Baltimore Short Sale Tips for HomeOwners, Robert B. McArtor Certified Short Sale Agent in Maryland

If you're thinking of selling your home in Maryland, and you expect that the total amount you owe on your mortgage will be greater than the selling price of your home, you may be facing a short sale. A short sale in Maryland is one where the net proceeds from the sale won't cover your total mortgage obligation and closing costs, and you don't have other sources of money to cover the deficiency. A short sale is different from a foreclosure, which is when your lender takes title of your home through a lengthy legal process and then sells it.

1. Consider loan modification first. If you are thinking of selling your home in Maryland because of financial difficulties and you anticipate a short sale, first contact your lender to see it has any programs to help you stay in your home. Your lender may agree to a modification such as:

· Refinancing your loan at a lower interest rate
· Providing a different payment plan to help you get caught up
· Providing a forbearance period if your situation is temporary

When a loan modification still isn’t enough to relieve your financial problems, a short sale could be your best option if

· Your property is worth less than the total mortgage you owe on it.
· You have a financial hardship, such as a job loss or major medical bills.
· You have contacted your lender and it is willing to entertain a short sale.

2. Hire Robert McArtor with Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc. Short sales have proliferated only in the last few years, so it may be hard to find practitioners who have closed a lot of short sales. You want to work with Robert McArtor who demonstrates a thorough working knowledge of the short-sale process and will not try to take advantage of your situation or pressure you to do something that isn't in your best interest.

When you Hire Robert McArtor with Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc. He will:

· Provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA) or broker price opinion (BPO).
· Help you set an appropriate listing price for your home, market the home, and get it sold.
· Put special language in the MLS that indicates your home in Maryland is a short sale and that lender approval is needed (all MLSs permit, and some now require, that the short-sale status be disclosed to potential buyers).
· Ease the process of working with your lender or lenders.
· Negotiate the contract with the buyers.
· Help you put together the short-sale package to send to your lender (or lenders, if you have more than one mortgage) for approval. You can’t sell your home without your lender and any other lien holders agreeing to the sale and releasing the lien so that the buyers can get clear title.