serves as your one point of contact on the real estate side.
Get a confidential conversationOr call 855-750-SOLD
Built on Real Broker, LLC, a military-specific home-selling team, James Sanson, Team Lead
Tell us about your situation
Four quick questions. We respond within one business day. The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. We will not contact your lender, command, or anyone else without your explicit permission.
First, before anything else
If you are reading this page, the situation has probably been weighing on you for a while. Some plain talk before we get into the options:
You are not alone. Housing-cost stress is genuinely common in the military community, more than people talk about openly. The same things that strain civilian families (job loss, medical events, divorce, family emergencies) also strain military families. On top of that, military life adds frequent moves to unfamiliar markets, BAH gaps in expensive areas, spouse employment disruptions after PCS, and deployment-related financial complications. Many service members get into housing trouble due to events that would have affected anyone.
You probably have more options than you think. Most service members assume foreclosure is inevitable once they fall behind. It is not. There are formal protections (SCRA, VA assistance), lender programs (modification, forbearance, repayment plans), and exit pathways (market sale, short sale, VA compromise sale, deed-in-lieu) that exist specifically because Congress, the VA, and the housing-finance system recognize that hardship happens.
You probably have less time than you would like, but more time than you might fear. The foreclosure timeline varies by state and lender, but in most cases, there is a window of weeks or months between missed payments and a foreclosure sale, not days. The earlier you start the conversation, the more options you have. Even if you have already received a notice of default, options usually still exist. The pre-foreclosure help guide breaks down the timeline stage by stage.
We do not judge. We have walked through these conversations many times. We do not gossip in your unit community. We do not contact your command. We do not lecture about how you should have done things differently. The first conversation is to understand your situation and lay out your options, not to moralize about how you got here.
The triage framework
When a military family faces housing hardship, the decision tree that most lenders and HUD-approved counselors use looks roughly like this. We walk through it with you in the first conversation.
Step 1: Can you realistically keep the home with modified payments?
If your hardship is temporary (an income gap that will resolve, a medical situation that will stabilize, or a deployment with a known end date), the cleanest outcome is often to keep the home with the lender's help. This includes:
- Forbearance: The lender pauses or reduces payments for a set period, with the missed amount made up later. Common during deployment-related cash-flow gaps or short-term income disruption.
- Repayment plan: The lender lets you catch up on missed payments by adding a portion to your regular payment over a defined period.
- Loan modification: The lender permanently changes the loan terms (interest rate, term length, sometimes principal) to make the payment sustainable.
- Partial claim or recapitalization: Available on certain loan types (FHA, VA), where missed payments are added to the loan balance and either deferred to the end of the loan or restructured.
These paths are between you and your lender. We are not your lender. A HUD-approved housing counselor can advise on these for free; the VA loan technicians can specifically help with VA-backed loans.
Step 2: Can you sell the home at market value and break even or with equity?
If keeping the home is not realistic but you have equity (the home is worth more than you owe), a standard market sale is usually the cleanest path. Pay off the loan, walk away with whatever equity is left, and start fresh. No lender approval is needed beyond standard payoff at closing. We coordinate the real estate side. This is the same as any heroSOLD listing, just with a hardship-driven timeline.
Step 3: If you owe more than the home is worth (underwater)
If a market sale would not cover the full mortgage balance, the options narrow but still exist:
- Short sale: The lender agrees to accept less than the full amount owed. Lender approval required. Slower than a standard sale because of the underwriting and approval process. We have coordinated short sales with various lenders and know what documentation lenders typically require.
- VA compromise sale: Specific to VA-backed loans. The VA's version of a short-sale-style approval. Has its own eligibility criteria and approval timeline. Coordinated through the VA Regional Loan Center.
- Deed-in-lieu of foreclosure: You give the property back to the lender voluntarily, in exchange for the lender agreeing not to pursue foreclosure (and ideally, not to pursue a deficiency judgment). Lenders have to accept; not all do. Generally, a last resort before foreclosure.
None of these are promised. Eligibility depends on your specific situation, lender, and loan type. We coordinate the real estate side. The approval side belongs with the lender, the servicer, and, where applicable, the VA.
Military-specific protections and resources
If you are on active duty, several military-specific protections and resources may apply. We are not your attorney; the questions about whether and how each applies belong with JAG, the VA, or HUD-approved counselors. Briefly:
SCRA (Servicemembers Civil Relief Act)
SCRA provides certain protections to active-duty service members, including potential interest rate caps on loans taken out before active duty, foreclosure protections that may require a court order in certain situations, and rights to stay certain civil proceedings if active duty materially affects the service member's ability to participate. Whether SCRA applies to your specific situation, and exactly what protections you can invoke, belongs with JAG (Staff Judge Advocate or branch equivalent) or a private attorney.
