How does foreclosure work in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts uses a nonjudicial foreclosure process. Practically, the owner can sell the home and keep any equity until the foreclosure auction is completed. G.L. c. 244 §35A requires the cure notice to state the homeowner's right to sell or redeem the property before foreclosure.
Can you catch up and keep your home?
Statutory 90-day right to cure a payment default on a residential mortgage. The lender may not accelerate the loan until at least 90 days after giving the written 35A notice, and may only charge late fees and per-diem interest during the cure period. Granted once per 5-year period regardless of mortgage holder. (An earlier 150-day version of this statute has sunset; the current statutory text says 90 days.) Separately, G.L. c. 244 §35B requires certain creditors to take reasonable steps to avoid foreclosure on certain mortgage loans — case-specific, not a formulaic deadline.
Until when can you sell and keep your equity?
Practically, the owner can sell the home and keep any equity until the foreclosure auction is completed. G.L. c. 244 §35A requires the cure notice to state the homeowner's right to sell or redeem the property before foreclosure. See your exact dates with the free Massachusetts Foreclosure Deadline Calculator.
The honest math on a Massachusetts foreclosure
Every day you carry the loan, arrears, fees, and interest grow. A traditional listing takes weeks to market and 30–45 more days for a financed buyer to close — time you may not have before the sale date.
A cash sale that closes before the sale date lets you walk away with your equity instead of losing it at auction. Talk to a free HUD counselor too — you may have options beyond selling.