You don’t have to figure this out alone — a free, PHFA-approved counselor in Greater Philadelphia can walk through your options with you, no cost and no pressure.
If you’ve fallen behind on your mortgage — or you can see it coming — the hardest part is often just not knowing who to call first. You’re not alone, and you have more time and more options than it might feel like right now.
What’s actually going on
A lot of homeowners searching online for help end up on paid “we buy houses” sites or confusing legal notices long before they ever hear about the free counseling network built specifically for this moment. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) funds a statewide network of HUD-approved housing counseling agencies — nonprofit organizations, not lenders and not investors. Their entire job is to sit down with you, review your mortgage statement and your budget, and help you understand what’s actually happening and what you can do next. Homeowners across Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, and Philadelphia counties use this same free service every week.
What a free PHFA counselor actually does
- Reviews your loan documents and explains anything confusing in plain language — including terms like “loss mitigation” (simply the process your loan servicer uses to work out a new payment plan with you)
- Helps you put together a hardship packet if you want to apply for a loan modification or forbearance (a temporary pause or reduction in your payments)
- Explains whether you might qualify for other Pennsylvania-specific programs, like emergency mortgage assistance
- Can advocate on your behalf with your mortgage servicer, if you want them to
- Helps you build a realistic budget so you’re planning for the next several months, not just the next bill
Free resources to start with
- PHFA Homeowner’s Assistance — call 1-855-827-3466 to be connected with a HUD-approved counselor near you, free of charge, or visit phfa.org
- HUD-approved housing counseling search — find an agency directly at hud.gov
- PA 211 — dial 211 or visit pa211.org for referrals to housing counseling, utility assistance, and legal aid
- Hablamos español — many counselors in the PHFA network offer services in Spanish; just ask when you call
If you need a next step after that
If your counselor identifies that refinancing, a loan modification through your lender, or credit repair could genuinely help your situation, they may point you toward a partner we trust for that next step — always after the free counseling conversation, and always your choice. Way Out Now can also walk alongside you as a parallel path: while a counselor helps with paperwork and your lender, we can keep exploring your home options together, with no pressure either way.
Not sure where to start, or want a second, no-pressure conversation? Schedule your free, pressure-free Strategy Session at WayOutNow.com. Hablamos español — text Glen or Brie anytime at 215-999-7208.
