Oviedo, FL – A home owner thinking of a short sale recently asked us why they should short sale versus just walking away and letting their lender foreclose on the home. We gave them the normal answer: “It’s much better for your credit.”

That was the first thing that popped into our head. But, I knew there are more benefits to a home owner than simply better credit. So I put together the entire list and here they are.

Click here to view my Orlando Luxury Homes for sale.

1. The upside down debt is erased in most cases. If you are selling because of a financial hardship, then the upside down debt will be automatically erased in most cases. Is your loan is owned or insured by the following agencies: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, and or VA? If you are short selling because of a financial hardship, their policies state that your debt will be erased.

2. You are eligible to buy another home much sooner compared to a foreclosure. The most common loan program, Fannie Mae, stipulates that you can buy another home under their program in 2 years. FHA, a popular low down payment loan program stipulates that you can qualify for an FHA loan within 3 years.

3. No Cost To You. That is right. A short sale costs you nothing. All of the expenses are paid for by your lender. That includes the title insurance, any county taxes or fees on the sale, attorney fees, and the Real Estate Agent. If the lender foreclosed on the house and then tried to sell it, they would have to pay all the costs. So why not pay the costs with a short sale?

4. Your credit suffers less damage. Most people think that a short sale will be the kiss of death to their credit. That is the one big advantage of a short sale over a foreclosure.

Upon completion of the short sale, your credit score will drop between 50 and 100 points. However it will rebound fairly quickly. The other benefit is that you will have less debt. (A lot of debt hurts your credit score.) You will have a lower debt to income ratio, which will boost your credit.

In a couple of years your credit will be back to normal and you can buy another home. In addition, anything and everything bad on your credit can be fixed thru the dispute process.

5. You can often rent a comparable house for less than your former mortgage payment. In one example, a homeowner in foreclosure found a larger home. It even had a fenced backyard for their kid and a garage. Their prior mortgage payment was $1,500. They rented the nicer, bigger house for $850 a month.

6. You avoid the humiliation of a foreclosure.

7. You don’t have to pay rent during the short sale process. A short sale can take up to 6 or 9 months. Not all of them do. But, some do. If you aren’t concerned about your credit, then you can stop making your mortgage payments during the short sale. You can use the savings for the deposit on a rental.

Thinking about a short sale.? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

To view a complete list of my Lake Mary short sale homes, click here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Sale Realtor. Orlando, FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

© Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – The Star Tribune, a newspaper in Minneapolis, recently ran a story about loan modifications. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“Many people who sought help under a federal program created to keep them from losing their homes are instead getting saddled with huge, unexpected bills.

Thousands now face a stark choice: Go deeper into debt, or foreclosure.

Lenders routinely approved short-term “trial” loan modifications that reduced payments for desperate borrowers under the umbrella of the Obama administration’s Home Affordable Modification Program. But lenders continued to count the mortgages as delinquent or in default.

Now instead of granting permanent modifications, lenders often are reinstating the original loan terms and demanding big back payments.

Carl Christensen, a Minneapolis real estate attorney, said he is getting 15 telephone calls a week from shocked borrowers.

“The banks put out their hand and say, ‘We’re going to help you,’ and then stab people right in the back,” Christensen said.

Patti, 51, and Scott Weddle, 57, of Harris, Minn., were ecstatic when J.P. Morgan Chase offered in November 2009 to cut their monthly mortgage payments by about 20 percent under a trial modification. Patti was out of work with a neck and back injury, and the Weddles were having difficulty making ends meet.

Nearly a year later, the Weddles were told that their application for a permanent modification was denied and that they would have to pay $24,228 to bring their mortgage current and avoid foreclosure.

The Weddles insist the demand came as a shock, because they had made all their payments on time under the trial modification. “We did everything that was asked of us, and it only pushed us deeper in the hole,” Patti Weddle said.

