We do not have too many short sales yet in Salida Colorado but I have met many clients who are asking the questions that Patty so eloquently answered in the post below: Short Sale 101. This biggest myth that people come to me with is that they can do a short sale if their home is upside down. Your home can be upside down or one with very little equity as ONE of the 3 qualifications for a short sale. Read the post for the other two and call with questions. Since I am a CDPE (certified distressed property expert), I can help.
As a South Florida Listing Broker, I am often asked questions by Sellers considering listing their home as a short sale, so I thought that I would post a short Q&A with very basic answers. By no means is this an all inclusive, but I believe it’s a good starting point. Below find Green Realty's answers to the most frequently asked short sale questions.
Q. What is a short sale?
A. In a short sale the seller’s lender(s) agrees to accept less than what is owed on the loan for the property, and therefore it is contingent on the lender(s)’s agreement called a Third Party Approval.
Q. How do I know if I qualify for a short sale?
A. The three basic requirements to qualify for a short sale: Hardship, Monthly Shortfall and Insolvency:
1. Hardship examples: Divorce, death, disease, disability, job loss, reductions of hours/salary, forced relocation, etc.
2. Monthly shortfall: Monthly income is less than monthly obligations.
3. Insolvency: Seller cannot have assets that can be liquidated or used to cure the debt or monthly short fall.
Q. I have a little bit of money still left in my account. Will I qualify for a short sale if I have a hardship and a monthly short fall?
A. Yes. You don’t have to be completely broke to qualify for a short sale, but if there is a good amount of money on the distressed homeowner’s possession, the mortgage holder is likely to ask for some (or all) of the amount in exchange of releasing the mortgage and the note.
Q. I have no hardship, but need to sell. Will I qualify for a short sale?
A. Yes, you can try. However, take into consideration that the lender will see that you have the means to keep the home, so they are very likely to ask for a financial contribution to approve the short sale. You can argue that it’s better for you to short sell than allow the home to go into foreclosure. In my experience, having just one loan or short selling an owner occupied home is easier to do, and with less financial consequences; a 2nd mortgage or an investment property may complicates the situation.
Q. How long does a short sale take?
A. There is no standard short sale process used by lenders, and each lender has their own method and timeline to process a short sale. After the lender receives a complete short sale packet with an offer to purchase the home, the lender usually requires anywhere from 30 to 120 days to process the short sale. The sale must close within 30 days from the date the lenders issue the demand letter (aka approval letter).
Q. Is the seller’s lender involved in the offer/contract on a short sale?
A. No. The Contract is between the buyer and the seller. The seller still owns the home, so the seller is the only person who can accept an offer (execute). The lender isn’t part of the offer discussions, isn’t in a position to negotiate the terms of the contract (down payment amount, number of days for inspection, closing day, etc.). The seller's lender approval to let seller sells the home for less than what is owed is a contingency that must be met in order for the sale to go through. The seller's lender only verifies that the seller is a candidate for a short sale, and accept, counter, or reject an offer, terms of the approval in exchange for releasing the mortgage and the note of the home. No offers are sent to the lender, just executed contracts that have been accepted by the seller.
Q. Should the seller sign multiple offers and submit multiple offers to the lender?
A. No. It is very common for my listings to receive multiple offers. When that happens, I ask the buyers to sign a multiple offer disclosure divulging that there is more than one offer being presented to the SELLER. The disclosure provides the buyer with deadline to submit their best and highest offer. On the deadline date, I present all offers to the seller, and the seller chooses the best and highest offer. The seller then executes the offer, and that contract is then sent the seller's lender for approval. The remaining offers can remain as a back up offer if the buyer chooses so. I’m aware that some agents do submit multiple contracts to the lender to see which one they would choose. I would never advise my seller to do so, as a home cannot be sold to more than one purchaser. Submitting multiple offers to the lender leave the seller open to a lot of liability if another buyer chooses to enforce their contract.
Q. How do lenders view multiple offers submitted on a short sale?
A. As mentioned above, there is not one set of rules that all lenders follow. However, it is my opinion that asking a lender to take a huge loss while submitting multiple contracts (which shows enormous interest on the home) is contradictory in fact. I have had this conversation with many loss mitigators, some supervisors, and loss mitigation department directors, and I can share that many, MANY loss mitigators will NOT work on multiple offers. To quote one mitigator I spoke to, "I am not a Realtor nor am I the owner of the home, and I should not be doing their jobs". He followed that sentence with, "If I receive more than one offer, I do not know which offer to work on, and I have to close the file". It makes no sense, in my opinion, to waste time while opening up the Seller to liability. The most effective strategy is to send the best and highest offer to the lender for approval.
