Lee Morof's Real Estate Blog

A short sale is when the mortgage lender(s) agrees to sell the property for a lower amount than the loan-balance remaining.

During the worst moments of the 2006 to 2008 real estate crisis, homes sold as short sales for a fraction of their value. Lenders had so many properties with loans in default that they could not manage the ones that they had in foreclosure.

Foreclosure is an expensive legal process that causes a lender to lose more money on a property. This is one of the motivators that encourages lenders to accept a short sale because sometimes through a short sale the foreclosure process is avoided.

Are Short Sales Still Available?

The number of short sales peaked in 2012. The inventory of homes available for a short sale transaction is much lower than the massive numbers caused by the 2006 to 2008 real estate crisis; however, they still do exist.

Short sales are still worth exploring as long as a qualified buyer has enough cash on hand or is pre-qualified with home-purchase financing that is acceptable for a short sale transaction.

A short sale may be a bargain; however, the buyer must be careful because there are some pitfalls to avoid in short-sales transactions.

The Challenging Dynamics Of A Short Sale

There are three (or more) parties in a short-sale transaction. They are the seller, the buyer, and the lender(s). All must agree to the closing sales price of the home and the terms and conditions of the sale in order for the transaction to succeed. The lender(s) forgives part or all of the mortgage loan that is secured by a lien on the property and agrees to take a loss on the sale.

A short sale only occurs when the home cannot sell for the amount of the mortgage loan(s) on the property. The home is considered to be “underwater,” which is a colloquial term for a home, with a loan(s) that is more than the home is worth.

Short sales do not close quickly because the paperwork is complicated. If there is more than one lender on the property, the process is even slower. Buyers in short sale transactions need to be patient. They must be approved for financing and also approved by the existing lien-holder(s) on the property that is for sale by making a successful short-sale application.

A buyer may need to make a “good faith” security deposit to initiate the short sale application process. The deposit, which is refundable, may sit in a trust account for quite some time before the deal is approved.

Even with proper planning, a short sale deal can still fall apart. Buyers must also take on the risk that the property may need significant repairs and buy the property “as-is.” Homeowners who cannot pay their mortgages usually are not very diligent at taking care of their properties.

Summary

Short sales are an important strategy to consider when searching for a bargain property. Buyers must have cash or significant financial strength and be willing to complete the complex process for the transaction.

To reduce risk, a buyer needs to get careful inspections of the home and have a very clear idea of the costs to bring it up to a nicely-repaired condition, in order to profit from this strategy.

Your trusted real estate agent will be a reliable and necessary ally in your short sale transaction. 

Home price growth slowed again in May according to Case-Shiller home price indices. Home price growth slowed for the 14th consecutive month to its lowest rate in 12 years. Case-Shiller’s National Home Price Index showed 3.40 percent growth year-over-year in May as compared to April’s year-over-year reading of 3.50 percent.

Las Vegas, Nevada held its first place position in the 20-City Home Price Index for highest year-over-year home price growth rate at 6.40 percent; Phoenix, Arizona held second place with a year-over-year home price growth reading of 5.70 percent. Tampa, Florida home prices grew by 5.10 percent year-over-year in May.

Home Price Growth Rates Fall In West Coast Cities

West coast cities that posted double-digit annual home price gains in recent years posted less than two percent growth in home prices in May. Seattle, Washington was the first city to post negative home price growth with a negative year-over-year reading of -1.20 percent in May. San Francisco, California home prices rose by 1.00 percent year-over-year and home prices in San Diego, California grew 1.30 percent year-over-year.

This trend suggests that home prices were topped out in terms of affordability as buyers looked elsewhere for larger selections of homes at affordable prices.

Analysts predicted a plateau in home price growth and did not expect steep declines in home prices. Steady growth in wages and jobs could help to ease affordability challenges for home buyers. Lower mortgage rates provided additional opportunity for first-time and moderate income home buyers, but home price growth needs to ease further to help would-be buyers conquer affordability concerns. Shortages of homes for sale are most pronounced for lower-priced homes, where demand is largest. Higher demand for homes during the peak selling season could boost prices in popular metro areas.

If you’re in the market for a new home or interested in listing your current property, please contact your trusted real estate professional.