Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Your only hope is to see a local lawyer in person and go over all the facts and details with them.

You didn't provide a Zip code, so there's no way for the LawGuru lawyers to tell which of us might be "local" enough to provide effective assistance. If you are in Northern Calif. and even better in the North Bay area, I could be of assistance.

The law requires any party intending to foreclose on real property in California to give several months' prior notice via a written Notice of Default, followed closer to the actual sale date by a written Notice of Sale." These notices are sent to the property owner by certified mail, usually at the property address. In addition, the notices must be sent to any other address of any party that has filed a request to be notified with the County Recorder.

I'd guess that the fault her lies mainly with the tenants, who presumably received the notices and didn't advise you, and perhaps partly with you, for failing to file a request for notice at your home address.

It's also possible that your lender may be partly or completely responsible for the lack of notice, if they had actual or constructive notice of your true home address.