VA loan technicians
If you have a VA-backed loan and are facing hardship, the VA has loan technicians available to help. They can advocate on your behalf with the loan servicer, help you understand which workout options apply, and explain VA-specific paths, such as a compromise sale. The VA Regional Loan Center is the entry point. This help is free.
HUD-approved housing counselors
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies provide free counseling on hardship options, including walking you through which lender programs apply to your situation, helping you prepare a hardship package, and advocating with your lender. There is no cost. We can recommend HUD-approved agencies if you do not already have one.
Base legal assistance (JAG)
Active-duty service members can use base legal assistance for free legal advice on SCRA, hardship-related legal questions, and Power of Attorney drafting. JAG can also explain how military regulations interact with your hardship situation.
Military Family Support resources
Most installations have family-support programs that can connect service members with emergency financial counseling, short-term loans through Service Aid Societies (Army Emergency Relief, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance), and other resources. These are not a substitute for the housing-specific paths above, but can help bridge a short-term gap.
Confidential first conversation
Tell us your situation. We respond within one business day. The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. We will not contact your lender, command, or anyone else without your explicit permission.
Get a confidential conversationOr call 855-750-SOLD
Quick definitions of the hardship terms
A lot of jargon comes up in hardship conversations. Here are the terms in plain language. None of this is legal or financial advice; eligibility and outcomes belong with your lender, HUD-approved counselor, or attorney.
Forbearance
A temporary pause or reduction in mortgage payments granted by the lender. The missed amount is made up later, either as a lump sum, added back to monthly payments, or restructured into the loan. Common for short-term hardships, such as deployment-related cash-flow gaps or medical recovery.
Repayment plan
The lender lets you catch up on missed payments by adding a portion to your regular monthly payment over a defined period (typically 3 to 12 months). You stay current on the regular payment AND pay extra each month until the missed amount is recovered.
Loan modification
A permanent change to the loan terms, including interest rate, term length, or sometimes principal balance, to make the payment sustainable long-term. Requires lender approval and documentation of ongoing hardship.
Partial claim or recapitalization
Available on certain loan types (FHA, VA, some others). Missed payments are added to the loan balance and either deferred to the end of the loan (paid when you sell or refinance) or restructured into the loan principal. Avoids the need for a lump-sum catch-up.
Short sale
You sell the home for less than the full mortgage balance, with the lender's approval. The lender accepts the shorter payoff and releases the lien at closing. Used when the home is worth less than what is owed (underwater), and a market sale would not cover the balance. See the short sale help guide for details.
VA compromise sale
The VA's version of a short sale, specific to VA-backed loans. Coordinated through the VA Regional Loan Center. Has its own eligibility criteria and approval process. Can preserve future VA loan eligibility under certain conditions.
Deed-in-lieu of foreclosure
You voluntarily transfer the property deed to the lender in exchange for the lender agreeing not to foreclose. Requires lender acceptance. Generally, a last-resort option before foreclosure when other paths have not worked. Credit impact is typically less severe than foreclosure but more severe than short sale.
Foreclosure
The lender takes the property back through a legal process after extended non-payment and sells it at auction or through their own channel. The most severe outcome for the homeowner: the most significant credit impact, the longest waiting period before next mortgage eligibility, and possible deficiency liability, depending on state law.
How heroSOLD fits in
You will likely work with several professionals at once if you are facing hardship. We are one piece of that. Here is what we do and what we do not do.
What heroSOLD does
- Coordinates the real estate side of any path that involves a sale (market sale, short sale, VA compromise sale, deed-in-lieu).
- Walks you through the triage framework so you understand which step you are on.
- Connects you with VA-experienced lenders, HUD-approved housing counselors, and military legal resources where applicable.
- Acts as your one point of contact on the real estate side so you do not have to coordinate showings, contractors, and the title company yourself while also managing the financial conversation.
- Treats your situation with discretion. We do not contact your command, gossip within the unit community, or share your situation with anyone beyond your authorized professionals.
- Documents everything in writing so you have a clear record of what we are doing and why.
What heroSOLD does not do?
- Provide legal advice. SCRA application, foreclosure proceedings, eviction questions, and divorce-related property issues belong with JAG or a private attorney.
- Provide financial advice. Loan modification, refinancing, payment plan negotiation, and tax-related questions are best addressed with your lender, a HUD-approved housing counselor, or a CPA.
- Promise outcomes. We cannot tell you whether your lender will approve a short sale, whether the VA will accept a compromise sale, or how long any specific path will take. We coordinate the real estate side of whatever path is selected in real time as the situation develops.
- Replace any of the other professionals listed above. We are one coordinator, not a one-stop shop for everything.
When you are ready to start the conversation, get matched with a heroSOLD agent who handles hardship situations.
Frequently asked questions
What hardship options does heroSOLD coordinate?
We coordinate the real estate side of any path that involves a sale: a standard sale at market value, a short sale (where the lender accepts less than the full balance), a VA compromise sale (specific to VA-backed loans), and the real estate end of a deed in lieu of foreclosure. For paths that do not involve a sale (loan modification, repayment plan, partial claim, forbearance), we coordinate where the home decision intersects with the financial decision, but the actual financial work is between you and your lender. We are not your lender or financial counselor.
