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Short Sale w/ CitiMortgage - need an escalation

By
Real Estate Agent with Windermere Bay Area Properties

I have a phone to my ear.  I've literally been on hold with Citi's short sale dept for over 40 minutes this morning.  I need to find a way to escalate beyond the negotiator on the file.  Here's the situation.  They approved the short sale.  BUT, buyer's appraiser could not appraise it at the purchase price.  So Citi sent out another BPO agent.  Who still came in with a higher value (10%) than appraisal.   Well the problem there is that the appraiser took a declining market adjustment.  He made a more than 3% per month adjustment on each comp used.  I can assure that the BPO did not do that. I've done BPO's.  Citi will not show me the BPO.  There is a closed comp on the next street lower than the appraised value but it appears that comp was not used.   Because of the declining nature of our area, if Citi takes this back in foreclosure, they'll probably net anywhere from 20-30% less than the buyer's appraised value.  So, though I know these banks have no logic or sense, there has got to be someone who can look at this critically and realize what is happening.

We have a heartbroken buyer.  We have a bank so staunch in their guidelines that 10k (5%) is going to push this into foreclosure.  I have shown the negotiator trend reports, comps, the buyer's appraisal and she won't even look at , or consider, them. 

I need escalation at CitiMortgage.  Does anyone have a recommendation for a direct number?  As I type this I'm still on hold. 

You should be ashamed CitiMortgage.  You have a seller trying to do the "right thing."  You have a buyer who wants the house.  You have a market that is declining - getting worse month over month.  And you will foreclose? Shame Shame.  And, if you do foreclose and you come back listed as an REO 20% or more lower than we have on the table now, should I laugh? Or cry? I feel the latter coming on...

Michael Wayne Jackson
Coldwell Banker - Novato, CA
Broker - Seniors Real Estate Specialist Novato

I have had my short sale with citi mortgage transferred to four different loss mitigators. The last one I talked to seems like she can push it threw though.

Oct 17, 2008 06:20 AM
Gena Riede
Riede Real Estate, Lic. 01310792 - Sacramento, CA
Real Estate Broker - Sacramento CA Real Estate (916) 417-2699

Catherine, I feel for you and the buyers. The banks have no logic at all. Who does this? It really makes you wonder what their IQ is. Hope it turns around for you.

Oct 17, 2008 03:40 PM
Wendy Rulnick
Rulnick Realty, Inc. - Destin, FL
"It's Wendy... It's Sold!"

Call back. Don't ask for negotiator. Have rep let you contact supervisor or have them email supervisor.

Oct 18, 2008 02:29 AM
Roland Woodworth
Blue Cord Realty - Clarksville, TN
Blue Cord Realty

Catherine.. This is horrible... Some times I wonder what these banks are thinking. Please keep us posted.  I love the e-mail process....

Oct 19, 2008 02:12 PM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

I am in the middle of negotiations with Citi also on a short sale.  They are hard nosed people.  I am working with James Rice who only works partial weeks.  His voice mail says he is out of the office at least once a week.  Perhaps they work out in the field too?????  Very hard company to work with.

Oct 25, 2008 12:42 AM
Anonymous
anna

I hear your pain. I had feelings that those reps and agents who I talked to were very uneducated and hard ball people, every rude as well. I feel like those people just hired with no professional experience in finance or real estate. I feel like I am talking to someone just graduated from high school or something. Very immature and unprofessional. I was on hold at least 20 to 30 minutes.I have almost 15 different numbers of "loss mitigation departments". Can you believe it? They redirect to all diff numbers. I lost tract of which number I should call. Really hard to work with.

Dec 22, 2008 03:29 PM
#6
Anonymous
Chad

I am also going through shortsale with CitiBank.  I was able to obtain an offer that is almost within the market BPO that was done and I am definitely within 20% of the homes value.  I understand that since I have PMI insurance they cover the top 20% of the homes value in case of borrower default and they are the ones agreeing to eat the difference between what is owed and what it is selling for.

Feb 11, 2009 05:41 AM
#7
Anonymous
Crystal

WOW, well I am now pretty worried after reading all of your responses. I am a buyer and have put an offer in on a short sale that was accepted by the seller and is now at citibank awaiting short sale approval. My husband and I have been looking for quite awhile and have found "the one" , but now I'm so upset and worried that we are going to wait however long and have it not be approved....The house was put on the market March 30th and we had our offer accepted 2 days ago.

May 28, 2009 01:14 PM
#8
Mori Langshaw
DMV Realty Group LLC - Fort Washington, MD

Call Customer Service (not the Loss Mitigation Dept) and ask for the name of the Retained Asset Manager who handles "your mortgagees" portfolio.  Don't let them transfer you, you just want the name.  Then contact them directly.

 

Mori ---> http://www.MoriLangshawSr.com

 

Jun 28, 2009 03:48 AM
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Coldwell Banker Realty

Escalate by email to the office of Vikram Pandit - so far it has worked - every time.

Jul 23, 2010 11:27 AM