A deed in lieu of foreclosure is an agreement reached between a homeowner and a lender in which the homeowner turns over the deed to the home, and the lender agrees to halt foreclosure proceedings. Negotiating a deed in lieu of foreclosure agreement is a way to avoid foreclosure. As a general rule, in a deed in lieu of foreclosure settlement, the homeowner signs away the deed, giving the home to the lender, and the lender writes off the homeowner's debt, essentially canceling the mortgage or deed of trust.