I am falling behind. How do I know which option fits my situation?
There is a triage framework most servicers and HUD-approved counselors use. First: can you realistically keep the home with modified payments (loan modification, repayment plan, forbearance)? If not, can you sell the home at market value and break even or with positive equity? If not, is a short sale or a deed in lieu the right path? Each step depends on your specific lender, loan type, income profile, and hardship documentation. We walk through the framework with you and connect you to the right next conversation.
What happens if I do nothing about my mortgage hardship?
Nothing good. If payments continue to be missed and no resolution is in place, the lender proceeds with the foreclosure process: missed payments, a notice of default, a notice of acceleration or trustee sale, and finally the foreclosure sale itself. The timeline varies by state and lender but is typically a window of weeks to months, not days. Doing nothing eliminates the options that existed earlier in the timeline (loan modification, forbearance, repayment plan, market sale, short sale) and locks in the worst outcome: foreclosure, with the strongest credit impact and the longest waiting period before next mortgage eligibility. Even one conversation with a HUD-approved housing counselor or a real estate agent who handles hardship situations preserves options. Avoidance is the costliest path.
What are forbearance, modification, repayment plan, partial claim, short sale, VA compromise sale, and deed-in-lieu?
Forbearance is a temporary pause or reduction in payments. A repayment plan lets you catch up on missed payments by adding extra to your regular payment over a defined period. Loan modification permanently changes loan terms (rate, term, sometimes principal). Partial claim adds missed payments to the loan balance, deferred or restructured. A short sale is selling a home for less than what is owed, with the lender's approval. VA compromise sale is the VA-specific version of a short sale. Deed-in-lieu is the voluntary transfer of the deed to the lender to avoid foreclosure. The "Quick definitions" section on this page covers each in more detail.
A deed in lieu. Are there special protections because I am active duty?
Yes. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides specific protections for active-duty service members, including caps on interest rates on pre-service loans, foreclosure protections requiring a court order in certain situations, and stays of certain civil proceedings. Whether and how SCRA applies to your specific situation depends on the timing of your loan, your active-duty status, and the type of action being taken. We are not your attorney; SCRA application questions belong with base legal assistance (JAG, Staff Judge Advocate, or branch equivalent) or a private attorney. The VA also has its own loan technician resources for veterans facing hardship on VA-backed loans.
Will hardship options destroy my credit or kill my future VA loan eligibility?
It depends on the path and how it is documented. Loan modifications and forbearance generally have less credit impact than short sales, which generally have less impact than foreclosures. VA compromise sales, when approved, can preserve future VA eligibility under certain conditions. Specific credit and VA eligibility outcomes belong with credit counselors, the VA Regional Loan Center, and your lender. We do not promise credit or eligibility outcomes; we coordinate the real estate side of whatever path you and your lender choose.
I am embarrassed to even ask. Is this common among military families?
Housing-cost stress is genuinely common in the military community, more than people talk about openly. Frequent moves, BAH gaps in expensive markets, gaps in spouse employment after PCS, unexpected medical or family events: any of these can put a family behind on housing. You are not the first military family in this situation, and you will not be the last. We do not judge, we do not gossip, and we have walked through these conversations many times before.
How quickly do I need to act?
It depends on where you are on the timeline. If you have only missed one or two payments and have not received a notice of default, you have more options and more time. If you have received a notice of default or notice of acceleration, the clock is running and your options narrow. If a foreclosure sale date has been scheduled, you may still have options, but the window is short. The first conversation is free, takes 15 to 20 minutes, and helps you understand where you actually are on the timeline.
Can heroSOLD coordinate everything, or do I need to hire other professionals?
We coordinate the real estate side, which is one piece. You will likely also work with: your lender or loan servicer (financial side), a HUD-approved housing counselor (free counseling on your options), JAG or a private attorney (legal side, especially for SCRA), the VA Regional Loan Center if you have a VA-backed loan, and possibly a CPA or financial counselor on tax implications. We can act as your single point of contact on the real estate side and help you decide which of those other professionals to talk to first. We are not a substitute for any of them.
Related guides
If you are facing a hardship as a service member or military family, these related resources may help:
- Cornerstone: Selling during a hard situation, the full hub for difficult home-selling decisions.
- Short sale help one option if you owe more than the home is worth.
- Pre-foreclosure help, race-the-timeline strategy when payments are behind.
- Military divorce home sale, if the hardship includes a separation.
- Get matched with an agent, and talk to an agent who handles hardship situations.
- Hardship home options near Yuma Proving Ground
- If your home won't sell before your PCS date
Get a confidential conversation
Four quick questions. We respond within one business day. The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. We do not promise outcomes. We help you understand options and act as your coordinator on the real estate side.