Buffalo NY
Foreclosure
Resource Center

Buffalo and WNY homeowners facing foreclosure have more options than most realize — particularly because New York’s judicial foreclosure process typically takes 12–36 months, providing a significantly wider window than most states. Options include: loan forbearance or repayment plan (before lawsuit), loan modification (before or during), short sale (requires lender approval, get deficiency waiver), deed in lieu (requires lender approval), bankruptcy (automatic stay, Chapter 13 to save home), cash sale to Nickel City Buyers (closes in 7–21 days, no lender approval needed, any equity paid to you), or free legal defense through NY HOPP and Neighborhood Legal Services. The best option depends on whether you want to keep the home and how much equity exists above total liens.

New York State foreclosure typically takes 12–36 months from first missed payment to Sheriff Sale — one of the longest timelines in the country. This is because New York requires judicial foreclosure (every case goes through court), a mandatory 90-day pre-foreclosure notice, a mandatory settlement conference, and multiple court appearances. Erie County cases tend toward the longer end due to higher case volume. See our full NY Foreclosure Timeline guide.

In Erie County, Sheriff Sales are held at 92 Franklin St, Buffalo, NY 14202. In Niagara County, Sheriff Sales are held at 175 Hawley St, Lockport, NY 14094. If you have a Sheriff Sale date set at either location, call Nickel City Buyers at (716) 557-7005 immediately — we can close in 7 days for WNY homeowners with imminent auction dates. Your right to sell ends the moment the gavel falls and the sale is confirmed by the court.

Yes — multiple free resources exist specifically for Erie and Niagara County homeowners. NY HOPP (New York Homeowner Protection Program) provides free HUD-approved housing counselors and attorneys who specialize in New York foreclosure law — including free representation at the mandatory settlement conference. Contact: housinghelpny.org or 1-855-466-3456. Neighborhood Legal Services provides free legal representation for qualifying homeowners: nls.org or (716) 847-0650. HUD counselor directory: hud.gov/findahousingcounselor. All three are free — paid through government and private grants.

Yes — you can sell your property at any stage of the foreclosure process, right up until the moment the Sheriff Sale is completed and confirmed by the court. Being served with a foreclosure summons, having a Lis Pendens recorded, and even having a foreclosure judgment entered against you does not prevent you from selling. Nickel City Buyers purchases properties at every stage of NY foreclosure — pre-lawsuit, post-summons, post-judgment, and even within 7 days of a scheduled Sheriff Sale. Call (716) 557-7005 for a free equity assessment.

Yes — New York allows deficiency judgments. If your home sells at Sheriff Sale (or short sale or deed in lieu) for less than you owed, your lender has 90 days after the sale to file for a deficiency judgment — a court order allowing them to collect the remaining balance from you personally through wage garnishment, bank levies, and liens on other property. New York uses fair market value (not actual sale price) to calculate the deficiency, which provides some protection. A cash sale to Nickel City Buyers pays the lender’s full payoff at closing, eliminating deficiency risk entirely. See our full Deficiency Judgment guide.

We serve all of Erie and Niagara County — Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Amherst, Tonawanda, Lackawanna, West Seneca, Hamburg, Orchard Park, Lancaster, Depew, Kenmore, Williamsville, East Aurora, Clarence, Akron, Colden, Grand Island, Niagara Falls, Lockport, North Tonawanda, Lewiston, Youngstown, Wheatfield, East Amherst, Newfane, and Pendleton. Call (716) 557-7005 for a free equity assessment at any stage of the foreclosure process.