Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Illinois

I am sorry for your loss. Sadly, there may not be a solution for the long term. I am assuming that there are not any benefits expected that would help, such as a share in the estate or life insurance. You can contact the mortgage company to see if anything can be worked out, but if you simply cannot afford the property then refinancing or other options are unlikely. If your mother had equity in the property, then the family should consider selling the property so that some benefit is realized, instead of the property being lost to foreclosure. The mortgage company may give the family some time to try to sell. Have you explored whether there are any local sources of assistance that may provide something, perhaps a neighborhood housing association. If it is inevitable that the property will be lost, the good news is that a foreclosure will likely run well into 2015. Very likely, you will have until the summer to stay while you explore other options for housing.

There may be so much more that would come out of a consultation with an attorney. I encourage you to meet with someone locally.