Buy time
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Filing triggers an automatic stay that stops the trustee's sale immediately, then lets you repay arrears over 3–5 years.
Best for
- ✓Sale is days or hours away and you've run out of other tools
- ✓You have steady income but a backlog of arrears too big to lump-sum
- ✓You also have other debts you'd benefit from restructuring
Watch-outs
- !This is bankruptcy — credit impact is real and lasts 7 years
- !You must complete the 3–5 year plan; missed plan payments dismiss the case
- !Filing fees and attorney fees apply; pro-se Ch. 13 filings have very low success rates
Arizona-specific note
Filing Chapter 13 in the District of Arizona triggers an automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 — a federal pause that stops the AZ trustee's sale even if it's set for the next morning. Always coordinate with a licensed AZ bankruptcy attorney; this is not a DIY tool.
Chapter 13 is the emergency brake. Filed correctly, it stops the sale the same day. From there, you propose a 3–5 year plan to repay arrears while keeping the loan current going forward. Get to the end of the plan and you keep the home.
I am not an attorney and don't give legal advice — Ch. 13 needs a licensed AZ bankruptcy attorney. I can refer you.