A growing number of critics contend the loan modification program, known within the industry as HAMP, may be doing more harm than good. Many homeowners are draining their savings and incurring new loans to make the temporary payments only to end up in foreclosure anyway when they can’t afford the large, lump-sum payments demanded at the end of the process.

When the Weddles got turned down for permanent relief under HAMP, they decided to stop making their monthly payments. They expect to receive foreclosure papers any day and most of their belongings are packed. “If we had $24,000 lying around, then we wouldn’t have sought help to begin with,” Patti Weddle said.

A spokesman for J.P. Morgan Chase said the risks were disclosed to the Weddles. Under the trial modification signed by the couple, J.P. Morgan reserved the right to terminate the plan at any point and begin foreclosure. The bank also reserved the right to determine the final amounts of unpaid interest and any other delinquent amounts.

“We work with customers to try to keep them in the home whenever possible,” said Thomas Kelly, a bank spokesman. “And the HAMP documents clearly explain the steps along the way.”

Paula Viehman, 60, recalls the day she was approved for a trial modification in June 2009. After a 30-minute conversation, a CitiMortgage representative agreed to cut her monthly payment by half to $929. “It was the answer to my prayers,” said Viehman, a state employee who lives in Minneapolis.

Fifteen months later, CitiMortgage sent two letters claiming she was in default on her mortgage and owed $13,569 in back payments, late fees and other charges. When Viehman called to complain, she learned that CitiMortgage had denied her application for permanent relief under HAMP, though the bank had never notified her.

Viehman refuses to make the lump-sum payment, largely on principle, because that would mean accepting Citi-Mortgage’s claim that she’s in default. Though she continues to make monthly mortgage payments, she suspects the bank will eventually foreclose on the house where she’s lived for 25 years.

“The longer I go through this, the madder I get,” she said. “I did everything they asked and more.”

Citigroup, CitiMortgage’s parent company, declined to comment about Viehman’s complaints because of privacy concerns. However, in a written statement, the bank said the original terms of a mortgage remain in place during a trial modification. Borrowers only receive relief from delinquent payments if they get permanent modifications.

Many borrowers say they never would have signed up for HAMP had they known the risks.

Lynda Devine, 49, of Faribault, said she had not even heard of HAMP until she called her mortgage servicer, Aurora Loan Services of Colorado, about a routine matter. While on hold, she found herself listening to a recorded message that said she might qualify for HAMP. She checked it out and learned it was a program sponsored by the Obama administration. “It all seemed very legit,” she said.

Aurora agreed to cut her monthly payment to $1,400 from $2,000 under a trial modification. But Devine, a children’s mental health social worker and waitress, soon found herself mired in a bureaucratic nightmare. As she sought permanent relief, Aurora kept asking for the same documents — including bank and tax statements. Devine estimates she has faxed documents to Aurora more than 60 times.

Nonetheless, she received notice in July that she was in default. Soon after, she got a letter from Aurora’s law firm saying she would have to come up with $13,496 or face foreclosure. Devine couldn’t stomach the idea of losing her 1920s-era farmhouse and her 35 acres, where she keeps three beloved horses.

Aurora did not return repeated calls seeking comment.

Devine borrowed against her truck and horse trailer to pay the $13,496, but she’s considering suing Aurora to get the money back.”

I think that what these banks are doing is pathetic. In my opinion, half the reason that loan mods aren’t approved is because the lenders are too lazy to process the files.

In fact, the article continues and tells us how the lenders are actually rewarded for not processing loan modifications. Here is what it says.

“Incentives favor foreclosure. It would seem to be in a mortgage company’s interest to modify a mortgage, because lenders often recover only a small fraction of a loan after a foreclosure. But only 12 percent of all delinquent mortgage borrowers are receiving permanent relief under HAMP.

Last month, a congressional panel predicted it would prevent just 700,000 to 800,000 foreclosures — far fewer than the Obama administration’s original goal of 3 million to 4 million.

Some lending experts argue that the root of the problem lies in the complicated way in which mortgages are bought and sold. Most end up with institutions or investment trusts that hire servicers to collect monthly payments.

