Wednesday, January 23, 2013

AGENT SHORT SALE QUICK FACTS


 

 

Communication/Time Frames

 

1.       When your file is submitted to Lotus Realty Group one of our representatives will do an audit of your file and send you a needs list of all outstanding documents. We will not submit a short sale package to the lender until we have a whole and complete short sale package. We understand these transactions are time sensitive.

 

2.       If you are unavailable or will be out of town we will need the information of who will be assisting you with this so we can work with them on getting what we need to submit a package.

 

 

3.       Lotus Realty Group will update you weekly every Thursday. If there is any information or requested documents from the bank we will contact you sooner. Please allow us to work with the bank and adhere to the time frames.

 

4.       Every transaction is different and unique. Some approvals come faster than others however; the more solid of a package we have the faster we will move through the system.

 

 

5.       Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac deals take longer to underwrite so you will want to set expectation with seller and buyer.

 

 

6.       From the time of submission it can take anywhere from 30-90 days before we may see an approval. The bank typically looks at how many days the property was on the market to see if the property was marketed for a substantial amount of time, comparative market analysis, the value of the offer, what is owed on the property and how strong the hardship is. We suggest that you complete the listing agent packet with the seller questionnaire before listing the property and discuss with a representative at Lotus Realty Group so we can determine together if this is a deal you should take or what we need to do in order to structure it properly.

 

7.       Please send all short sale packages to INITIATE@LOTUSREALTYGROUP.COM

 

 

 

Commission

 

1.       The seller and listing agent cannot be one in the same.

 

2.       Listing agent cannot be related to the seller or the buyer.

 

 

3.       If the buyer’s agent is also the buyer, the short sale lender may reduce your commission or they may decide to eliminate your commission all together.

 

4.       If the agent is representing both buyer and seller the short sale lender may reduce your commission

.

Contracts

 

1.       It is imperative whenever possible to use our counter and addendum in the listing agent short sale packet for all potential buyers on your short sale listings. This will set expectations as to who will be responsible to pay fees that the short sale lender will not agree to pay.

 

2.       The SSA needs to be initialed and signed by BOTH buyer and seller.

 

 

3.       All items incorporated into the RPA on page 4, need to accompany the offer as the bank will require these.

 

4.       Not all lenders accept Doc U Sign. It is a suggestion to get wet signatures up front to save time.

 

 

5.       If the buyer is an LLC or incorporated, we will need the Articles of Incorporation and Operating Agreement.  The signatures on the RPA need to match the LLC or incorporated documents.

 

6.       Cash buyer proof of funds need to be within 30 days.

 

Sale Dates



Most lenders require a full short sale package to be submitted 15 days prior to a sale date to consider a postponement.  If there is a sale date on the property in two weeks and we do not have a short sale package in place with an offer we will not be able to take this type of transaction.  There may be exceptions granted however; we generally do not take these circumstances on due to the success rate being extremely low. If the listing agent packet is complete and we have had a chance to go over the seller questionnaire together to determine if this is a transaction we can successfully close we will eliminate most if not all of these issues. 
 

REALTORS, what is in your business plan this year? What are you doing to create a system that will allow you to build your short sale business? How often are you out there prospecting and how do you know if you are taking the listings that are going to be successful and not a waste of your time?

Call us today and let us show you a system that works to help you expand your business and effectively and efficiently close short sale transactions.
LOTUS REALTY GROUP
PROFESSIONAL SHORT SALE NEGOTIATORS

At Lotus Realty GROUP, helping people ethically succeed is at the forefront of who we are...

Call today to find out how Lotus Realty Group can assist you in closing your short sale transactions or go to WWW.LotusRealtyGroup.com

 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac updates







Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced changes to their servicing requirements for short sales. Please be aware of the following key changes for all parties involved in a short sale. These changes apply to all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac short sales, with an offer and without an offer.
  • Title Transfer requirement change:
    • The buyer is prohibited from selling the property for any sales price for a period of 30 days from the date of the deed.
    • After a 30 day period, and until 90 days from the date of the deed, the buyer is further prohibited from selling the property for a sales price greater than 120% of the short sale price.
Note: The above restrictions will run with the land and are not personal to the grantee.
Below is an example on how to calculate the 120%:
    • Purchase Price is $100,000.00
    • 120% of the purchase price would be
      $100,000.00 X 1.2 = $120,000.00
  • Relocation Assistance:
    • The borrower may be entitled to an incentive payment of $3,000 from Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac to assist with relocation expenses following successful completion of a short sale unless:
      1. The borrower is required to contribute funds or execute a promissory note.
      2. The borrower has Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders and receives a Dislocation Allowance (DLA) or other government relocation assistance.
      3. The servicer has knowledge that the borrower is receiving relocation assistance from another source other than the servicer.
Note: If the borrower receives relocation assistance from a source other than Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac or the Servicer, the difference in the relocation assistance amount up to the $3,000 incentive maximum may be provided. If the borrower will receive relocation assistance from a source other than Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac or the Servicer and the amount is equal to or greater than $3,000, no relocation incentive will be provided.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Short sales...What to expect in 2013







