Homeowners are encouraged to begin learning about how the legal process of foreclosure works and what role the courts play in forcing the loss of a home. Although there are good arguments that the government does not have any authority to take away someone's home, the sad truth is that it will if the owners do not defend their home vigorously in court. But the tactic borrowers use to save a house will widely differ depending on what their goals are for both their short and long term financial health.

One reason homeowners may try and defend against a foreclosure is simply to get as much time as possible before they sell the house, refinance with a foreclosure lender, or just save up enough to move out comfortably. The goal is not to win the case, per se, but to drag out the process in the court system through a series of motions that must be ruled upon, hearings that must be held, and a long discovery process that can take months to be resolved. The bank, of course, will be adding more fees and interest to the loan, but this may not matter much to homeowners who already have scarred credit and need the opportunity to repair their finances.

Another path borrowers can take in defending a foreclosure in court is to try and force the bank to negotiate some aspect of the loan or winning a case that indicates the lender has overcharged for a mortgage. Homeowners may try and drag the process out and request the judge to force the bank to consider a loan modification or other solution, or the owners may try and make the case that, while they are behind on the loan, they should have to pay a lesser amount than the bank is demanding for reinstatement. Winning counter claims against the bank may also lessen the damage of the foreclosure by rewarding the owners with some monetary damages.

Possibly the most risky but certainly the most rewarding method to use in court is trying to show that the bank violated major provisions of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and that the loan should be rescinded entirely. This means that the homeowners would get to keep and save their home, the foreclosure would be ended completely, the lien on the house would disappear, and the bank would have to pay back every single penny the homeowners have ever paid the lender. Obviously, this is a very serious loss for the bank, and it is up to homeowners to learn more about the types of violations that would result in rescission of the loan.

Even if they know how the court system works and how to file certain documents in the foreclosure case, without really having an end goal, homeowners may have a severely negative experience in the courts. But as long as they have a clear idea of what they want to accomplish, they can usually get some concessions from the court and their mortgage company, either on their own or with the assistance of a qualified attorney. While every borrower may not win their case by defending against the bank's lawsuit, it is certain that every one who does nothing will lose and the lender will be awarded a swift foreclosure process and auction date.