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Who Should Not Consider A Short Sale

By
Real Estate Agent with Costello Real Estate and Investments

Who Should Not Consider A Short Sale

original post- linked above

Nervous BuyerIt looks exciting.  It looks easy.  But skiing is not everyone.   The same would be true for buying a short sale.

Though the market is full of short sales, there are few people that are cut out to purchase them.  In fact, most people end up bailing out on the transaction before it is ratified and purchasing something else.  To help save you a lot of frustration, I have created a list of situations which should discourage you from purchasing a short sale….

  1. You have to be a in a home in the next few months.   Most short sales take a few months before they are accepted, assuming they are, by the bank.  The risk is high that you will still be homeless in a few months.
  2. You like to know how far along things are with the bank.  Your Realtor can be awesome, but when it comes to their control of the listing Realtor, the asset managers, the negotiator, the seller, the bank, and the response times of these parties… many buyers have been known to loose their minds.  Keep in mind (no pun intented) that many of these parties don’t work on the weekend and aren’t concerned in your idle threats..
  3. You are an avid Internet MLS shopper.  While you are waiting for months while the bank responds, you will begin to fill like and addict who can’t resist the MLS…  You will feel like you are missing out on many other options out there.  For this reason many short sale buyers move on to other homes before the bank ever responds.
  4. You easily loose sleep at night.   Short sales are not for the weak at heart.  They will cause the average buyers more stress than a weeks worth of work and leave you confused and feeling frustrated in the end.

Who Is Perfect For Purchasing A Short Sale???  The perfect short sale buyer is a very relaxed, take it as it comes person, who is not in a rush to buy a home…  If you are this person, then a short sale may be for you.  If not, then go for a foreclosure, re-sale, or new construction.

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Comments (5)

Bud & Beth McKinney
RE/MAX UNITED - Cary, NC
Cary/Raleigh/Apex NC - The Team That Cares, RE/MAX United

Great thoughts! I completely agree.

Feb 13, 2009 05:40 AM
Brett Reichel
Homebridge Financial Services - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
MLO 210215

Excellent advice Jonathan - add to your advice this:  5. If you are barely qualified for financing.  With underwriting guidelines and interest rates changing frequently, you could lose the opportunity to enjoy home ownership should interest rates rise, or guidelines change leaving you not qualifed.

 

Feb 13, 2009 05:41 AM
Richard Dolbeare
Inactive - Wailuku, HI
Living the Hawaii Lifestyle

Yup, I agree wholeheartedly.  One should enter into this process well-informed and with their eyes open.

Feb 13, 2009 05:48 AM
Michael Wayne Jackson
Coldwell Banker - Novato, CA
Broker - Seniors Real Estate Specialist Novato

It's also good when the listing agent actually calls the buyers agents that have an offer in and give them an update as to what's going on..

Feb 13, 2009 05:55 AM
Lorraine or Loretta Kratz
Crescent Moon Realty, Inc. & Land N Sea Auctions. - San Marcos, CA
Certified Negotiation Consultants

Short sales are not for the agent or buyer that hasn't got a lot of patience. A friend of my has been in a short sale situation for about 10 months now with no end in sight. She has had 13 buyers and each time they get close either the buyer or the bank has some new condition which blows the deal.

Feb 13, 2009 06:14 AM