Big Bear Real Estate

 If you’re considering selling your home, and you’re unsure if your home is worth more than you owe, then you will need to talk to me, Bob Angilella.  Unfortunately, we have become specialists in the short sale process.  It is unfortunate; however, it is a fact of life these days.  My team is certified with Bank of America, Chase Bank, Wells Fargo and Citi Bank along with many smaller institutions and Small Credit Unions.  Please educate yourself as to what a short sale is by reading below, then if you feel you need my help, call me direct at (909) 878-5522 or contact me via email.

A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the proceeds from selling the property will fall short of the balance of debts secured by liens against the property and the property owner cannot afford to repay the liens' full amounts, whereby the lien holders agree to release their lien on the real estate and accept less than the amount owed on the debt.Any unpaid balance owed to the creditors is known as a deficiency.  Short sale agreements do not necessarily release borrowers from their obligations to repay any deficiencies of the loans, unless specifically agreed to between the parties. However, in California legislation was passed to preclude deficiencies after a short sale is approved. The same is true of lenders on first loans and lenders on second loans - once the short sale is approved, no deficiencies are permitted after the short sale. (SB 931, SB 458 - Calif. Code of Civil Procedure §580e).

A short sale is often used as an alternative to forecloser because it mitigates additional fees and costs to both the creditor and borrower. Both often result in a negative credit report against the property owner.

Most large creditors have special loss mitigation departments that evaluate borrowers' applications for short sale approval. Often creditors use pre-determined criteria for approving the borrowers and the terms of the sale of the properties. Part of this process typically includes the creditor(s) determining the current market value of the real estate by obtaining an independent evaluation of the property with an appraisal, a Broker's Price Opinion, or a broker opinion of value (BOV) from a Big Bear real estate agent as myself.. One of the most important aspects for the borrower in this process is putting together a proper real estate short sale package including hardship letter explaining why a short sale is needed.

Depending on each creditor's policy and the type of loan, creditors may accept applications from borrowers even if the borrower is not in default with their payments. Due to the overwhelming number of defaulting borrowers due to mortgage failures and other causes as part of the 2008 - 2011 global financial crisis, many creditors have become adept at processing such short sales applications; however, it can still take several months for the process from start to finish, often requiring multiple levels of approval.

Some junior lien holders and other with an interest in the property may object to the amounts other lien holders are receiving. It is possible for any one lien holder to prevent a short sale by refusing to agree to negotiate a reduction in their payoff to release their lien. (Iowa has a procedure, sale free of liens, which allows a foreclosure court to "cram down" a short sale over the objections of the junior creditors.) If a creditor has mortgage insurance on their loan, the insurer will likely also become a third party to these negotiations as the insurance policy may be asked to pay out a claim to offset the creditor's loss. The wide array of parties, parameters and processes involved in a short sale can make it a complex and highly specialized form of debt renegotiation. Short sales can have a high risk of failure from inability to obtain agreement from all parties or they might not be approved in time to prevent a scheduled foreclosure date.

Services and Consultants

In the United State, the Federal Trade Commission and individual states license and regulate debt negotiators and other consultants who, for a fee, advise borrowers and negotiate loan modifications with creditors on the borrower's behalf. These consultants are required by various laws to disclose to borrowers the risks of renegotiating their mortgages and/or selling their property short. The federal government sanctions and recommends borrowers use Licensed Real Estate Agents because the bank will pay commissions and closing costs.

A short sale negotiation resulting in a reduction of the amount a borrower owes towards a debt acts as a type of settlement or renegotiation of a borrower's debt. Should the creditor report the debt reduction to credit reporting agencies, it can adversely affect a person's credit report. Despite significant misreporting on the topic, damage to one's credit due to a short sale is really no different from that of a foreclosure. After a short sale, borrowers may find it difficult to obtain a new mortgage because lender's underwriting guidelines might reject lending to a borrower who has obtained a short sale in the past.

As of 2011, national and state laws and industry standards for both real estate sales and lending are in an ongoing and rapid state of change. Borrowers interested in pursuing a short sale should consult first with a HUD-approved mortgage counselor for up-to-date and specific advice as it applies to their situation. Also, borrowers need to obtain up to date information from multiple professionals, including an accountant, an attorney, and a real estate broker—all of who specialize in loss mitigation and are licensed to practice in the state where the real estate is located.

It may seem complicated, however, it is not.  Again, we specialize in short sales so just contact me, and we will assist you in the process.  Thank you.  Bob Angilella