Considering A Short Sale?
A Short Sale is a process by which the homeowner agrees to sell their home prior to foreclosure at a price that is less than the current balance due on the loan. It allows the homeowner to avoid the pain and humiliation of foreclosure as well as the devastating damage to their credit score (point loss can easily be 200-250 points!).
There are possible drawbacks, however. The I.R.S. will see the debt forgiveness as income, and your lender may want to pursue a deficiency judgment, meaning that they may want that money back. I highly encourage anyone considering a short sale to consult with a lawyer and/or CPA. Each lender treats short sales a little differently, but this is an overview of what to expect.
Call Your Lender
Lack of communication is the biggest single mistake you can make when you fall behind on payments. Speak with your lender immediately, and contact their “short sales” department. Make it clear that you want to talk to the supervisor or department manager; i.e. someone who can make a decision. This process can require making several calls before you find the right person, so be persistent.
Find A Realtor Who Understands Short Sales
You’re going to need someone to help you get that home sold quickly, and a Realtor that understands the process and has experience with this unique type of transaction has a much better chance of being able to get the job done. I’ve had lots of experience successfully negotiating short sales for distressed homeowners, and I’m more than happy to help!
Let your Lender Know Who You Are Working With
Lenders will typically not speak with agents unless the homeowner has given explicit, written permission to discuss the financial details of your loan. Your Realtor is working for you, but we need the bank to know that we have your permission to do so!
Have Your Realtor Submit A Net Sheet
The bank wants to know what sort of numbers they are being asked to consider, so have your Realtor submit a net sheet with all of the costs and expected return outlined in writing.
Be Prepared to Submit Your Financial Documents
The lender will want to see bank statements, pay stubs, savings information, stock and bond information etc. Honesty is the best policy here, and if the bank finds you were trying to hold back information, they are going to be far less apt to work with you.
Have Your Realtor Submit any Necessary Documentation
This can include the listing agreement, contract to purchase, Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), and so forth. It may also be a good idea to have them help you pen a Hardship Letter to submit that details why you are in this situation. If you can gain any sympathy with the bank, you might be able to work out the options you need with less difficulty.
Short Sales Should NOT Be Overwhelming!
Hopefully, this should help in getting your bank to approve the short sale. Lenders are more and more willing to negotiate right now, and believe it or not, they really don’t want to have to foreclose on you, and if they can work out an arrangement they’d be much better off as well.
Bear in mind that any purchase offer you receive will need to be reviewed and approved by the bank, and that process can take as long as a several weeks from the time you submit the offer to them. If you have any questions, or need to possibly list your home as a short sale, please fill out the form below and we can help!
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