A bank short sale is not the only choice we have to avoid foreclosure – but it is definitely better than some of the other possibilities. If a homeowner is already in this situation, they are already dealing with intense financial anxiety from every angle. If approved for a bank short sale, much of this stress will be alleviated because they’ll be in a great position to purchase another home.
It is extremely difficult for us as homeowners to accept the fact that our home may be lost, but if it’s going to happen, avoiding foreclosure is the highest priority. It’s important for us to understand clearly that a short sale is not the”only” way out, but it may be the “best” way out. If we foreclose, the lender can sue us, garnish our wages, put a lien on other property, and hound us for years. All this in addition to the destruction of our credit rating. With a bank short sale – if handled correctly, we’re making an agreement with our lenders up front to settle most of these issues now.
For the average borrower, the complex issues of a bank short sale cause high anxiety. The new terminology we experience, the lawyers, tax forms, and all of the new issues that arise can be quite overwhelming. This is in addition to our other financial difficulties. No matter how stressful things may seem to us, we cannot forget that every party involved in this short sale process is trying to recoup as much money as they can. Don’t allowed yourself to be bullied. Bankers love to drop in last second requests. Be prepared for them.
These last second surprises can be avoided if we seek expert advice from the outset. We don’t want to attempt a bank short sale without expert assistance of some kind – and should not procrastinate in acquiring it. Throughout the process we’ll deal with complex issues of property taxes, our loan, and real estate. We’ll need an expert in each of these areas. If you look in your area you should be able to find services that provide you with the expert assistance of qualified accountants, lawyers, and real estate agents – who will be paid by your lender. As with any type of service you need to exercise discretion in order to get the best assistance available.
A bank is losing money with a short sale and are not necessarily enthusiastic about doing them. They avoid a foreclosure – yes, but their attitude is not to be considered enthusiastic. They can be difficult to deal with at times because they’re trying to get back as much money as they can. For this reason they might not always move as fast as we want – although we know they can. Patience is a valued virtue here – so practice it and keep cool. If you’ve ever had to work with the government you know exactly what dealing with these banks will be like.
The bank short sale is stressful on all involved, but if we complete it successfully, we’ll definitely be the winners in the end. Hopefully, we’ll come out the other side with no unpaid taxes, no bankruptcy and no foreclosure. This is why a short sale is so much better than foreclosure. It’s a tough process – yes, but in the end we’ll still be in a great position to purchase another home. Completing the process prepares us for our new future. A bank short sale is not the only way out – but I’ll take it over a foreclosure any day of the week.
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