| Q.
What is a Short Sale?
A.
In a Short Sale, a lender agrees to let you sell your
property for less than the mortgage balance and forgive
or write off some or all of the deficiency balance.
Q.
How is a Short Sale different than a Foreclosure?
A. The biggest difference may
be the time it takes a borrower to rebuild their credit.
A foreclosure will remain on your credit report for
at least 10 years.
Future lenders may be inclined to look more favorably
towards an applicant that “made an attempt to
do the right thing” on a previous obligation
instead of just walking away and forcing a lender
to foreclose on their property.
Q.
Why do a Short Sale? What are the benefits to the
parties?
A. If you owe more on your property
than it is currently worth and are having difficulty
making the monthly payments, a short sale may help
you avoid the devastating effects of a foreclosure.
Lenders don’t like the foreclosure process any
more than property owners do. Lenders will incur far
more costs if they are forced to foreclose on a property,
in addition to these additional costs, a foreclosure
can often times take up to 12 months to complete.
Q.
Do I qualify for a Short Sale?
A. Your lender will consider
a number of factors before they will agree to a Short
Sale. Every deal is different, call us and we will
discuss your situation.
We understand that this is a difficult time and all
consultations are held in the strictest of confidence.
Q.
Will I receive any money at closing?
A. No, the lender will apply
all net proceeds from a Short Sale to the balance
owed on the mortgage.
Q.
How much will it cost me to do a Short Sale?
A. Usually nothing, in most Short Sales all of the
costs associated with the transaction are paid by
the lender including property taxes and HOA fees.
Q.
How long does a Short Sale take?, I need to get out
NOW!
A. A Short Sale takes about
60 days to complete and sometimes longer. This complicated
process takes time, the sooner you act, the greater
the likelihood that a foreclosure can be avoided.
DO NOT WAIT!
Q.
How much time do I have before my lender will foreclose
on my property?
A. The foreclosure process in
Texas takes 21 days, which is one of the most aggressive
foreclosure processes in the nation. Many property
owners are making the mistake of not taking any action
to avoid a foreclosure until it’s too late.
Q.
How late in the pre-foreclosure process can a Short
Sale be started?
A. Try to allow a window of
least 90 days for us to effectuate a lender approved,
pre-foreclosure Short Sale.
Q.
Can any licensed real estate agent assist me in a
Short Sale situation?
A. Yes, but keep in mind that
usually, you will only get one shot to succeed in
a Short Sale transaction. It is highly recommended
that you deal with a company experienced in Short
Sale negotiations that can properly represent your
interests.
Q.
What tax liability will I have as a result of a Short
Sale?
A. Every deal is different.
We highly recommend that you consult with a competent
accountant that has experience dealing with real estate
matters.
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