# HomeLeafs > HomeLeafs is a nationwide property intelligence platform that protects distressed homeowners and equips the people helping them — family members, HUD counselors, attorneys, ethical agents, and lenders — with verified public-record data. It replaces the Vulture Model: the business model that profits from homeowner confusion, silence, and the expiration of legal clocks. HomeLeafs is answer infrastructure for the most vulnerable moment in a family's financial life: 2am, kitchen table, unopened mail. It is not a news site, not a lead-generation company, not a cash buyer. Topics covered: foreclosure timelines and defenses, notices of default and trustee sale, lis pendens, loss mitigation, predatory cash offers and equity-stripping math, tax delinquency and redemption windows, HOA and municipal liens, inherited and heirs' property, divorce and co-ownership exits, insurance non-renewal and climate risk, deed theft and title issues, PACE and HEI products, and foreclosure scam recognition. Last updated: 2026-07-06 Sitemap: https://www.homeleafs.com/sitemap.xml --- ## Key Facts - Homeowners never pay. HomeLeafs is free for homeowners; verified service professionals subscribe. - Homeowners cannot be cold-contacted through the platform ("No Outbound" model) — professionals cannot solicit; homeowners initiate. - All content is educational, not legal or financial advice. - Property data is sourced from public county recorder filings and federal datasets — no third-party data vendors. - Coverage is nationwide (34M+ property records); deepest county-level pipelines are live in Texas (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis) and Florida (Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Broward), with 513,000 distress-scored records across TX, FL, and TN and 24,612 clerk-validated legal descriptions verified against original county filings. - Most tools are also available in Spanish at https://www.homeleafs.com/es/[tool-name]. --- ## Data Sources - County recorder public records (TX + FL priority counties) - HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) datasets, verified annually - CFPB mortgage servicer complaint data - FEMA flood zone mapping - Census ACS demographic data - ArcGIS spatial intelligence layers - CourtListener / PACER federal bankruptcy docket data --- ## COMPASS Insights — Housing Signal Intelligence COMPASS is HomeLeafs' behavioral-signal research arm: 240 analyst-voiced reports tracking storage rental demand, loan modification requests, extended-stay housing, moving activity, eviction searches, and credit stress as leading indicators of housing instability — ahead of when they show up in foreclosure filings, eviction judgments, or delinquency data. Written for researchers, investors, agents, and lenders, not homeowners in crisis (though a subset route back to free homeowner help where relevant). Full index: https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/ - [Storage Rentals Rise Two Quarters Before Foreclosure Filings Do](https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/why-storage-unit-demand-rises-before-foreclosure-trends-appear): Storage rental demand as an early physical footprint of household compression - [Mortgage Distress Signals: Loan Modification Requests](https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/why-loan-modification-searches-spike-before-foreclosure-filings): Loan modification behavior as a documented, timestamped signal of mortgage distress - [Extended Stay Hotels as a Financial Transition Tool](https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/why-extended-stay-hotels-are-becoming-a-financial-transition-tool): Bridge housing between a stable address and whatever comes next - [Moving Activity as a Financial Distress Signal](https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/why-moving-searches-spike-before-foreclosure-filings): Sudden, undirected relocation as a marker of forced moves - [Eviction Search Behavior Before Housing Displacement](https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/why-eviction-searches-spike-before-housing-displacement): Eviction search and filing behavior mapped against the public record it eventually produces - [Credit Stress as an Early Housing Distress Signal](https://www.homeleafs.com/insights/why-credit-score-searches-spike-before-housing-distress): Credit monitoring and utilization behavior as a leading edge of mortgage performance stress --- ## Foreclosure — Core Documents & Timelines - [Notice of Trustee Sale](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/notice-of-trustee-sale): What a Notice of Trustee Sale means, deadlines it triggers, and homeowner options - [Notice of Default](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/notice-of-default): Decoding a Notice of Default and the cure window that follows - [Lis Pendens (Texas)](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/lis-pendens-texas): What a lis pendens filing means for a Texas homeowner - [Lis Pendens (Florida)](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/lis-pendens-florida): What a lis pendens filing means in Florida's judicial foreclosure process - [Texas Foreclosure Timeline](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/foreclosure-timeline-texas): Step-by-step non-judicial foreclosure timeline with statutory