| Stage | Typical timing | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| First missed payment | Day 1 | Late fees, calls and letters from your loan servicer. |
| 30 days late | About 1 month | Usually reported to credit bureaus. If you live in the home, Colorado's Foreclosure Protection Act now protects you from investors ("equity purchasers"). |
| 60–120 days late | 2–4 months | Loss mitigation: your servicer should review options like a repayment plan, modification or short sale. Many lenders take months here before filing. |
| Notice of Election and Demand (NED) recorded | Often 3–6+ months after the first missed payment | The official start. The Public Trustee mails notices and sets a sale date. |
| Rule 120 hearing | Between the NED and the sale | Your lender asks a court to authorize the sale. It's a narrow hearing: hardship isn't a defense, but you can attend. Talk to an attorney if you think something is wrong. |
| Notice of intent to cure | At least 15 days before the sale | File it with the Public Trustee to keep your right to catch up. |
| Cure deadline | Noon the day before the sale | Pay the full cure amount (missed payments, fees and costs) to reinstate the loan. |
| Public Trustee sale | About 110–125 days after the NED, unless postponed | An auction. The lender usually bids about what's owed; if there's equity, investors may bid more. |
| After the sale | Days to weeks | No owner redemption period. The new owner can move to take possession (eviction). |
What you can still do at each stage
Before the NED (pre-foreclosure)
This is when you have the most options: repayment plan, forbearance, loan modification, selling the home, or a short sale. Call your servicer's loss-mitigation department and get free advice from a HUD-approved housing counselor.
After the NED
The clock is running. You can still cure, apply for a modification, sell (if you have equity), or pursue a short sale. Lenders sometimes postpone a sale while a complete application or offer is under review, but they don't have to.
Inside 37 days of the sale
Federal servicing rules don't require your servicer to review a new application or short sale offer received within 37 days of the sale. It can still happen, but it's much harder. Call right away.
Sources: Colorado Revised Statutes Title 38, Article 38 (foreclosure); Colorado Rule of Civil Procedure 120; federal mortgage servicing rules (Regulation X). Exact dates depend on your file. Check your Public Trustee notice, and remember sale dates can be postponed.
Common questions
How long does foreclosure take in Colorado?
From the first missed payment it often takes 6 months to a year or more, depending on how long your lender waits to file. From the recorded Notice of Election and Demand to the sale is usually about 110–125 days, unless the sale is postponed.
Can I get my house back after a Colorado foreclosure sale?
Generally no. Colorado removed the owner's redemption period after the sale in 2008. Act before the sale.
How do I find out if my home is in foreclosure in Colorado?
Check the mail from your county Public Trustee, or search your county Public Trustee's website by name or address. Most have a public foreclosure search.
What is the cure deadline in Colorado?
You can cure (catch up) up to noon on the day before the sale, but you must file a written notice of intent to cure with the Public Trustee at least 15 days before the sale.
Talk it through with a real person, free
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