How Long Does Foreclosure Take in Tennessee?

The short answer

Tennessee is one of the faster foreclosure states. Most home loans here use a deed of trust, which lets the lender foreclose without going to court. That is called a non-judicial foreclosure.

Under federal mortgage servicing rules, a servicer generally cannot start the foreclosure process until a loan is more than 120 days past due. After that, things can move fast.

Notice of the sale

Tennessee law requires the notice of a trustee's sale to be published three times in a newspaper in the county where the home sits. The first notice must run at least 20 days before the sale date.

That means once notices start appearing, there may be only a few weeks before the sale.

What this means for you

Every loan is different, so the exact timeline depends on your lender and your paperwork. The earlier you call, the more choices you usually have, such as a regular sale, a short sale, or working out a plan with your lender.