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Short Sales: Wall Street Firms Strategically Walking Away from their upside down properties

By
Real Estate Agent with United Realty Group


Miramar FL - Wall Street Fat Cats say homeowners shouldn't walk away from upside down homes. Why? "If you do it, then everyone will start doing it", they say. "It isn't moral. People should own up to their commitments.

People should be responsible. This is more than just a contract. It's what holds the entire economy together." However, those same rules don't seem to apply to the Wall Street Bankers.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Turns out Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley strategically defaulted on their upside down properties. Here is the article from Bloomberg: Morgan Stanley to Give Up 5 San Francisco Towers Bought at Peak.

Here is what the article says: "Morgan Stanley, the securities firm that spent more than $8 billion on commercial property in 2007, plans to relinquish five San Francisco office buildings to its lender two years after purchasing them from Blackstone Group LP near the top of the market.

The bank has been negotiating an “orderly transfer” of the towers since earlier this year, Alyson Barnes, a Morgan Stanley spokeswoman, said yesterday in a telephone interview. AREA Property Partners will take over the buildings. Barnes declined to say when the transfer will occur.

“This isn’t a default or foreclosure situation,” Barnes said. “We are going to give them the properties to get out of the loan obligation.

The Morgan Stanley buildings may have lost as much as 50 percent since the purchase, he estimated.

Morgan Stanley bought 10 San Francisco buildings in the city’s financial district as part of a $2.5 billion purchase from Blackstone Group in May 2007. The buildings were formerly owned by billionaire investor Sam Zell’s Equity Office Properties and acquired by Blackstone in its $39 billion buyout of the real estate firm earlier that year.

Morgan Stanley, based in New York, was the biggest property investor among Wall Street firms at the time of the purchase. The transaction made the company one of the largest office landlords in San Francisco, with the purchase giving the bank 3.9 million square feet of office space there.”

Pretty interesting. If an ordinary guy walks away from his upside down home, then that makes him a immoral deadbeat. "He's working the system", the Wall Street people say.

But, to them it's a moral business decision. "We're doing what's best for our stockholders", they say. "That's our obligation and duty."

Here is my question. Doesn't a parent have an obligation to do what is best for the stockholders in their family? Let's say that they can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in mortgage payments.

As a result, little Timmy will be able to attend college when he grows up. Isn't it their moral obligation to do what is best for the stockholders in the family?

Please let me know what you think. Put your comments agreeing or disagreeing below.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at browardshortsales@gmail.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (954) 214-7806.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Miramar Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.


Thanks and God Bless...


Scott Auten, CDPE


Phone: (954) 214-7806. browardshortsales@gmail.com.



Scott Auten specializes in loan modifications and short sales in Miramar Florida. Miramar Loan Modification Help. Miramar Short Sales. Miramar Short Sale Realtor. Short Sale Realtor. Miramar FL Short Sales. Miramar Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Scott Auten's personal views and do not reflect the views of United Realty Group. This information on Miramar Short Sales: Wall Street Firms Strategically Walking Away from their upside down properties is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.
Dave Halpern
Dave Halpern Real Estate Agent, Inc., Louisville, KY (502) 664-7827 - Louisville, KY
Louisville Short Sale Expert

Scott,

Your analysis is brilliant. The bank wants the little guy to stay obligated on deficiencies, but they walkaway from from billions in one transaction. What happens when John Q. Public uses the same reasoning of:“This isn’t a default or foreclosure situation,” Barnes said. “We are going to give them the properties to get out of the loan obligation."

Nov 03, 2010 05:01 AM
Lynn Edgin
Keller Williams Clients' Choice - Colorado Springs, CO
GRI, SFR, REO

Scott, good information. Unfortunately, many homeowners are in so deep that bankruptcy is their only way out.

Nov 03, 2010 05:02 AM
Scott Auten
United Realty Group - Miramar, FL
Short Sale Realtor; 954-214-7806

I agree Lynn.  However, while bankruptcy may be the best option for homeowners, the timing of filing for the bankruptcy is important.  If they have the opportunity to complete the short sale without having to sign a promissory note, they (in most cases) would be better off doing so.  A promissory note, however, may be considered "new debt" and might not be allowed to be included in a bankruptcy.  These are, of course, questions for a bankruptcy atty.

Scott Auten, CDPE

Nov 03, 2010 05:33 AM