A real estate short sale takes place when the sales price is less than the amount of all the liens against the property. It is not just the original lender who may be foreclosing. It would include anyone who has place a lien on the property such as a home equity loan or line of credit loan.
Here is one scenario. Let’s say Bob want to sell his house. He owes more than it is worth and he has lost his job and cannot afford to make the payments any longer. His realtor advises him he has 3 options. He can let the property go into foreclosure but this will stay on his credit record for a long time which is not a desired result. He can give his lender a deed in lieu of foreclosure but this too could negatively impact him. Finally he can try and sell his property “short”. In a short sale the Borrower/Seller receives no money.
Why would a lender sell short? Because it is costly to foreclose. In some cases it could be several thousands of dollars with attorney fees, court costs etc. Also the property still has to be sold. A short sale can be a win/win for everyone. The lender recoups more money than they would in foreclosure. The seller/borrower/owner can escape without a record of foreclosure on their credit report. The Buyer can acquire a property at a rock bottom price.
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Tags: Estate, Real, Sale, Short