Foreclosure Defense Lawyers Serving St. Petersburg and Pinellas County

From the day you’re served with the lawsuit, you typically have 20 days to respond. If you file a defense, request mediation, or pursue a loan modification, the process can take months to over a year in Pinellas County. If you ignore it, the lender can move quickly to a judgment and sale date. Acting within that 20-day window is critical to preserving your options.

Yes. In St. Petersburg, homeowners typically remain in their homes until the foreclosure process is complete. That means:

• You can stay during the lawsuit and hearings.
• You remain in the home until after the sale and the court issues a writ of possession to the new owner.
  Some owners also negotiate extra time to move out or accept “cash for keys” from buyers.

Once the home is auctioned and the Certificate of Title is issued to the buyer, the court can authorize eviction if you haven’t left. The timeline varies but is usually days to weeks after the sale. At that point, the new owner can request the sheriff to enforce the writ of possession. If you act before the auction, you may still be able to stop or delay the process.

Yes. Filing Chapter 13 before the sale immediately stops the auction and lets you catch up arrears through a repayment plan. Chapter 7 also pauses the process but usually doesn’t provide a long-term fix if you want to keep the home. Timing is key — bankruptcy must be filed before the auction to have effect.