Q. Will my lender require me to sign a note making me responsible for the remainder of the loan?
A. It is my experience that if there is only on loan on the home, the sellers have not been asked for a note. If the seller has a second mortgage on the property, it is likely that the lender holding the junior note (loan) is going to ask for a contribution from the seller. As the number of short sale listings rise rapidly, the second mortgage holders are getting tougher to deal with. The seconds are requiring as much as 10% of the loan amount at closing, and sometimes are asking for a lump sum or an unsecured note for the difference of what the first lien holder is giving them and what they’re asking for. If the lenders see that the seller can contribute to their loss financially, they may ask for a contribution. This is honestly changes case by case, lender by lender.
Q. Can the note be negotiated or waived?
A. Yes. This is determined on a case by case basis and not guaranteed. The note may be waived without any financial contribution from the seller, or the lender may ask for cash at closing to waive the note, or a promissory note (usually 0% interest), or a combination of cash at closing and a promissory note. This truly is depends on your investor and your financial circumstances.
Q. Are there tax consequences between the amount that is owed and what the house sold for or are the sellers forgiven?
A. On primary residence, the seller will receive a 1099C (C = Cancellation of Debt). Congress passed a law on December 2007 that will absolve that 1099C amount (up to 2 Million Dollars) on the short sale seller of a primary residence. The seller does not have to pay income taxes on the difference between the acquisition costs of the home and the short sale amount This law expires at the end of 2012. Please visit this link for more information: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=179414,00.html I strongly recommend that my sellers consult with a CPA or a Tax Attorney to examine their particular situation, as I am not a tax expert.
As a final note, there are programs aimed at helping distressed homeowners close as a short sale instead of letting the home foreclose. The government has something called the HAFA program, FHA has their own program, and many lenders now have proprietary programs to help homeowners. They all have different requirements and timelines, and can be discussed further with your Agent.
If your or anyone you need need help, please do not hesitate to call me.
If your or anyone you know need help Selling or Buying a Home in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, please do not hesitate to call me.
Help lots of people and have a great day!
Patty Da Silva, CDPE©, RESS®, AHWD®, e-PRO®, GREEN, CFS, TRC, RSPS
BROKER - REALTOR® Serving South Florida ::: 954. 667. SALE (7253) ::: Green Realty Properties®
Visit www.PattyDaSilva.com & www.GreenRealty.net for SouthEast Florida's best properties.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012 By Patty Da Silva, CDPE©. All Rights Reserved.
Legal Stuff: This article (Contents) reflects the opinion of the author and it is not to be considered legal advice. The author is not an attorney or a CPA. If you are in need of legal or tax advice, it is recommended that you to contact a trusted professional advisor.
Paula Bradfield, PhD, GRI, EPro, CIAS, CDPE, Realtor
Phone: 719.221.6108 | Email: PaulaBradfield@kw.com
Website: SalidaColoradoHomesandLand.com
Keller Williams Colorado Mountain Real Estate Group
Find us on the web!
Specializing in homes and land in the Colorado river towns of Salida, Howard, Coaldale, Cotopaxi, Nathrop, Poncha Springs and Buena Vista, I am here to work for you as you buy or sell your home or land.
It is not just about buying in this area.. it is a statement about lifestyle. Our residents generally are active people, whether it involves horses (my passion), white water rafting, cross county or downhill skiing, hiking, mountain biking, or Contra dancing. Some prefer quiet sunrises, strolls through town and time in one of our fabulous coffee shops or restaurants. Whatever the style, folks appreciate this area for it’s charm and beauty.
Want to get more information on available homes or condos in the Central Colorado River Valleys? Go to SalidaColoradoHomesandLand to search the area listings by town, zip code or county.
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Our Colorado Mountain river communities: A Snapshot
Salida: As quoted in the 2004 edition of Outside Magazine, Salida is “Sweetly unpretentious” as they ranked it as one of their “Dream Towns and Adventure Hideouts.” You might agree. Our community of 6,500 (9700 counting the surrounding homes) is surrounded by Forest Service and BLM lands, a haven for bicyclists, campers, folks who love to fish, hikers, skiers, nature photographers and hunters. It is a lovely natural setting with several converging mountain ranges (We have15 peaks surrounding us that reach over 14,000 feet in elevation).
