Making an Offer on a Short Sale? What You Need to Know

Making an Offer on a Short Sale? What You Need to Know
If a home is being sold for below what the current seller owes on the propertyand the seller does not have other funds to make up the difference at closing, the sale is considered a short sale. Many more home owners are finding themselves in this situation due to a number of factors, including job losses, aggressive borrowing against their home in the days of easy credit, and declining home values in a slower real estate market.

A short sale is different from a foreclosure, which is when the seller's lender has taken title of the home and is selling it directly. Homeowners often try to accomplish a short sale in order to avoid foreclosure. But a short sale holds many potential pitfalls for buyers. Know the risks before you pursue a short-sale purchase.

You're a good candidate for a short-sale purchase if:

You're very patient. Even after you come to agreement with the seller to buy a short-sale property, the sellers lender (or lenders, if there is more than one mortgage) has to approve the sale before you can close. When there is only one mortgage, short-sale experts say lender approval typically takes about two months. If there is more than one mortgage with different lenders, it can take four months or longer for the lenders to approve the sale.
Your financing is in order. Lenders like cash offers. But even if you cant pay all cash for a short-sale property, its important to show you are well qualified and your financing is set. If you're preapproved, have a large down payment, and can close at any time, your offer will be viewed more favorably than that of a buyer whose financing is less secure.
You dont have any contingencies. If you have a home to sell before you can close on the purchase of the short-sale propertyor you need to be in your new home by a certain timea short sale may not be for you. Lenders like no-contingency offers and flexible closing terms.


For more Information on Short Sales:

https://www.HoustonShortSaleSite.com

The Katie K Team is CDRS and 5 Star Institute Certified for Short Sales. What does that mean for you? Our team can help you find the short sale you're looking for, and can help you through the process to get he home of your dreams, regardless of the situation!