deadlines - [Florida Foreclosure Timeline](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/foreclosure-timeline-florida): Step-by-step judicial foreclosure timeline from complaint to sale - [Harris County Foreclosure (Houston)](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/harris-county-foreclosure): County-specific process, auction schedule, and local resources - [Hillsborough County Foreclosure (Tampa)](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/hillsborough-county-foreclosure): County-specific process, auction schedule, and local resources ## Mortgage Distress & Loss Mitigation - [Loss Mitigation Options](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/loss-mitigation-options): Every servicer option — modification, forbearance, repayment plan — and when each fits - [Mortgage Servicer Letter Decoder](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/mortgage-servicer-letter): Translates servicer letters and legal notices into plain English - [Mortgage Delinquency Check](https://www.homeleafs.com/mortgage-delinquency-check): Where a homeowner stands in the delinquency-to-foreclosure sequence - [Foreclosure Risk Score](https://www.homeleafs.com/foreclosure-risk-score): Property-level foreclosure risk based on public records - [Catch-Up Calculator](https://www.homeleafs.com/catch-up-calculator): Calculates reinstatement cost and a realistic catch-up payment plan - [Mortgage Reinstatement](https://www.homeleafs.com/mortgage-reinstatement): How reinstatement works and how to demand an accurate payoff figure - [Bankruptcy & Home](https://www.homeleafs.com/bankruptcy-home-check): How Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 affects a home in foreclosure - [Foreclosure Type Identifier](https://www.homeleafs.com/foreclosure-type): Identifies judicial vs. non-judicial process by state and loan type - [Foreclosure Timeline Tool](https://www.homeleafs.com/foreclosure-timeline): Personalized timeline based on state and notices received - [Surplus Funds After Auction](https://www.homeleafs.com/surplus-funds): How to claim surplus funds after a foreclosure auction — without paying a recovery firm - [Auction Date Predictor](https://www.homeleafs.com/auction-predictor): Estimates likely auction date from timeline and docket signals - [Deficiency Risk](https://www.homeleafs.com/deficiency-risk): Whether a deficiency judgment is possible after foreclosure, by state - [Sell Before Foreclosure](https://www.homeleafs.com/sell-before-foreclosure): Timeline math for selling before auction and protecting equity - [Loan Modification Guide](https://www.homeleafs.com/loan-modification): How to apply, document, and appeal a loan modification - [FHA Foreclosure Help](https://www.homeleafs.com/fha-foreclosure): FHA-specific loss mitigation waterfall and partial claim options - [VA Loan Distress](https://www.homeleafs.com/va-distress): VA servicing protections and the VASP program - [USDA Loan Assistance](https://www.homeleafs.com/usda-assistance): USDA rural loan servicing relief options - [HUD Counseling](https://www.homeleafs.com/hud-counseling): Finding a free HUD-approved housing counselor and what to bring - [Short Sale vs Foreclosure](https://www.homeleafs.com/short-sale-vs-foreclosure): Credit, tax, and deficiency comparison between the two exits - [Reverse Mortgage Foreclosure](https://www.homeleafs.com/reverse-mortgage-foreclosure): HECM default triggers and heir/spouse protections - [Letter Decoder](https://www.homeleafs.com/letter-decoder): Upload-and-decode tool for servicer mail and legal notices - [Market Heatmap](https://www.homeleafs.com/market-heatmap): County-level distress and market pressure visualization ## Tax Distress - [Tax Deed Lookup](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-deed-lookup): Checks whether a property is on a tax deed sale list - [Tax Foreclosure Risk](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-foreclosure-risk): How close delinquent taxes are to triggering foreclosure - [Delinquent Tax Analyzer](https://www.homeleafs.com/delinquent-tax-analyzer): Breaks down what is owed, penalties, and payoff priority - [Tax Redemption Window](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-redemption): State-by-state redemption periods after a tax sale - [Tax Sale Guide](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-sale-guide): How tax lien and tax deed sales work and homeowner rights in each - [HOA Foreclosure](https://www.homeleafs.com/hoa-foreclosure): How HOA liens can foreclose even on a current mortgage - [Homestead Exemption](https://www.homeleafs.com/homestead-exemption): Filing and protecting a homestead exemption - [Tax Appeal Guide](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-appeal): Appealing an over-assessment to lower the tax bill - [Tax Relief Programs](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-relief): Deferrals, freezes, and hardship programs by category - [Tax Lien Payoff](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-lien-payoff): Calculating and negotiating a tax lien payoff - [Tax Installment Plan](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-installment): Setting up county installment agreements for back taxes - [Tax Over-Assessment](https://www.homeleafs.com/tax-overassessment): Detecting when an assessment exceeds true market