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Do You Have Suggestions for my Short Sale Book Title? Here's a Sneak Preview

By
Real Estate Agent with Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker DRE #00697006

The Short Sale by Elizabeth WeintraubWhew. The edited version of my book has been completed -- not that I have had time to proof it yet. Yesterday, I put 3 transactions into escrow, so I've been a bit overwhelmed and unable to allocate time for reading the final copy. (I was supposed to be taking off work from Wednesday through Sunday to recuperate from my horrible oral surgery ordeal, but things don't always work out as one plans in this business. I guess if an agent wants to increase business, all she needs to do is tell everybody not to call, pop a few Vicodin and pull the covers over her head.)

During all this, my publisher sent me a preview copies of The Short Sale book cover. Now, I don't know if the version you see here will be the final cover, but it's the version I liked best among the three choices presented.

The problem seems to be the title: The Short Sale Savior. My literary agent has asked me for suggestions. I haven't had time to give it a lot of thought, but my initial reaction is the proposed title appears to contain a bit of a religious overtone. Besides, it's also a little misleading. A short sale isn't exactly a "savior" process. It's an option, sort of a lesser of evils.

My suggestion is "The Short Sale: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Short Sales But Didn't Know Whom to Ask." I'm not wed to that title, though, and it's likely there is a much better title floating around in somebody else's head. For some reason, both the publisher and literary agent prefer a longer title than simply The Short Sale. Something catchier.

Do you have any suggestions of your own? If so, I'd love to submit them to the publisher. I'll be eternally grateful for any and all ideas.

P. S. I'll come up with a suitable reward for a winning submission. :)

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Image: Archer Ellison

The Short Sale, by Elizabeth Weintraub, coming from Archer Ellison in January 2009

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Elizabeth Weintraub is co-partner of Weintraub & Wallace Team of Top Producing Realtors, an author, home buying expert at The Balance, a Land Park resident, and a veteran real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown, Carmichael and East Sacramento, as well as tract homes in Elk Grove, Natomas, Roseville and Lincoln. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put our combined 80 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at RE/MAX Gold. DRE License # 00697006.

Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of RE/MAX Gold. Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice; it could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.

Comments (23)

Lisa Spalding
Casa Latino Four Corners, REALTOR, CDPE - Longwood, FL
REALTOR, CDPE

How about The Short Sale Survival Guide

Nov 23, 2008 01:43 AM
C Tann-Starr
Tann Starr & Associates, Inc. - Palm Bay, FL

Please tell me you are going to get around to writing that dummy guide (LOL). I love those black and yellow books. :-)

Nov 23, 2008 01:58 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hey C and Lisa: I like both of those ideas. I mentioned to my literary agent, the wonderful Verna Dreischbach, that I would blog about this, and she suggested I gather all the ideas and send them to the publisher in one email.

And no, spittooey. I'm not writing that For Dummies book, C. Somebody else snagged that -- somebody who had written for them before.

Say, does anybody know why I continue to get error messages from the server when trying to align the image to the left? It shows up fine in preview, but when I hit submit, I get an error and it reverts. Is there a quirk happening in AR? I couldn't align my blog photo from yesterday, either.

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Nov 23, 2008 02:22 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Elizabeth:  I like Carolyn's  (yours) The Short Sale Option.  Of course Lisa's Short Sale Survival Guide is along the lines of what I would recommend.  I'd ditch the halo and the house.  Perhaps a bank with a pitchfork instead? 

Nov 23, 2008 02:24 AM
Terry & Bonnie Westbrook
Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner - Grand Rapids, MI
Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re

Short sales for dummies.  The long process of Short sales. The long tale of the short sale. Does the bank really want my house back? That's it for now. Good Luck with the book.

Nov 23, 2008 03:46 AM
C Tann-Starr
Tann Starr & Associates, Inc. - Palm Bay, FL

Oooooo... the pitch-bank may give readers the wrong impression about the bail-out (LMAO). Too funny Chris Ann.

Terry, I really really want a black and yellow IDG dummy guide spin off. If she names it "for dummies" now, there may be some confusion later (LOL). Oh, wait, that slot has been taken. Bummer...

Nov 23, 2008 04:42 AM
Debi Ernst
St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO
GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Elizabeth - I like Lisa's "Short Sale Survivor Guide".  By the way, thanks for the secret for success:

 "...tell everybody not to call, pop a few Vicodin and pull the covers over her head."    

I'm going to try it!  :)

Nov 23, 2008 04:57 AM
C Tann-Starr
Tann Starr & Associates, Inc. - Palm Bay, FL

LOL @ Debi. People can be soooo contrary sometimes, can't they?

Nov 23, 2008 06:27 AM
Wendy Rulnick
Rulnick Realty, Inc. - Destin, FL
"It's Wendy... It's Sold!"

Elizabeth - A shorter title is always better, no pun intended.  When can I get a copy?

Nov 23, 2008 07:59 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hi Chris Ann: LOL, I love the idea of the bank with a pitchfork sticking out of it, but as my husband noted, that, too, has religious overtones.

Hi Terry: Hey, what about Short Sales for Smart People? Hahahha

Hi C: Yellow and black is more dated, I think, than red and black. I dunno, red, white and black pops.

Hi Debi: Try it. It seemed to work for me.

Hi Wendy: It will be for sale in all the book stores and Amazon. I got a lot of submissions from Active Rain members, so those people get a copy. I am really thankful for their submissions. Chris Ann was one of those people, btw.

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Nov 23, 2008 12:46 PM
Wendy Rulnick
Rulnick Realty, Inc. - Destin, FL
"It's Wendy... It's Sold!"

Hi Elizabeth:  Don't forget - me, too :)  Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 23, 2008 01:33 PM
Jesse Clifton
Jesse Clifton & Associates - Fairbanks, AK

Well, here's another vote for The Short Sale Option...and I love the cover layout.  Very sharp!

Nov 23, 2008 06:12 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hi Wendy: LOL. Of course not. You're on the list.

Thanks, Jesse: I think the publisher is looking for something "catchier," which is why he seems stuck on "savior." Drats.

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Nov 24, 2008 01:25 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Elizabeth, How About the short sale handbook, or the short sale user's guide.

Nov 24, 2008 02:50 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I like both of these ideas, Gary. Thank you.

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Nov 25, 2008 07:08 AM
Regina P. Brown
MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA
M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Elizabeth, your book looks fabulous!  I can't wait to read it.

Regarding the title, I suggest throwing in an action verb.  Also it's good to cause a little bit of curiousity, so make the title kind of -- unusual! 

"Save your Skin with Short Sales" ?

Who is your publisher?  I have a book I wrote on foreclosures, I'm interested in getting my book published also.

THANKS so much!

Regina P. Brown
Allison James Estates & Homes
www.ReginaBrown.AllisonJamesInc.com

Nov 25, 2008 07:23 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hi Regina: The publisher is cleverly concealed in the line about the book "coming from Archer Ellison." However, if you need a really terrific literary agent, I recommend Verna Dreisbach.

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Nov 26, 2008 02:16 AM
Anna Boyd
Re/Max Gold - El Dorado Hills, CA
CDPE, El Dorado Sacramento

Is the book geared for the Realtor or for the homeowner?  That would make a difference in a grab title - in my opinion.

Nov 28, 2008 12:49 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hi Anna: It's for agents and consumers. They want a title that will pique curiosity and encourage impulse buying, I presume.

Elizabeth Weintraub Land Park Real Estate Agent in Sacramento

Nov 28, 2008 01:47 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

How about a compromise with "Save with the Short Sale."   I also don't like the religious overtones of their proposal.

Nov 29, 2008 01:44 AM