Buyers pursue short sales to get a good deal and they firmly believe buying a short sale will present that opportunity. So when you see a price listed for a home that you think is too low for the neighborhood, before you jump on that price like hot fudge on a sundae, ask your agent to call the listing agent to find out if the home is a short sale.
Because you might want to think twice about making an offer on a pre-foreclosure, short sale home.
It's not as simple as you may believe and very few can close in 30 days or less.
Many of my Sacramento home buyers wait 6 weeks to 6 months to close on a short sale, sometimes longer.
What is a Short Sale?
A successful short sale means the seller's lender is willing to accept a discounted payoff to release an existing mortgage. Just because a property is listed with short sale terms does not mean the lender will accept your offer, even if the seller accepts it. That's because sellers need to qualify for a short sale. If their agent sells very few short sales, that's a red flag for your buyer.
Be aware that the seller need not be in default -- to have stopped making mortgage payments -- before a lender will consider a short sale. A lender may consider a short sale if the seller is current but the value has fallen. The seller may have over-encumbered, owe more than the home is worth, so a discounted price might bring the price in line with market value, not below it.
Because you might want to think twice about making an offer on a pre-foreclosure, short sale home.
It's not as simple as you may believe and very few can close in 30 days or less.
Many of my Sacramento home buyers wait 6 weeks to 6 months to close on a short sale, sometimes longer.
What is a Short Sale?
A successful short sale means the seller's lender is willing to accept a discounted payoff to release an existing mortgage. Just because a property is listed with short sale terms does not mean the lender will accept your offer, even if the seller accepts it. That's because sellers need to qualify for a short sale. If their agent sells very few short sales, that's a red flag for your buyer.
Be aware that the seller need not be in default -- to have stopped making mortgage payments -- before a lender will consider a short sale. A lender may consider a short sale if the seller is current but the value has fallen. The seller may have over-encumbered, owe more than the home is worth, so a discounted price might bring the price in line with market value, not below it.
Check the Public Records
Do your research before making an offer to purchase. Your agent can find out who is in title, whether a foreclosure notice has been filed and how much is owed to the lender(s). This is important because it will help you to determine how much to offer.
Remember, banks are not under duress to accept a short sale so the offer needs to be reasonable.
If there are two loans, you could have a problem. The first mortgage lender's position is protected by the second lender, unless the second lender does not want to foreclose. If a seller owes $160,000 on the first and $40,000 on the second, offering $160,000 leaves nothing for the second. The first will need to give something to the second to gain its cooperation, but it's not nearly as much you would think. Often $3,000 to $6,000 is acceptable.
Hire an Agent with Short Sale Experience
It's one strike against you if the listing agent has never handled a short sale, but it's even worse if your own agent has no experience in that arena. Don't go into a situation where you have the blind leading the blind. You need an experienced short sale agent who can anticipate surprises and stop problems from happening.
An agent with experience in short sales will help to expedite your transaction and protect your interests. You don't want to miss any important detail due to inexperience or find out your transaction is not going to close on time because no one bothered to follow up in a timely manner.
Qualifying the Property and Seller for a Short Sale
A lender is unlikely to agree to a short sale unless the seller has no equity and is unable to repay the difference between your sales price and the existing loans. Sellers need to provide a hardship letter to the lender. Sellers may also owe taxes on the amount of debt that is forgiven.
A seller I know once demanded that the buyer slip the seller $1,000 to be given the right to purchase the seller's property. We said no. This is fraud. The lender legally pursued that seller. Do not be lured by sellers who suggest this practice. In a short sale, the seller typically receives no money because the lender is losing money. A HAFA short sale was once an exception, but those no longer exist.
Read Full Article Here: Before Buying a Short Sale Home
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