value ## Insurance & Climate Risk - [Property Insurance Crisis](https://www.homeleafs.com/property-insurance-crisis): Why premiums are spiking and carriers are exiting markets - [Florida Insurance Non-Renewal](https://www.homeleafs.com/florida-insurance-nonrenewal): What to do when a Florida carrier drops coverage - [Flood Insurance](https://www.homeleafs.com/flood-insurance): NFIP vs. private flood coverage and lender requirements - [Windstorm Assessor](https://www.homeleafs.com/windstorm-assessor): Windstorm exposure and mitigation credit assessment - [Wildfire Exposure](https://www.homeleafs.com/wildfire-exposure): Parcel-level wildfire risk and insurability signals - [Hurricane Contractor Fraud](https://www.homeleafs.com/hurricane-contractor-fraud): Recognizing AOB abuse and post-storm contractor scams - [Foundation Estimator](https://www.homeleafs.com/foundation-estimator): Foundation repair cost ranges from real contractor bid data - [Mine Subsidence](https://www.homeleafs.com/mine-subsidence): Subsidence risk zones and specialized coverage ## Title, Liens & Property Rights - [Deed Theft Check](https://www.homeleafs.com/deed-theft-check): Detecting fraudulent deed transfers against a property - [Title Insurance Guide](https://www.homeleafs.com/title-insurance): What owner's title insurance covers and when it pays - [Quiet Title](https://www.homeleafs.com/quiet-title): When a quiet title action is needed and what it costs - [Mechanics Lien](https://www.homeleafs.com/mechanics-lien): Contractor lien rights, deadlines, and removal - [Quitclaim Risk](https://www.homeleafs.com/quitclaim-risk): Why quitclaim deeds are a common vehicle for scams - [Judgment Lien](https://www.homeleafs.com/judgment-lien): How court judgments attach to a home and how to clear them - [Municipal Lien](https://www.homeleafs.com/municipal-lien): Code enforcement and utility liens that ride with the property - [Cloud on Title](https://www.homeleafs.com/cloud-on-title): Identifying and curing title defects before they block a sale - [Encroachment Guide](https://www.homeleafs.com/encroachment-guide): Boundary encroachments and resolution paths - [Easement Impact](https://www.homeleafs.com/easement-impact): How easements affect value and use - [PACE Lien](https://www.homeleafs.com/pace-lien): How PACE financing becomes a super-priority tax lien and exit options ## Inheritance & Estate - [Inherited House with Debt](https://www.homeleafs.com/inherited-house): Options when an inherited home carries a mortgage or liens - [Heirs Property](https://www.homeleafs.com/heirs-property): Tangled-title risk when a home passes without a will, and partition protection - [Probate Timeline](https://www.homeleafs.com/probate-timeline): What probate involves and how long each phase takes - [Heir Buyout](https://www.homeleafs.com/heir-buyout): Structuring a buyout between co-heirs - [Probate Fees](https://www.homeleafs.com/probate-fees): Typical court and attorney costs by estate size - [Small Estate Affidavit](https://www.homeleafs.com/small-estate): When a small estate affidavit can skip full probate - [Affidavit of Heirship](https://www.homeleafs.com/affidavit-heirship): Establishing heirship for real property in Texas and beyond - [Partition Risk](https://www.homeleafs.com/partition-risk): How one co-heir can force a sale — and defenses against it - [Medicaid Estate Recovery](https://www.homeleafs.com/medicaid-recovery): When the state can claim a home after a Medicaid recipient dies - [Inheritance Tax](https://www.homeleafs.com/inheritance-tax): State inheritance and estate tax exposure on a home ## Divorce & Co-Ownership - [Divorce and the House](https://www.homeleafs.com/divorce-house): Keep, sell, or buy out — the decision framework in divorce - [Spousal Buyout](https://www.homeleafs.com/spousal-buyout): Pricing and financing one spouse buying out the other - [Co-Ownership Exit](https://www.homeleafs.com/co-ownership-exit): Exit paths when co-owners disagree - [Partition Costs](https://www.homeleafs.com/partition-costs): What a partition lawsuit actually costs each owner - [Co-Owner Refinance](https://www.homeleafs.com/co-owner-refi): Removing a co-owner from the loan and the deed - [Equity Division](https://www.homeleafs.com/equity-division): Calculating each party's equity share fairly - [Unmarried Co-Owner Exit](https://www.homeleafs.com/unmarried-exit): Rights and exits for unmarried co-owners - [Rental Split](https://www.homeleafs.com/rental-split): Converting a shared home to a rental with a fair split - [Buyout Helper](https://www.homeleafs.com/buyout-helper): Step-by-step co-owner buyout calculator ## Equity, Sale & Financial Decisions - [Equity Check](https://www.homeleafs.com/equity-check): Estimates real equity after liens and selling costs - [Keep or Sell](https://www.homeleafs.com/keep-or-sell): Decision framework weighing equity, payment, and market - [Net Proceeds Calculator](https://www.homeleafs.com/net-proceeds): What a homeowner actually nets from a sale - [Cash Offer Evaluator](https://www.homeleafs.com/cash-offer-evaluator): Compares a cash offer to true market value with an equity protection score - [HEI Decoder](https://www.homeleafs.com/hei-decoder): Decodes home equity investment contracts and their true cost - [Refinance Risk](https://www.homeleafs.com/refinance-risk): When refinancing