Before you scroll any further, open a new browser tab and log into your mortgage servicer's website. Screenshot the exact amount you're behind and the date the next payment is due. That number is no longer a vague monster under the bed — it's data we can work with.

Next, email or upload a one-page hardship letter. Keep it simple: "On March 15 I was laid off from XYZ Company. I have re-employed as of June 1 and can pay $1,400 per month going forward. Please work with me on a repayment plan." This single document forces the servicer to flag your account for loss mitigation instead of forwarding it to the foreclosure attorney.

Finally, change your voicemail greeting. A calm, clear message tells the servicer (and us) you're reachable: "Hi, this is Maria at 555-123-4567. I am working on a loan workout and will return calls after 5 p.m. Eastern." These three steps buy you the 30-day window we need to implement a permanent fix.

Big banks service loans; they don't own most of them. That means their customer-service reps are reading from a script written by Fannie, Freddie, or FHA. NMHL is a direct lender with in-house underwriting. When we say "approved," we're the final word, not a middleman waiting for someone else's sign-off.

We also carry a warehouse line — essentially a giant credit card — that lets us fund new loans in our own name. If the best solution is a refinance, we can order appraisal, title, and closing docs on the same day you upload your insurance. Servicers can't do that; they have to shop your loan to third-party investors.

Most importantly, we specialize in the borrowers other lenders decline. Last year alone we closed 1,300 loans with credit scores under 600, 400 bank-statement loans for self-employed borrowers, and 180 VA IRRRLs that shaved $400 off the average monthly payment. When you call, you're not educating us on your situation — we've already helped hundreds just like you this month.

Let's say you're 6 payments behind on a $350,000 loan at 5.75% — that's roughly $12,300 in arrears. Your current payment is $2,850. Here are three outcomes we locked last week:

• FHA streamline: New rate 4.25%, past-due added to balance, new payment $2,350 — saves $500/month and brings you current.
• VA IRRRL: New rate 3.99%, funding fee rolled in, new payment $2,180 — saves $670/month plus defers two missed payments.
• Non-QM bank-statement: 90% LTV allowed, rate 6.125%, new payment $2,950 — higher rate but wipes out $45k of credit-card debt, improving cash flow by $1,100 overall.

The takeaway: even if your credit score dropped 120 points, the math can still work in your favor because rates have fallen or your home has appreciated enough to improve your loan-to-value ratio.

Step 1: Call 800-919-6926 or submit the short form on this page. You'll speak with a Loss-Mitigation Loan Officer (that's their actual title) who will ask three questions: how many payments behind, current monthly income, and what's the hardship. Nothing else is needed for the initial strategy.

Step 2: Within one hour we email you a secure link. Upload: last two bank statements, most recent tax return, hardship letter, and any foreclosure notice you received. Phone photos are fine — we use bank-level encryption so your data isn't floating around in email.

Step 3: We run your scenario through our Waterfall Calculator. It spits out every possible fix in order of speed: forbearance, repayment, partial claim, streamline refinance, new government loan, or in extreme cases, listing with a short-sale realtor. You see the numbers side-by-side and pick the path that feels livable.

Step 4: We open the file and send you a single-page authorization form. Sign it electronically and we notify your servicer that representation has been established. Federal regulation then halts any foreclosure activity until the workout is reviewed — usually 30 days, sometimes 60.

Step 5: You go back to living your life. We handle the back-and-forth, the document requests, the underwriter conditions, and the closing. Our average client spends 47 minutes total from first call to final signature — everything else happens while you're at work or helping kids with homework.

The worst thing we see is a homeowner who refinances, then falls behind again because the budget never adjusted. NMHL requires every workout client to complete a free 15-minute call with our Certified Housing Counselor — not because we're preachy, but because it cuts the re-default rate from 22% to 7%.

They'll walk you through setting up automatic splits: the day your payroll hits, a preset amount moves to a "house only" checking account that your mortgage auto-drafts. No math every month, no robbing Peter to pay Paul. We also set calendar reminders for annual escrow analyses so you're not blindsided by tax or insurance increases.

Finally, we enroll you in our Rate-Guard program. If rates drop even 0.25% in the next 18 months, we automatically email you a no-cost, no-qualification streamline quote. The goal isn't just to save your home today — it's to keep you sleeping peacefully for the next 30 years.