Why Use a Short Sale Expert?

It has been since February 2007 when I settled on my first short sale listing and many aspects I learned on that deal still remain true today. The economy is still struggling and home prices are nowhere close to the highs reached at the top of the market inlate 2006 and early 2007. This means that many homeowners in Northern VA will remain upside down in the foreseeable future. The short sale option will remain a viable solution for homeowners who are upside down and are forced to move. The challenge for homeowners who need to short sale is finding a short sale expert in Vienna to give them the best opportunity to accomplish a short sale. With the national average of short sales going to settlement hovering at a disappointing 23%, sellers should be cautious when hiring an agent or broker.

The first important aspect to getting a home short sold in Vienna is the need. What I mean by this is the seller needs to have some sort of financial distress to even consider trying to negotiate a short sale. Those owners who can no longer make their entire mortgage payment because of job loss, medical expenses, ARM rate adjustment, or any loss of income along those lines have the best chance of getting approved. (If you would like to know if you qualify for a short sale and live in Vienna or Northern VA, please contact me here) Those homeowners who have no reason to move and can afford their mortgage payment are not good candidates to get approved for a short sale. If you are considering a strategic foreclosure, consult a real estate attorney since many lenders have disclosed they will pursue those deficiencies to the full extent of the law.

The other important aspect of getting a short sale to settlement in Vienna, or anywhere in Northern VA, is having a REALTOR or agent that is a short sale expert. Short sales are time consuming, hard work, confusing, and can pay less than regular sales since banks attempt to negotiate lower commissions at the last minute. These are the reasons that short sales are not for the faint of heart and many agents avoid them. Having an expert short sale agent who negotiates the entire sale and settlement of your home is the best option. There are many agents who hire short sale negotiators, aka professional negotiators, to work the short sales they list. There are a few good ones available, but having another middle man can slow the process and muddy the lines of communication. Sellers should also be cautious of National short sale firms since they can and do charge the homeowner thousands whether the short sale settles or not. Over the past years I have found that these “professional short sale negotiators” and national short sale companies do not care for the emotional and financial challenges the home owner is facing.


I am sure at this point you are asking yourself, “so what’s this guy’s percentage of closed short sales” and “if short sales are so hard why does he work them”? Those are good questions, and if you normally read my articles you know that I do not normally make a sales pitch. The reason I am making one now is since most consumers do not understand the effort, skill, and experience it takes to get a short sale to settlement. Many home owners think most agents work short sales to only find out they don’t after their home has been foreclosed. Short sales are not as challenging for me like other agents since I have listed them for years and understand the process the banks require. I also understand they take time and remain patient and I do not give up through the entire process because I know I can get short sales approved. If you need to short sale your home in Vienna or anywhere in Northern VA, give yourself the best chance and list your home with us. I also don’t want to forget, since this housing collapse I have settled 100% of the short sales I have listed that have been owner occupied. Here is my web site that discusses everything concerning short sales in Northern VA.