How the calculator works
The 2924 Foreclosure Cost Calculator estimates the total cost of a California nonjudicial foreclosure across three resolution stages: during the Notice of Default period, after the Notice of Sale is recorded, and at full sale completion.
The framework
Trustee fees are tiered by unpaid loan balance and step up at each stage as the file progresses. We use the current statutory schedule.
Costs added to the trustee fee include title (Trustee's Sale Guarantee), publication, posting, recording, mailings, notary, and others.
Data sources
- Title costs from the First American Title Company California rate schedule
- Publication fees from a 2020 California city-level dataset (1,059 cities)
- All other costs from industry-standard estimates
Multi-property loans
Each property is its own foreclosure file with its own trustee, title, recording, mailing, posting, and publication costs.
What these numbers are
These numbers are estimates — not invoices, not quotes, not binding figures. Actual costs vary by title company, publication, and case-specific circumstances. This is not legal advice. Consult your attorney for case-specific guidance.