Servicers, unlike lenders, don’t generally lose money on a foreclosure. In fact, servicers actually can collect more in fees on a foreclosure than from modifying a mortgage, according to a 2009 study by the National Consumer Law Center.”

I think the entire system is flawed. The only people that get relief are people that fight for it. If you feel like you have been turned down for a loan modification, then I would recommend that you protest in front of the lender’s local branch.

Nothing is going to change until people know about what is happening.

For view more information on Orlando Real Estate or Orlando Luxury Homes for Sale call (407) 330-2181 or email me at gitta@gitta.com.

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker/Associate at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

© Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Lake Mary, FL – If you are selling your home, then ask the buyer to write a letter about why they want to purchase the home. If you are a buyer, then write that letter.

Discover my list of Lake Mary luxury homes by clicking here.

The listing agent will submit that letter along with the short sale paperwork. With a little luck that letter will help “grease the wheels” and cause the short sale to be approved faster.

Short Sale negotiators are human beings. They have emotions that can be touched by a good story.

These letters might sound like a joke, but they can make a huge difference. I’ve even seen home owners lose money on their sale because the liked a certain buyer over another one.

In that case, the seller sold their home for several thousand dollars less to a buyer that they liked. The other buyer had been rude and the seller didn’t like them.

If that made a difference when the seller was losing their own money, then think about the difference it will make to a short sale negotiator who isn’t losing their own money.

Put a good story in your letter. Here are a few examples.

You might say something like this: “We are a first time home buyer looking for our first home. We just want to move out of our cramped apartment and are looking forward to our first home where we can plant a garden.”

Or, maybe it would be like this: “We have looked for a while and finally found this home on Elm Street that we love. We are selling our current home so we can buy a house with a yard.

Our two boys, Tim and Julian, have been begging us for a swing set. We never had room in our old condo.

If you approve our short sale offer, then we will finally be able to give them the large, fenced backyard they’ve always wanted with a swing set.

We’ve already picked out the swing set plan and Tim and Julian are so excited about it. So, don’t approve the short sale offer for us, approve it for them.”

See how I’m pulling the negotiator’s heartstrings. Unless your short sale negotiator is absolutely heartless, it will make a difference for you.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

To view a complete list of my Lake Mary short sale homes, click here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Sale Realtor. Orlando, FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – According to data from the National Bankruptcy Research Center, US bankruptcies have reached a 5 year high.

The last record was set in 2005. That record was set because bankruptcy laws were being tightened up and people wanted to file before the laws changed.

(The big banks had convinced congress to make it harder for debtors to get relief.)

Discover my list of Foreclosed homes by clicking here.

The number of bankruptcies filed in 2010 reached 1,530,078. That was an increase of 8.7% over 2009. Even though the economy is starting to show signs of a recovery, people still need relief from debt.

“The [2005] law was supposed to reduce filings, but we are very close to levels we were at then,” said Samuel J. Gerdano, Executive Director of the American Bankruptcy Institute. “The laws of economic gravity are more powerful than the laws passed by Congress.”

I can’t agree with him more. Here are a few tips if you are considering bankruptcy.

Tip #1: Sometimes not filing bankruptcy at all is preferred to a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy filing. Let me explain why.

A Chapter 13 is basically a repayment plan. Very few debts are wiped out. In addition, your whole financial life is placed in the hands of a bankruptcy trustee.

They oversee all your finances so you can attempt to repay everyone. Contrast this with a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy where you can erase debts you can’t afford.

Tip #2: When you interview bankruptcy lawyers, ask about their ratio between Chapter 7 filings and Chapter 13 filings. A good bankruptcy lawyer will be able to help you file Chapter 7 and avoid a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

To view a complete list of Short Sale homes, click here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Sale Realtor. Orlando, FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – We often get asked that question. Some people think that since they are walking away from a large upside down mortgage, then the bank won’t approve it.

