Nevertheless, it is important to keep track. When you get inside the 30-day window, ask for a postponement of the sale. A request for delay is more likely to be granted when preliminary information is provided about your circumstances and your ability to make a reasonable workout proposal. For example, if you have recently returned to work, documentation of employment would usually justify postponing a sale. Similarly, an offer of partial payment may help obtain several months' delay.
Lenders have different approaches to handling requests for delay.
Some won't agree to a delay until the sale date is fairly close. One pitfall to avoid is leaving the decision to grant a delay in the lender's hands until the very last minute. The risk is that you'll assume that the application is being acted upon even if it isn't, and you will lose the opportunity to pursue other strategies prior to sale. When you request a delay well before the foreclosure, try to get a response at least seven days before the foreclosure sale date. If not, this is a good indication that the lender isn't really serious about negotiating a workout.