There are many ways to stop foreclosure; however, many homeowners are unaware of their options until it's too late. Some of the most popular methods used to stop foreclosure include short sales, refinancing, loan modification, the sale of the home or a temporary deferment or forbearance of payments. Many homeowners are able to stop or delay foreclosure proceedings by contacting their mortgage holder to negotiate a payment arrangement or short sale of the property. Scam Alert: During troubled housing markets, scam artists will try to defraud homeowners by guaranteeing to stop the foreclosure proceedings.