Short Sales
Explore Short Sale Opportunities
What Is a Short Sale?
When you owe more on your home than it’s worth and you need to sell, the transaction in which you will sell your property is called a short sale. You need your lender’s approval to do a short sale because they’ll be accepting less than they’re owed at closing. There are many reasons homeowners opt for a short sale, but one of the most common is to avoid going into foreclosure.
If you’re a buyer, a short sale can enable you to buy a property at a discount because the seller is distressed and has fewer options. But you’ll need to be patient because buying a property in a short sale may take some time. Let’s review more details about how short sales work for sellers and buyers.
Short Sales for Sellers & Buyers
How Do Short Sales Work for Sellers?
Short sales are an option for homeowners who are underwater on their mortgage to sell their property, and to avoid going into foreclosure. For many distressed homeowners, short sales are an alternative to foreclosure. Here are the steps sellers need to take in order to sell their properties in short sales:
- Provide proof of hardship: When you owe more than your home will sell for, you can’t just list your home to start. You first need to provide proof of hardship to your lender. The two most accepted hardship cases are proof that lower income has made your home unaffordable, or that you’re subject to a mandatory job relocation. When reviewing your hardship case, your lender will analyze your income and assets. If your debt-to-income ratio has risen, it will help your short sale approval. If you have money saved, they’ll require that you contribute these funds to minimize their loan payoff loss. You will also need to provide a market analysis as well as indicate any liens on your property.
- List your property: Once the lender has approved the short sale, you can list your property with a real estate agent. You’ll need to present any offers to the lender for approval. This process can take two weeks to several months. If you have a second mortgage, both lenders must approve each other’s terms, making the process longer.
- Lenders approve the sale of the property: The lenders will review the buyer’s offer and decide if they will approve the sale. Once approved by the lenders, the short sale can close as soon as the buyer can get their loan approved, funded and closed.
How Do Short Sales Work for Buyers?
Buying a short sale property can allow buyers to purchase a home at a discount, but the downside is that the transaction can take significantly longer than the sale of a property that is not a short sale. Here are the steps a buyer needs to take in order to purchase a property in a short sale:
- Get pre-approved for a mortgage: Buying a short sale property begins the same way as buying any other home: get pre-approved by a lender. They will tell you how much you can afford, how much cash you need, and what your monthly costs will be.
- Shop for properties: If you find a short sale property that you want to purchase, you must work with your real estate agent to identify how much the seller owes, how many loans they have, and whether they’ve been approved by their lender(s) for a short sale.
- Make the offer: Making an offer on a short sale is the same as offering on any other property. However, it may take more time, so be patient. You work with your agent to identify fair market value based on recently sold comparable homes nearby, and write your offer price accordingly.
*Short sale can be a viable option for sellers with a hardship but verify with CPA, Tax Attorney or Real Estate Attorney to obtain legal advice or consequences selling via short sale.
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