That usually isn’t true. I wanted to put together a few examples of people the Stop Foreclosure Institute has helped with a short sale.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

That way you can get a good idea of exactly how much debt you can erase with a short sale. Check out some of the examples below.

$79,000 In Upside Down Debt Erased thru a short sale.

$427,000 In Upside Down Debt Erased thru a short sale.

$103,000 In Upside Down Debt Erased thru a short sale.

$76,000 In Upside Down Debt Erased thru a short sale.

$187,000 In Upside Down Debt Erased thru a short sale.

$69,000 In Upside Down Debt Erased thru a short sale.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Short Sale Realtor. Orlando FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – This is a continuation of a former article about short sales. We often get asked if a short sale is even worth the effort.

“Why don’t I just let the bank have the property”, sellers tell us. “I don’t ever think I’ll be able to fix my credit to be able to buy another house.”

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

Short sales are worth the extra effort. They enable you to buy another home much faster than you would have to wait if you experience a foreclosure.

And they cost you nothing. All the costs are covered by your lender. Now, I’m sure you’re thinking, “I might have to pay my agent to sell the house. That sounds risky.”

That is a legitimate concern. Here is why the lenders are willing to pay your agent. If they foreclose on the home, they will have to hire an agent to sell it.

So why not just pay the short sale agent. Extensive studies have been done on the advantages of a short sale versus a foreclosure.

The study results showed that a lender will make more on a short sale than a foreclosure. Oftentimes the difference is huge.

I have seen some lenders lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. They turned down a short sale thinking the home would sell for more as a foreclosure.

The home ended up selling for much less. That is why lenders like short sales and are willing to pay all of the costs.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Short Sale Realtor. Orlando FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – We often get asked if a short sale is even worth the effort. “Why don’t I just let the bank have the property”, sellers tell us. “I don’t ever think I’ll be able to fix my credit to be able to buy another house.”

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

When you are having a tough time financially, it may seem like you will never get back on your feet. But, most people do get back on their feet.

They find another job and start making money again. Their credit will usually be back to normal in 2-3 years.

Why not buy a new home at that time? If you short sale, then you will be eligible to do that. Fannie Mae will consider you for a new loan 2 years after a short sale.

You would have to meet all of their credit guidelines and other lending criteria. Most derogatory credit items such as late payments or collections won’t have as much of an impact when they are 2 years old.

In addition, there are many ways to get derogatory items removed from your credit. The other great option is an FHA loan. FHA allows you to buy a home with only 3.5% down.

Current FHA guidelines will loan to you 3 years after a short sale. Contrast that with the 5-7 year wait required if the home is foreclosed on by the lender.

That is the number one benefit of a short sale. You can get back on your feet and buy another home a lot faster than if the lender forecloses on your home.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Short Sale Realtor. Orlando FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – The Stop Foreclosure Institute recently received a question from Luis. Here is Luis’s Question.

“I am working on a loan modification on my home. I just don’t want to be upside down and want a fair interest rate. Why should I pay on a mortgage that is twice as much as my home is worth, plus the interest on that mortgage? It just doesn’t make sense.

How can I get a loan mod with a fair interest rate where I am repaying what my home is worth today? Thank for your help, Luis.”

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

Here was our answer. You are asking for something that most lenders don’t like to do. Lenders don’t like principal reductions. Here is why.

Principal reductions usually have to be written down right away on their financial books. If you owe them $300,000 and they reduce your loan principal to $150,000, then they immediately have to reduce the company’s earnings by $150,000 for the year.

If they do that on enough loans, then it hurts the CEO’s ability to get a bonus. He may even risk losing his job. I don’t offer much sympathy to CEOs, but that’s how it works.

Here is what lenders like to do instead. They will reduce your interest rate to 2% for 5 years. After that, the interest rate will go back to the original level.

That way the write off will be much smaller than $150,000. It might be a $30,000 write off. That makes a much smaller difference on the CEO’s bonus for the year.

It’s also one of the reasons that most loan mod programs don’t work. The banks aren’t willing to be realistic.

