Enter the dates from your foreclosure papers and see how much time you have — and what to do next.
An estimate for planning, not legal advice — timelines can vary by county and case. Confirm every date with your papers, the court, or your attorney. Free help: find a HUD-approved housing counselor.
Iowa uses a judicial foreclosure process. Key dates come from your own papers — enter them above for your exact timeline.
30-day statutory right to cure arrears (without acceleration) after the notice of right to cure, for one- and two-family owner-occupied homesteads with institutional lenders; curing restores the mortgage. Also: pay the amount claimed before judgment and the action must be dismissed; pay the judgment before the sale and the sale is called off. Iowa Code 654.2D; 654.21
Before the sale: Pay the petition amount before judgment (dismissal) or the judgment amount before the sale (sale cancelled) — Iowa Code 654.21.
After the sale: Depends on the track: standard foreclosure = 1 year from sale (debtor-exclusive first 6 months, debtor keeps possession, redemption clears any deficiency) per 628.3; reduced 6/3 months only via 628.26 mortgage clause + deficiency waiver; foreclosure WITHOUT redemption elected under 654.20 = none after the sale. Iowa Code 628.3 · Iowa Code 628.26 · Iowa Code 654.20-654.21
In a standard foreclosure, through the redemption period (the first 6 months are exclusively the debtor's — sell, redeem for the sale price-based amount, keep the surplus). In a 654.20 'without redemption' case, the sheriff's sale is the hard deadline.
Want the fuller picture beyond the dates? Read the Iowa foreclosure guide — timeline, rights & options.
After a county tax sale the owner may redeem at any time until the right expires: the certificate holder may first serve a 90-day notice of expiration only after 1 year 9 months from the sale, and redemption stays open until 90 days after completed service — so a minimum of ~21 months, and indefinitely until that notice is properly served. Iowa Code 447.9; 447.12
Practitioner estimate: 30-day cure notice + ~3-6 months filing-to-judgment, then either the 654.21 delay (up to 6 months) and prompt sale, or sale plus up to 1-year redemption — anywhere from ~6 months (without-redemption track) to ~2 years (standard track) start to finish. (Practitioner estimate, not a statute.)
If your mortgage predates your military service, the federal SCRA generally requires a court order to foreclose during active duty and for 12 months after (50 U.S.C. §3953). These protections must be raised — tell the court and your counselor.