We are know for being the Banana Belt of Colorado and this area is known as one of the Colorado River Towns. The Arkansas River winds its way through the Arkansas Valley, through downtown Salida and more; creating an invitation to rafters, kayakers, fishers, and “beach lovers” alike.
Salida’s charming downtown area had the largest historical downtown district in Colorado. We have blocks and blocks of Victorian and other historic buildings. Because so many folks also come here to play, we have many of the advantages of a smaller resort town: great restaurants, 22 art galleries, fabulous boutiques, outdoor sportswear stores, and an array of shops for music, kitchen, sports, natural foods, children, books, knitters and quilters.
Poncha Springs: Poncha Springs is a small Salida “bedroom community” (population of 474 but a few thousand when you consider the outlying neighborhoods and ranches). Because it was surrounded by hot springs (99 nearby) and had a strong early influence of Spanish culture, the community became known as Poncho (meaning cape and warmth) Springs. In 1924, the town officially became Poncha Springs.
Howard: Howard, part of what is known as Pleasant Valley, is nestled along the Arkansas River as it snakes its way from Salida to Canon City. Some of the early settlers in the area were prospectors (some still pan for gold in the tributaries of the Arkansas). Besides gold and silver, rhyolite, travertine and limestone were sought after. Just a bit north of Howard is a tiny community of Wellesville where the locals used to soak on their time off in the natural hot pools. The area became more populated when the Rio Grande Railroad came through. Today, Howard is a charming, quiet ranch community and “bedroom Community” for folks who work in Salida. Many avid fly fishing folks have 2nd homes here. I love this valley.
Coaldale: Coaldale, a tiny community just SE of Howard opens up into a lovely, meadow-like area with many horse properties, ranches and folks who like the open meadows and surrounding mountains. It got it’s name from being called Charcoal Valley. In the early days, the Pinon Pines were burnt in beehive kilns to turn them into coals used for the silver smelters in Leadville Co and Pueblo CO. Some of the early kilns can still be seen. Every valley in coaldale has a creek in it and with just a few minutes drive to the west, you can be on national forest trails. Absolutely lovely community.
Cotopaxi: Cotopaxi, named after an Ecuadorian Volcano, grew from being a “whistle stop” for the Rio Grande railroad. Now it is known for world class white water rafting and fly fishing. Folks who live around here can commute for work to either Canon City, further east or back to Salida..it is almost midway between the two. Cotopaxi is a great location for vacation/second home or your primary residence if you don’t mind the commute or can work from home.
Nathrop: Nathrop, a quiet community north of Salida has always been known as the access point to Mount Princeton Hot Springs. To this day folks come to soak in the restorative waters. It is my personal favorite in hot springs because the 104 degree water not only comes into the soaking and lap pools but comes out in Chalk Creek, running alongside the pools. I can spend all day there with a book, adjusting the rocks so that the water is neither hot nor cold. Lovely. Many folks choose to live in the area because of access to the hot springs and national forest.
Buena Vista: Buena Vista was named after it’s stunning 360 degree views. Folks originally settled here because of the gold mining. Later, families began farming and ranching as they discovered the good soil in the area. The stagecoach and subsequent railroad brought more families to the area. With a population of about 2500 people, the town remains quiet and gracious. It is known as the best kept secret place to stay for folks skiing at the premier resorts near denver and aspen…because the town is so friendly and hotel rates are inexpensive. It is a few miles from Cottonwood Creek Hot Springs and Mt. Princeton.
Real Estate in Buena Vista Colorado.
Crestone: Unique, magical and beautiful are words that tumble out of my mouth when I think of Crestone. The tiny town proper is 150 and the surrounding area is no more than 1500 when everyone is home. The magic of Crestone, however is its history. Early on, a rancher was instructed to bequeath parcels of his ranch to spiritual groups around the world which he did. It is now known for having the most diverse spiritual community in the world. Spiritual seekers in North America eventually hear about Crestone. And, it generally takes knowing a local or more than one visit for the fullness of the area to emerge…the 5 creeks heading up into the Sangre de Cristos, the temples hidden in the trees, the lovely residents and the “happening”. The local newspaper, the Crestone Eagle, has calendars of event for local happenings that rival a town 10 times it’s size. If you want a sanctuary, Crestone offers just that.
Real Estate around Crestone CO
