The short sale process can be quite stressful on the homeowner. They are in the unfortunate position where their home is worth less than the mortgage – the short sale definition. Most homeowners allow themselves to approach dangerously close to foreclosure before admitting that the short sale process is something they’ll have to deal with.
Before initiating the short sale process, both sides must agree to it. It is a contract between two parties as to exactly how the debt will be settled – with all of the various aspects of home ownership dealt with. Avoiding foreclosure is probably the consideration with the highest priority to the homeowner.
The two parties first agree to the short sale, and then they must deal with all of the various and complex aspects of the bank short sale process. For example, they must decide how much of and the manner of the debt to be forgiven, the price of the home, payment of fees, and then deal with the purchase agreement. It is absolutely vital at every stage to have the assistance of a professional. The short sale process is not to be done on your own!
The homeowner will need to complete a document known as the hardship letter to verify how they ended up in the short sale process. The statements in this document will be verified by various financial documents provided by the homeowner. It is in this manner that the lender will verify how the borrower ended up being so dangerously close to foreclosure.
The bank will then assess the fair market value of the home and work with appraisers, brokers, and real estate agents. This is done in order for the home to be appraised properly, and for the bank to recover as much as possible from the sale of the home. In the end it’s all about business, and lenders wish to keep their losses to a minimum.
If the home is sold at an acceptable price – within the acceptable time frame, the proceeds will be set forth to settle the debt as per the agreement. Remember, the bank is not going to sit around and wait forever. If the home is not sold on time, they WILL proceed with foreclosure. You can be sure that all of these issues will be drawn out clearly within the agreement drawn up by your lender.
If handled correctly – with professional assistance, your credit does not necessarily have to be damaged. There are many complex issues involved in the short sale process, and many people have missed deadlines dealing directly with issues relating to credit. For these reasons their credit rating was damaged. Some people have other areas of financial responsibility tangled up in their current problems and for this reason end up with damaged credit. The point is that damaged credit is not a foregone conclusion. If we follow the instruction of the experts advising us, our credit rating may well be saved..
Our primary goal is to complete the short sale process and end up with as little damage as possible. If done correctly, we could end up with no unpaid property taxes, stable credit, legal fees paid, and without foreclosure. We may lose our home – yes, but we’ll be in the best position possible to buy again!
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