Sunday, February 20, 2011

Short Sale Homes: Things You Need to Keep In Mind When Buying

Now is a great time to purchase short sale properties. This is because of the abundance of properties whose values are less than the value owed to the lender. However, it is not that easy to buy a short sale. You will need to think of various considerations when buying such property. An advantage of a short sale is that the seller is motivated to sell the property. This means that you have the upper hand during the negotiation process. Although this is the case, you will still need to be careful when making an offer. Another benefit is that there are several short sale properties to choose from. This means that most of the properties are in good shape because sellers want to attract buyers. And since there are fewer buyers, you have the luxury of choosing the property that works for you. But what is short sale in the first place and why are these properties cheap? Short sale happens when a lender accepts a discounted payment for the mortgage. This usually happens when the balance of the mortgage exceeds the value of the property. However, the steps taken are not simple. The buyer making an offer will not be able to close the deal right away. It is true that a short sale is a waiting game. You will need patient if you want to be able to acquire the property. If your first offer was rejected, you can make a higher offer and wait for the decision of the lender.

Here are some tips to help make the short sale purchase easier.

Work with an experienced agent. It is essential that you work with a realtor who has handled short sale purchases before. This way, he can assist you better and can help you make favorable decisions. He will be able to have access to listed short sale properties as well. Moreover, he can negotiate with the seller and facilitate the immediate approval of the short sale application.

Find the right home or investment property. If you are looking for a property, where you can move into right away, and then rethink the purchase of a short sale property. As mentioned earlier, it is unlike that you will be able to close it in a month. In addition to that, making an offer will not guarantee that you will be able to purchase the property. This is because the lender may still reject it.

Make a good offer. This is crucial in owning the short sold property. If you have a good offer, the lender may approve it and you will be able to close the deal. But what is a good offer? The best thing to do is to have the property appraised. This will help you identify the real value of the property. Your offer does not have to match the appraised value. However, it would greatly help ensure the approval of the short sale. If the lender agrees to the offer you made, you will be able to purchase the property and close the deal.