Quick answer: The best way to avoid mortgage trouble is to act at the first sign of a problem, before you miss a payment. Check what’s driving your costs, build a short-term budget, and call your mortgage servicer early to ask about a repayment plan, forbearance, or a loan modification. Free help is available from HUD-approved housing counselors. If the mortgage is on a rental, the same rules apply, plus a few more covered below.
We’re not attorneys or financial advisors. This guide comes from our own research and experience working with Wichita homeowners. We’re happy to support you through the process, but you should always reach out to an attorney or a HUD-approved housing counselor to guide you through the legal and financial side.
Early warning signs
- You’re paying the mortgage with a credit card or by skipping other bills.
- Your monthly payment went up after your annual escrow review.
- Your income dropped, or a job, health, or family change is coming.
- You’ve used up your savings to cover the payment once already.
If any of these sound familiar, now is the time to act. You have the most options before you fall behind.
Why payments go up even with a fixed rate
Most mortgages include an escrow account for property taxes and homeowners insurance. When either one rises, your monthly payment rises too, even if your interest rate never changes. Kansas homeowners pay some of the highest insurance premiums in the country: an average of $5,289 a year in 2026 for a policy with $300,000 of dwelling coverage, the fifth highest of any state (Insurance.com). Read your annual escrow statement closely, and shop your insurance if the premium jumped.
Steps to take now
- Know your numbers. List your income, your mortgage payment, and every other bill. Find where you can cut, even for a few months.
- Call your servicer before you miss a payment. Ask what options they offer. Common ones are a repayment plan (spreading a missed amount over future payments), forbearance (pausing or lowering payments for a short time), and a loan modification (permanently changing the loan terms to lower the payment).
- Talk to a free housing counselor. HUD-approved counselors can review your budget and help you talk to your servicer, often at no cost. Find one through the CFPB.
- Ask about your loan type. FHA, VA, and USDA loans have their own programs for borrowers who fall behind.
- Keep records. Write down who you talked to, when, and what they said, and keep copies of everything you send.
If the mortgage is on a rental property
Landlords are homeowners too, and a rental’s mortgage doesn’t pause when the rent does. A vacancy, a tenant who stops paying, or a big repair can leave you covering the payment yourself.
- Keep a reserve. Set aside enough to cover several months of payments, repairs, and vacancies.
- Screen tenants carefully. Check income, rental history, and references, and keep the screening the same for every applicant.
- Keep the house maintained. Good tenants stay longer when repairs are handled quickly, which means fewer vacancies.
- Fill vacancies fast. Every empty month is a payment out of your pocket.
- Ask your servicer which options apply. Some hardship programs are only for owner-occupied homes, so a rental loan may have fewer choices. Call early.
- Follow Kansas rules on notices and evictions. Kansas law sets the steps a landlord has to follow, so talk with an attorney before you act.
When a rental keeps costing more than it brings in, selling can stop the losses, even with tenants still in place. See selling a rental property and how to sell your house with tenants in Wichita.
If you’ve already fallen behind
Federal rules generally keep your servicer from starting foreclosure until you’re more than 120 days late (12 CFR 1024.41). Use that time. Our guide on how to stop foreclosure in Wichita walks through every option by stage, and our behind on mortgage payments page explains what to do next.
Watch out for scams
Foreclosure help from a housing counselor is free. Be wary of anyone who asks for large upfront fees, asks you to sign over your deed, or tells you to stop paying your servicer (CFPB).
When selling makes sense
If you can afford the house going forward, for example with a modification, keeping it is usually the better move. Selling makes sense when the payment no longer fits your life. If you have equity, selling before a foreclosure lets you keep what’s left after the loan is paid off.
We buy houses as-is in Wichita and nearby towns. We make an offer as soon as we’ve seen the house, often within 24 hours. You choose the closing date, which can be as little as 7 days once the title is clear, and we always close through a local title company. Your mortgage is paid off at closing, and you pay no commissions or closing costs.
FAQ
Will my servicer work with me if I call early?
Many servicers have options for borrowers who are struggling, but approval isn’t guaranteed. Calling early gives you the most choices.
Does forbearance mean I don’t have to pay?
No. Forbearance pauses or lowers payments for a time, but you’ll usually have to repay what you skipped. Ask exactly how repayment works before you agree.
Can a housing counselor help me for free?
Yes. HUD-approved housing counselors offer free or low-cost help.
Talk with us
Call us at 316-854-1050 or get a no-obligation cash offer. We’ll walk through every option with you, including the ones that let you keep your house.