Stop Foreclosure in Oakland and Alameda County
Many Oakland and East Bay families have owned their homes for decades, and a foreclosure can threaten both a place to live and a lifetime of equity. If you've received a default notice, you may still be able to stop foreclosure in Oakland, or across Alameda County, by acting before the sale date gets close. This page covers the local offices, where sales tend to be held and who can help.
Eviction Defender is a guidance and document-preparation service, not a law firm. We help homeowners read notices, track deadlines and prepare paperwork. For the big picture, read our California foreclosure guide.
Where Alameda County Foreclosure Notices Are Recorded
Notices on Alameda County property are recorded with the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office, at 1106 Madison Street in Oakland, near Lake Merritt. The office also has a Tri-Valley satellite in Dublin with more limited services.
A foreclosure usually begins when the trustee records a Notice of Default. Federal rules generally keep a servicer from making the first foreclosure filing until the loan is more than 120 days delinquent. Read our Notice of Default guide to understand the amounts and dates on yours.
Alameda County Trustee Sales
At least three months after the NOD, the trustee may record a Notice of Trustee Sale, given at least 20 days before the auction. Many Alameda County notices have set sales at the Fallon Street side of the René C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street in Oakland. That's a common choice, not a rule, so rely on the location in your own notice, and confirm the date with the trustee because sales are often postponed.
If you rent out part of your home
If tenants live in the property, they have their own rights after a foreclosure sale, including at least 90 days' notice in most cases, and Oakland's local rent rules may add more. Some tenants and eligible bidders also get extra rights after certain trustee sales under newer California law.
Cities we serve
We help homeowners in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Albany, Piedmont, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Hayward, Union City, Fremont, Newark, Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore.
How to Stop Foreclosure in Oakland at Each Stage
Notice of Default
Ask your servicer for a loss-mitigation application and return it complete. Under the Homeowner Bill of Rights, a servicer generally can't proceed with a sale while a complete modification application is pending, with conditions. Reinstating, by paying the past-due amount plus fees, is also an option.
Sale date set
You can reinstate until five business days before the sale, and pay off the loan before the auction. Homeowners with substantial equity, common in long-held East Bay homes, may want to sell before the sale rather than risk losing equity at auction.
After the sale
California offers no right of redemption after a nonjudicial trustee sale. If the buyer offers cash for keys, read the terms before agreeing. And if the sale brought in more than the debts, the trustee holds surplus funds for the former owner and junior lienholders. You can claim them directly. If you're served with an eviction case, see our Oakland eviction help page.
HUD-Approved Housing Counselors in Alameda County
These agencies with Alameda County offices are on HUD's list of approved counselors offering foreclosure counseling:
- NID Housing Counseling Agency, Oakland (Oakport Street): 510-268-9792
- Money Management International, downtown Oakland: 866-232-9080
- NACA Counseling (NSC), Oakland (Broadway): 510-652-6622
- A-1 Community Housing Services, Hayward: 510-674-9227
To confirm an agency or find another, call HUD at 800-569-4287.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office?
The main office is at 1106 Madison Street in Oakland. There is also a Tri-Valley satellite office in Dublin that offers select services.
Where are Oakland trustee sales held?
Many Alameda County notices have set sales at the Fallon Street side of the René C. Davidson Courthouse at 1225 Fallon Street in Oakland. The trustee decides, so go by the location in your Notice of Trustee Sale.
Can I stop foreclosure in Oakland after a sale date is set?
Often, yes. You can reinstate by paying the past-due amount and fees up to five business days before the sale, pay off the loan before the sale, or sell the home first.
What happens to my tenants if my Oakland home is foreclosed?
Tenants generally keep certain rights after a foreclosure sale, including at least 90 days' notice in most cases, and Oakland's local rent rules may add protections.
Where can I get free foreclosure counseling in the East Bay?
HUD-approved agencies with Alameda County offices include NID Housing Counseling Agency and Money Management International in Oakland and A-1 Community Housing Services in Hayward.
Eviction Defender is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This article is general information about California law as of 2026.
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We'll help you understand your notice, plan around your deadlines and prepare documents for your servicer. Contact us or call (818) 307-1308.
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