But each time, Herring managed to delay the sale until something could be worked out.
With his two children playing in the yard nearby, Herring recently recounted the story of receiving his first foreclosure notice in the mail.
"I cried. I was like, oh no. that was the feeling I went through. What am I going to do? Panic set in," Herring said.
Herring was lucky enough to get help in time from the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center.
The Center and other agencies have seen a surge of new foreclosure filings in the last four years, with more on the way.
Montgomery County had more than 5,100 filings last year. Projections from the Clerk of Courts for this year indicate another 5,000 filings are expected.
What can people do about it?
Local agencies are urging people who are facing foreclosure to seek help early. One option is to call the United Way Helplink service at 2-1-1.
Helplink 2-1-1 coordinator Sandy Williams said her agency can connect people at no cost with local non-profit agencies that can cover everything from credit counseling to legal help.
Those agencies are discouraging people from contacting companies that claim they can help for a fee up front. Some firms charge as much as $1,800.
"We actually have a database of 1,800 agencies. That is about 4,000 programs," Williams said.
While the problem has been bad in the Dayton region, Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Greg Brush expects it could grow worse before it gets better.
That is because Brush believes many people with adjustable rate mortgages will see their rates go up dramatically in the next two years.
With unemployment so high here, Brush said many people will soon face a big financial challenge.
"If I've got a reset coming up and yet I do not have a job and I cannot find a job at my past level, I slip into foreclosure," Brush said.
Dante Herring has managed to hang onto his home and now offers advice to fellow home owners facing pressure.
"The most valuable tool we have is talking with each other and don't give up," Herring said.
jim.otte@whiotv.com