The Rise of the Short Sale Negotiator

"Short sales" used to be a real estate anomaly. But no more. Short sales, in which a seller owes more than a home is worth, are common- place these days. Buyers and sellers, and their Realtors, know that short sales can be frustrating, teeth-gnashing affairs, because every short sale is contingent on a lenders approval of the sale. Some short sales drag on for months. My partner, Kim, and I worked for eight months on a short sale before it closed.
Enter the short sale "negotiator", a new specialist who has emerged as a result of the proliferation of short sales. Short sale negotiators might be a former Relaltor, like the one we utilize out of Charleston, or it might be a real estate attorney.
If you are listing your home for sale, I would strongly encourage you to consider contacting a short sale negotiator. Talk to your Realtor about this option. The marketing and sale of your home will still be handled by your Realtor, but, once a contract is obtained, the negotiator will work with the bank, to try and secure their acceptance as quickly as possible.
My experience has been that a good short sale negotiator can expedite the closing of your home.