It’s also why I think a short sale is the best principal reduction plan. You get to erase the bad debt. Rent a home for 2-3 years and then buy a new one at today’s market level.

That way you guarantee your principal reduction and don’t waste time arguing for a principal reduction with someone who isn’t allowed to give it to you.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Short Sale Realtor. Orlando FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – The Stop Foreclosure Institute recently received a question from Tamra. She is buying a home and her agent is trying to talk her out of short sales.

Here is Tamra’s question. “I am looking to buy a home. Some of the best priced properties are short sales. However, my agent won’t show me these homes.

She keeps on telling me the prices are lower than the lender will accept and that short sale never close. What should I do? I am really interested in these homes, especially at the price they are being offered at.”

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

Here was my answer. Tamra, you should talk to your agent and see what they dislike about short sales. Your agent may have had a bad experience with short sales in the past.

Short sales are a great way to purchase a home at a good price. They are tougher and take a lot longer than your average real estate transaction.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider them. Just be cautious with your search. Make sure the agent who has the house for sale has prior short sale experience.

Your agent can ask them what short sales they have sold in the past. If they or the people working with them have a good track of working with the banks, then you should be ok.

Remember, not every short sale is going to be approved at the listing price. But, if they banks feel the price is fair, then they will accept the offer.

So go look at some of those short sales. With a little luck one of them will be the perfect home that meets exactly what you are looking for.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Short Sale Realtor. Orlando FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Orlando, FL – The Stop Foreclosure Institute recently received a question from Phil. Here is Phil’s Question.

“I am a California Resident but have 3 distressed Florida Properties pending foreclosure. Under Florida law a creditor cannot garnish wages. Will investor pursue deficiency? If yes, will they follow FL or CA law? Thanks, Phil.”

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

Here was our answer. That is a legal question. Since I am not a lawyer I cannot answer it.

I do know that you can usually short sale in Florida and get the lender to forgive you of the debt. However, there are other things you can do to avoid the deficiency problem.

First, work hard to convince your lender to waive the deficiency. Investment Property Short Sales are tougher because the lenders are more reluctant to waive the deficiency.

But, many lenders will waive it. Others will agree to waive it when you have presented financial statements that show you cannot afford the deficiency.

So I think that over half of the deficiencies will be waived by the lenders. Here is what you can do for the remaining ones. First, depend on incompetence on the lender’s part.

Most lenders don’t have enough staff to handle their delinquent debt. Even if they do have the right to a deficiency in most cases the only thing they will do is call you.

When they call, you simply tell them that you don’t have the money in your budget that month to pay them anything. Don’t say anything more than that and don’t lie to them.

(A lie can get you in legal trouble later on. You are better saying very little and hanging up the phone than lying.)

Most lenders won’t do anymore than “sic” the debt collectors on you. They hardly ever go to court or attempt to garnish your wages. E-mail me for a simple letter that will legally stop the harassing phone calls.

In my opinion, this will enable you to short sale 90% to 95% of all investment properties and avoid paying a deficiency. Here is what you should do if you fall into the unlucky 5-10%.

Hire a good lawyer. They can usually find a hole in their court case and get you out of paying the debt. These lenders are so disorganized that they often do not have all their paperwork in order.

Or, they can find a situation where the lender broke Collection Law. In that case, the lender is usually more than happy to settle with you versus facing a lawsuit.

Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at gitta@gitta.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail. If you prefer, then you can call me at (407) 330-2181.

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Orlando Loan Modification Kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your lender. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Gitta Urbainczyk P.A..

Gitta is a Real Estate Broker at Keller Williams Heritage Realty.

Phone: (407) 330-2181. Email: gitta@gitta.com.

What do you recommend?

View My homes for sale at www.greaterorlandohomes.com.

Orlando Short Sale Realtor. Orlando FL Short Sales. Orlando Realtor.

Copyright 2010 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing. The views expressed here are Gitta Urbainczyk P.A.’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams Heritage Realty. This information is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Older Posts »