Are you one or more months behind on your mortgage payment? Do you have extenuating circumstances that are preventing you from meeting your mortgage obligations? Are you desperate to avoid foreclosure and to find out how to hang on to your family's home? If so, there are several options available to help homeowners in trouble stop mortgage foreclosures. First things first: if you haven't yet dealt directly with your lender, drop everything and make the call right now. Although owning up to the problems you are facing will be an unpleasant experience, it is best to nip these types of problems in the bud, before they have the time to evolve into major emergencies. When it comes to foreclosure, the options you have decrease substantially over time. Homeowners who contact their lenders as soon as possible after the problem first rears its head are much more likely to avoid formal foreclosure proceedings and protect their home. If you have tried to compromise with your lender but negotiations have come to a standstill or hit a stalemate, it may be time to turn to a third-party counselor. Seek out the advice of an expert foreclosure prevention specialist who is certified by HUD to facilitate these types of situations. You can find a counselor or agency in your area by calling HUD's hotline at 1-800-569-4287. Lastly, if all other avenues have been explored, talk to your lender about the possibility of arranging a short sale, which involves selling your property for less than the current mortgage amount. In many cases, banks will be amenable to this type of situation, as it will still save them money in the long-term.