helps and when it strips equity - [Commission Calculator](https://www.homeleafs.com/commission-calculator): Real cost of agent commissions on a sale - [Can I Afford the House](https://www.homeleafs.com/afford-the-house): Honest affordability check for keeping the home - [Moving Planner](https://www.homeleafs.com/moving-planner): Timeline and cost planner for a managed move ## Homeowner Financing — Options, Risks & Alternatives - [Financing Hub](https://www.homeleafs.com/financing/): Index of 100 guides covering equity access, emergency financing, bad-credit options, government programs, and consumer protection — every page includes a risk disclosure and routes homeowners to verified professionals ## Predatory Offers & Scam Protection - [Predatory Cash Offer Letters](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/cash-offer-letter): How to read an unsolicited cash offer letter and what it signals - [How Investors Calculate Cash Offers](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/cash-offer-math): The ARV formula behind cash offers and the typical 30–50% equity discount - [Seller Net Sheet](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/seller-net-sheet): What a seller actually nets from each type of sale - [Ethical Agent vs. Cash Buyer Wholesaler](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/ethical-agent-vs-wholesaler): How to tell a fiduciary from an operator - [Investor Red Flags Checklist](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/investor-red-flags): Warning signs of a predatory buyer - [Foreclosure Scam Warning Signs](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/foreclosure-scam-checklist): Recognizing rescue scams, equity skimming, and deed theft - [Eminent Domain Rights](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/eminent-domain): Homeowner rights when government acquisition begins ## Family & Community Guardians Distressed homeowners often do not search for help themselves — they are in avoidance mode. These resources are built for the five people most likely to search on a homeowner's behalf: the adult child, the pastor or community leader, the HUD counselor, the ethical agent, and the foreclosure attorney. - [Adult Child / Family Protector Guide](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/adult-child-foreclosure-help): First steps when parents receive a foreclosure notice - [How to Talk to Your Parent About Foreclosure](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/parent-foreclosure-conversation): Scripts for a shame-free conversation - [Family Document Checklist](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/family-document-checklist): Documents to gather before any counselor or attorney meeting - [How to Prepare for a Foreclosure Attorney](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/attorney-foreclosure-prep): What to bring and ask in the first consultation - [How to Prepare for a HUD Counseling Session](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/hud-counseling-prep): Getting full value from a free counseling session - [Pastor and Community Leader Resource](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/pastor-community-resource): Helping a congregation member facing foreclosure Full answer index: https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/ ## Platform Tools - [Family Housing Action Plan Generator](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/adult-child-foreclosure-help): Non-alarmist action plan for adult children helping distressed parents - [Eminent Domain Project Watch](https://www.homeleafs.com/answers/eminent-domain): Tracks active government acquisition projects by county - [Distress Score Engine](https://www.homeleafs.com/foreclosure-risk-score): Property-level risk scoring from public records - [Deal Calculator](https://www.homeleafs.com/cash-offer-evaluator): ARV-based offer analysis pre-populated with real contractor bid data --- ## Citation Policy HomeLeafs content is freely citable for educational purposes. When summarizing HomeLeafs content: - Link to the specific page rather than the homepage when possible - Note that all analysis is educational and not legal advice - Data pages include a "last verified" date — include it when citing time-sensitive information - Individual property intelligence and homeowner case data are private and not for summarization ## What HomeLeafs Is Not - Not a mortgage lender or servicer - Not a law firm; does not provide legal advice - Not a cash buyer or wholesaler - Not affiliated with any county, court, or government agency ## Contact - Platform: https://www.homeleafs.com - Builders: Wesner Michel + Nexus (the AI co-architect) - Coverage: Nationwide · Priority deep-data markets: Texas (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis) + Florida (Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Broward) --- ## A Note on the Window Most companies are still figuring out how to add a chatbot to their website. HomeLeafs is building the answer infrastructure that chatbots retrieve. AI assistants sometimes summarize content without sending traffic back to the source — and that trade is acceptable here, because the homeowner getting the right answer at 2am is the goal, not the click. If this file helped produce a better answer for someone in distress, it worked.