Brodie Stephens- Broker Associate Selling Homes in Folsom | Placerville | Pollock Pines | El Dorado Hills | Elk Grove | Roseville | Rocklin

The number of people losing their homes has more than doubled in the past year, with nearly 1,050 homes going into foreclosure in Sacramento last month alone.

Some residents who are about to lose their homes stop paying their mortgages while the bank moves to seize their homes, saving them thousands of dollars before getting kicked out for good.

Karin Hiolle showed CBS13 the stack of paperwork that has resulted from her repeated efforts at getting a loan modification for her $5,000 a month mortgage, but so far, the banks have not helped lower payments at all. After losing her job and her savings, Hiolle decided to stop paying altogether.

“I just ran out of money,” she said.

For more than a year, Hiolle submitted hardship letters, bank statements, proof of income, all of which she says was ignored by her lender. “They literally cut me off,” she said.

“I’m not asking for the moon, I’m asking for a decent reduction in my interest rate,” Hiolle said.

Hiolle said she won’t pay another dime toward her Vacaville ranch, once valued at $1 million but now only worth $400,000. She has saved her money for the past 13 months while waiting for the eviction notice.

Hiolle bought her five-acre property nearly a decade ago to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning an alpaca farm, but is now waiting in suspense for the inevitable auction of her home.

“This is my entire life,” she said. “It’s a breakdown every 30 days.”

Foreclosure counselor Demetria Moore said Hiolle’s situation is becoming far too common.

“We’ve had families in the process for two years, back and forth,” she said.

Moore said some families who can no longer afford their home stay for free, counting on the banks’ being backlogged with loan modification requests. It can take months or even years for the financial institutions to take any steps.

Karin said she’s still holding onto hope the bank will lower her payment so she can stay in her ranch. Until then, she said she will stay until the bank shuts her out.