If you’re one of the 5 million to 6 million homeowners who is behind on your mortgage and facing foreclosure, or you’re headed that way with little idea of what to do next, there are several things you can still do to try to avoid losing your home:

1. Check into a forbearance.If you have a temporary hardship, such as an unusual or seasonal loss of income of some kind, you may be able to get a forbearance, in which your lender agrees to temporarily lower or eliminate your payments.
2. Refinance your loan. Though it may be more difficult for you to refinance your mortgage in today’s market especially if you’re struggling financially, refinancing may still be possible if you don’t have any late payments on your credit record. Contact a local mortgage broker to discuss your options and be sure to consider the true cost of refinancing, including any loan origination fees and accumulated interest you’ll pay on the unpaid principal.
3. Modify your mortgage. While it’s possible to work with your lender to alter the terms of your mortgage yourself, many consumers who attempt to do so are unsuccessful. You may want to pay a company to help you get a mortgage loan modification. However, make sure the company you hire uses an attorney-based model, through which attorneys can threaten to take legal action against your mortgage lender if it doesn’t respond within a specified time period.
4. Don’t get taken by a scam. Many disreputable companies say they’ll help you avoid foreclosure if you pay them a fee and sign your mortgage deed over to them. There has been an alarming rise in these types of scams in the last year and most companies require an upfront fee. Run, don’t walk away from any “deal” that involves surrendering your home and hang on to your cash. Odds are, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Get government help. If you haven’t yet defaulted on your mortgage and you can hang on for a couple months, government help may soon be on the way. President Obama has promised $50 to $100 billion to help prevent home foreclosures through tax credits and other federal programs. And, new legislation that gives federal bankruptcy judges the ability to modify consumer mortgages may be passed in late February.
6. Sell your home.This may end up being the only alternative to losing your home. Since your house may be worth far less than what is owed on your mortgage, you may need permission from your lender to sell your home at its current value, or at a loss (also known as a “short sale”). Be sure to get your lender’s permission in writing, and ask whether you’re liable for the loss — if you are, it could negatively affect your credit.

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