What is a short sale and how does it benefit you here in Connecticut?
If you’re thinking that question about yourself… great question!
In this article we’ll dive into that question so you as a Connecticut Connecticut home owner can tell what your options are during foreclosure or just if your home mortgage is underwater.
What is a Short Sale and How Does it Benefit You?
A short sale can be a smart way to mitigate foreclosure (here’s a great definition of what a foreclosure is in case you’re not sure) on a mortgage, although they can be difficult to attain in today’s market, they often prove to be a simpler way to resolve any debt left over from a loan.
Short sales were really common in the market a couple years back when the flood of foreclosures hit the Connecticut market… but as foreclosures have slowed down and home values have climbed back up a bit… lenders are a little less likely to offer a short sale as an option as they used to be (but they are still doing a lot of them!). Banks don’t really have many options when the mortgage isn’t getting paid back. They rely on that money and interest to make other loans etc. So a non-performing loan hinders a bank from doing what it is designed to do, which is loan money.
Here are a few reasons you may want to consider short sale on your Connecticut home
You Avoid Foreclosure And The Harmful Effects Of It
The best benefit of a short sale is that you avoid a foreclosure on your home. Your mortgage lender accepts less than what is owed on your mortgage, leaving you without the debt that you cannot afford. This process is best handled by a short sale agent or company who work on short sales regularly. They would be the best to guide you in the process with writing financial hardships letters etc to help improve your chances of getting the short sale approved. Most agents don’t charge for these services as their compensation would simply be the sales commission once the bank approves the short sale and the agent is able to sell the house for less than what is owed.
Foreclosure can lead to all kinds of financial problems, starting with the inability to obtain a new loan for a home because a foreclosure stays on your credit record usually for up to 7 years. This makes buying another home extremely difficult. People may come across problems with getting approved for a new credit cards or auto loans too. It simply makes any application process difficult and frustrating.
Even renting will become more difficult as your credit score would be affected, and you often have to disclose a foreclosure on a rental application. Obvioulsy there are landlords who take tenants with short sales, but the trick is finding those landlords and then hoping they have rentals in an area that works for you. Foreclosures can also last a long time (up to 7 years as mentioned above), making you wait years to even qualify for a new mortgage.
Credit Worries
With a foreclosure, you face all kinds of ramifications with your credit. Buying a car and renting a house may be impossible through the normal bank loan routes. If there are loan products that you qualify for, more than likely they would be at high interest rates too.
If you work with money at your job you could even face termination if your employer puts a lot of stock in that kind of thing (most employers won’t but it has been done before).
A short sale relieves the debt that is left over from what is owed on the mortgage, letting both the bank and the seller move on. A short sale is also easier on your credit score, which can allow a homeowner the ability to recover in the long run. Your credit report will only show a pre-foreclosure status, which reduces your credit rating minimally compared to a foreclosure.
Buying a New House
A foreclosure can last for a long time, making it impossible to purchase a mortgage again for up to 7 years.
Short sales offer a little more flexibility for the seller, allowing new home applications only 2 years after the filing depending on the bank. It also makes a mortgage lender more likely to approve your loan than if you had a full foreclosure, getting you back into a home faster.
Again, this all depends on the actual bank / lender you’re working with… so if they’re giving you a hard time a year or two after a short sale… shop around and find another bank to work with. There are definitely more short sale friendly lenders around.
Usually No Fees Involved
One potential benefit of the short sale is there are usually no fees associated with the process from the bank. The banks just want to get the note off of their books… and if it can be proven that your house is “underwater” (you owe more than your house is worth)… and you’re at the risk of walking away from the house… the bank may rather work out a short sale instead of going through a costly foreclosure. Remember, banks are not in the business of owning real estate. They don’t want your house, they just want whatever money they can get back from the loan.
With a foreclosure, your mortgage lender may tack on extra fees that only make the damage worse. Plus after the foreclosure, if your house sits empty, that creates more expense for the bank in winterizing and protecting it and the bank knows that an empty property will eventually decline and become less and less valuable.
Some real estate consultants may charge a fee for helping facilitate the foreclosure with your bank… so check with them before you enlist a real estate agent or firm in helping you with this.
Our company, Fair Home Offers CT, LLC may be able to guide you in the right direction on how to give yourself the best shot at a bank approving a short sale with your Connecticut area house… so connect with us by calling 860-805-9996 or shoot an email to us through our contact page here.
Getting a Short Sale – What You May Need To Provide
You will have to provide the bank with proof of being unable to pay your mortgage payments. This can be difficult and is best resolved by finding a good real estate attorney in your area that has experience dealing in this type of law.
If you don’t know who to contact or where to turn to see if a short sale may be a good option for you… get a hold of us.
We won’t charge a thing to discuss your situation with you and let you know your options. We have agents who work on short sales and are very knowledgeable with the process.
And we can even give you guidance and pointers at absolutely no cost or obligation.
Sometimes we’re actually able to do the work for you or even buy the house from you to get you out from under that mortgage… so that may be a viable option for you. We would help work the short sale process, and make a cash offer to the bank. That makes the process for everyone easy, efficient, and quick.
We buy Connecticut houses and we work with home sellers like yourself who are having troubles getting out of your house the traditional way… or who can’t (or don’t want to) go the usual route of listing with an agent.
Get a hold of us anytime to discuss your situation. We’re here for you!
Or, if you want to see what we can offer on your house… click the link below and fill out the form on the next page. We’ll make a no-obligation cash offer to you within 24 hours. At least that way you know whether that is an option for you or not.