Posts Tagged ‘short sales’

10 Frequently Asked Short Sale Questions

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

1. What happens to the seller’s credit rating when they allow an investor to short sell their property?

What typically happens is the loan will show up as “paid” on their credit report; however there will be a notation that says “settled for less than originally owed” or something along these lines. It is more favorable for a homeowner to short sell than to have a foreclosure on their credit report.

2. Where do you find investors for Short Sales?

Depending on where you live, you may see investors who advertise with bandit signs or in your local newspaper. Call the investors directly and ask them if they are experienced in doing short sales and if they would be interested in working with you. Another good place is your local real estate investors club meeting.

3. Define Short Sale?

A short sale is really a form of pre-foreclosure sale and occurs when the mortgagee agrees to accept less than the loan amount to avoid foreclosure. A negotiated short sale results in a discounted purchase price for the buyer. The buyer would finance the acquisition much the same as in any conventional realty acquisition… but without the luxury of time.

4. Can an owner profit from a Short Sale?

The seller cannot profit (monetarily) from a pre-foreclosure short sale..But there are always exceptions to the rule.

5. How do bankruptcies affect the possibility of doing a short sale?

Most mortgagees won’t consider a short sale if the homeowner is in bankruptcy…why? Because negotiating a short sale payoff is considered a collection activity. Collection activities are prohibited in bankruptcy.

6. Can somebody tell me what documents do I have to include in a Short Sale package?

Documents depend on the lender. Each lender has different requirements. It is typical to require hardship letter, purchase and sales contract, ECOR,settlement statement (HUD 1), net sheet, pay stubs, bank statements,personal financial sheet (monthly budget), amongst other things.

7. What percentage of mortgage companies send someone out for an appraisal on a possible short sale?

All lenders order a BPO or full appraisal of the property before making their decision to accept or reject the short sale offer. This is there only way of assessing the value of the property.

8. How late in the pre-foreclosure process can you start a short sale?

Try to allow a window of at least 90 days to effectuate a mortgagee approved, pre-foreclosure short sale.

9. What is a Due on Sale Clause?

“Due on Sale” Clause (DOS) Provision in a mortgage or deed of trust calling for the total payoff of the loan balance in the event of a sale or transfer of title to the secured real property. A contract provision which authorizes the lender, at its option, to declare immediately due and payable sums secured by the lender’s security instrument upon a sale of all or any part of the real property securing the loan without the lender’s prior written consent. For purposes of this definition, a sale or transfer means the conveyance of real property of any right, title or interest therein, whether legal or equitable, whether voluntary or involuntary, by for deed, leasehold interest with a term greater than three years, lease-option contract or any other method of conveyance of real property interests. Standard language which states that the loan must be paid when a house is sold.

10. Will banks allow a short sale when the owner has some or a good amount of equity?

If a property has what the lender would consider a substantial amount of equity, chances are they would consider allowing the property to foreclose and then reselling it closer to the retail value. Focus on homes that do not have much equity. Your job will be to create the equity in the home by negotiating a successful short sale.

Mr. Fowler has been a real estate investor for over 15 years specializing in the area of pre-foreclosure/short sale investing. He has bought and sold over 200 homes in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee using the same short sale techniques that he teaches in his course, Making Money with Short Sales: The Complete Guide to Acquiring Property Pre-Foreclosure. Mr. Fowler currently resides in Atlanta Georgia. He also spends many hours per month teaching his creative real estate investing techniques to other aspiring investors across the country.

http://www.ShortSaleDeals.com

How to Negotiate a Successful Short Sale

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Anyone who has ever profited from doing a short sale has also without a doubt had one or two rejected at some point. Guess what? It is just the nature of the beastAs with all types of sales; you’re playing a numbers game.

There are very few investors who truly know how to successfully negotiate a Short Sale. We find that most investors have the perception that all that is necessary is to submit an offer and wait for the bank to give you an answer. If all goes well the offer will be accepted but in many cases it’s not that simple.

That’s why a strategic plan is necessary. “What do you mean?” You ask. A strategic plan means making the deal go your way by persuading the lender to agree with your offer.

There are several steps that will ensure your success when negotiating with lenders.

First of all, you must be able to determine if you indeed have a short sale opportunity on your hands. Many investors are under the misconception that every homeowner facing foreclosure is a good short sale candidate. This could not be any further from the truth. One of the most common mistakes made by investors is attempting to fit a square peg into a round hole. Not all deals are good short sale opportunities. You must know the difference between a good and a bad deal. Period! You’ll have to analyze the deal and develop an excellent plan of attack if you want to truly master the art of the Short Sale.

Second, you must not take no for an answer. No can never be the final chapter to your negotiation. If the lender says no you must ask yourself why. There must be a reason. Why did they say no? Is there anyone else I can speak with? Was my offer to low? How does the lender determine their bottom dollar? What else can I do? What was the BPO amount? These are just a few of the questions that need to be addressed each time you are met with some resistance from the lender.

We’d like to share an awesome deal that one of our students closed recently. His name is Thomas Stockman.

Thomas got a call off of one of his signs from a gentleman that had two properties in foreclosure. The two properties were on the same street and were bought as rental homes within the last year. Consequently, they were also financed by the same mortgage company. One property had a mortgage balance of approximately $150,000 and was in need of several thousand dollars worth of repairs. The other had a mortgage balance of $156,000 and was currently being rented for $1,100 per month. Both properties had very little equity but the neighborhood had been very active over the last 9 months. After qualifying the two potential deals he decided to attempt short sales.

He contacted the bank and began the process. His offer on the first house was $89,900 and $95,800 on the second house. The bank rejected both and asked for higher offers. After several conversations and some additional documentation to justify his offer, Thomas was able to get both properties for a total of $60,000 below market value. Thomas rehabbed the first property for $3,500 and put it on the market for sale. Since the second property was already occupied by a tenant he decided to keep it. His mortgage is roughly $400 per month (interest only loan/taxes paid at year end) he makes $700 in monthly positive cash flow. Not bad for a beginner (wink).

This would have never happened if Thomas accepted NO from the bank. If he would have not known what pressure points to touch and how to counter without increasing the offer amount we would not be talking about these deals.

This type of outcome is customary when you are equipped with the necessary tools and know how to turn a “No” into a “Yes” just by slightly adjusting your approach. Thomas got two great properties with lots of equity and a constant cash flow, the homeowner avoided TWO foreclosures, and the bank was satisfied.

Remember, the next time you are putting together a short sale offer, be prepared and take control of the deal. Never take NO for an answer. Be proactive not reactive. Don’t just submit offers without having a game plan. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of the opportunity to make lots of money in an industry where great deals are hard to come by. We hope that you have learned something and are on your way to much success.

Best Regards,

D.C. Fowler, Real Estate Investor/Educator
http://www.shortsaledeals.com

Mr. Fowler has been a real estate investor for over 15 years specializing in the area of pre-foreclosure/short sale investing. He has bought and sold over 200 homes in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee using the same short sale techniques that he teaches in his course, Making Money with Short Sales: The Complete Guide to Acquiring Property Pre-Foreclosure. Mr. Fowler currently resides in Atlanta Georgia. He also spends many hours per month teaching his creative real estate investing techniques to other aspiring investors across the country.