Foreclosure
A process that allows a lender to recover the amount owed on a defaulted loan by selling or taking ownership (repossession) of the property securing the loan. The foreclosure process begins when a borrower/owner defaults on loan payments (usually mortgage payments) and the lender files the necessary documents to begin the foreclosure proceedings.

Notice of Default (NOD)
A publicly recorded notice that a property owner has missed scheduled loan payments for a loan secured by a property. Some states require lenders to record a notice of default to begin the foreclosure process.

Notice of Sale (NTS or NFS):
A document announcing the public sale of a property to recover a debt owed by the owner of the property. The notice is mailed to parties affected by the sale of a property, advertised in local publications and recorded in public records. Among other information, it provides the date, time and location of the sale.

Foreclosure Sale
A public sale of a property to recover a debt owed by the owner of the property. The sale can be officiated by a trustee, an attorney or a local government official, depending on state law.

REO:
Real Estate Owned by the lender, this status indicates the property is now owned by the lender or bank as a result of a foreclosure.

Lien
A legal claim on a property by a lender or other entity that is owed money by the owner of the property. The entity that files the legal claim is called the lien holder. If the owner does not pay off the loan or debt that is owed, the lien holder can take steps to sell or repossess the property to recover the debt owed (foreclosure).

Junior Liens
Liens that have a lower priority in terms of their legal claim on a property. The priority is usually determined by the date when the lien was filed. The first lien, or senior lien, against a property is usually the first mortgage or deed of trust recorded when the owner bought the property. Junior liens are typically cleared out a public foreclosure sale, but the purchaser at the sale may be responsible to pay off senior or higher priority liens.

Deed of Trust
A legal document that dictates the terms of a loan used to buy a property and transfers the ownership of the property to a third party called a trustee until the loan has been paid in full. The trustee can sell the property to recover the remaining loan balance for the lender if the borrower violates the terms of the loan (i.e. does not make monthly payments).