How long before the CC companies sue/obtaining money?

[adviceplease]

I want to keep my vehicles and my home but I need to get the mortgage, 2nd mortgage and vehicle loans current before I retain a lawyer. Because I am 1-2 months behind on these accounts it seems like it will take at least 1-2 months to catch them up. This will make some off my credit cards 3-4 months behind before I retain. So how long before they sue and garnish wages?

Also, I have not done the final tally of the things I own. If I sell things on Ebay or Craigslist to get some money to put on these bills would it be looked upon as doing something shady? How about garage sales? I need to come up with $700 more than I make to get this going but I am afraid to sell what little I have and it come back on me.

[keepmine]

Selling personal property to pay legal fees is acceptable. Many here have had to do that.

Nobody can tell you within degree of assurance when or even if you'll get sued. You should be Ok for 6 months from default at a minimum.

[mamaluv]

I sold quite a bit of my stuff on ebay/CL and had a garage sale. I was able to come up with almost half of my attorney fees that way.

[catleg]

Collectors love it when they call and you tell them, sorry I can't pay you, I'm saving for an attorney.

As far as suing in my experience it has been they think you have equity in a house they can get a lien against. My guess is they're still using the model where real estate never goes down.

[adviceplease]

Thanks for the replies, I will be hitting Ebay and Pawn shops then. My house went down $70,000 in 5 years from multiple foreclosures in the area so there is no equity.

[backtoschool]

I came up with half my attorney's fees by selling one of my laptops on craig's list. (I am a geek and I have more than one computer.)