2013 is going to be a huge year for short sales. The lenders are going to be working with Realtors to get these transactions closed in a stream lined manner however; how fast they get approved and closed are going to be our responsibility as well. The lenders will be looking for the following:
1. A qualified home owner. There needs to be a valid reason and hardship to justify a short sale. The stronger the hardship the stronger your chances are at getting the short sale approved. This will also give you the ability to set expectations with your client and all other parties involved such as a buyer and the buyers agent.

2. A complete short sale package with no holes. The goal is to get everything submitted whole and complete the first time around. All documents need to be fulled out in its entirety. We have been seeing RPA contracts and RLA contracts coming in without all of the signatures and initials. This slows the process when we have to chase down signatures. In addition; not all lenders accept Doc U Sign. It is a suggestion to always get wet signatures upfront.
Certain lenders require their own financial packets to be completed. The key is to follow the listing agent packet we have designed for Realtors. It is a platform that will ensure that you gather all the appropriate documents specific to your clients lenders. You can contact us directly for a copy if you do not already have one.

3. An offer that makes sense. We need to be able to justify the offer we bring to the table. Lenders will be looking at market time, comparative market analysis vs the offer and what is owed on the property. Conventional and cash deals are always encouraged for short sales and make for a smoother transaction. Government loans take longer to underwrite . If you have a sale date on the property this can cause a problem not to mention if there are costs the short sale lender will not cover buyers with these types of loans in most cases are unable to help with those costs.
We have also seen investors write offers at asking price and then once the lender issues a short sale approval they want to reduce their offer at a price that suits them. That is not how this game works with the lenders and quite honestly it puts all parties involved in a bind especially if there is a future sale date on the property. The duty is to the seller and the lender in the short sale. There are plenty of buyers out there that are willing to pay asking price. If you sense this is taking place then you will need to take the appropriate actions to get the property back on the market and get an offer that will satisfy the bank.

We are here to help you put your transactions together and if the procedure is followed there is success on the other side but it takes the cooperation of all parties to make it happen. It is a suggestion that you contact us before you take a listing so we can discuss the details of the transaction and how it should be structured. We look forward to working with all of you.

A few extra tips
1. If you are a REALTOR putting in an offer on a short sale and representing yourself the lender may not approve your commissions.

2. Lenders are selling off loans to other companies. If you have a short sale in process and this happens your client will receive a letter in the mail with the new lender information. You will need that in order to proceed. A short sale package will need to be submitted and you will most likely have to request updated pay stubs and bank statements from your client.

3. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac short sales take longer to underwrite. This expectation should be set with all parties.

FROM BANK OF AMERICA
The Bank of America Cooperative Short Sale Program may be able to help your clients complete a short sale if they owe more on their mortgage than their house is worth and do not qualify for the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) short sale program. This program can streamline the approval process and offers financial assistance to help homeowners with relocation and moving expenses.

As of January 15, 2013, there will no longer be a temporary foreclosure hold during the Cooperative Short Sale property marketing phase. We may begin or continue the foreclosure process up until a submitted offer to purchase the property is approved by all relevant parties. Any existing short sale will not be impacted by this change.



REALTORS, what is in your business plan this year? What are you doing to create a system that will allow you to build your short sale business? How often are you out there prospecting and how do you know if you are taking the listings that are going to be successful and not a waste of your time?

Call us today and let us show you a system that works to help you expand your business and effectively and efficiently close short sale transactions.

LOTUS REALTY GROUP
PROFESSIONAL SHORT SALE NEGOTIATORS

At Lotus Realty GROUP, helping people ethically succeed is at the forefront of who we are...

Monday, January 7, 2013

Parameters for a Successful Transaction

Now that the Mortgage Debt Relief Act has been extended until the end of 2013 I believe you will see a lot more homeowners ready to short sale their property. I have put together a list of parameters and tools you can use to effectively and efficiently take short sale listings.

 
 


** Help to guarantee a quick and successful short sale by implementing these guidelines**


**Foreclosure Radar is a great source to prospect homeowners defaulting on their mortgage**
Go to www.ForeclosureRadar.com


1. First, if there is a sale date on the property, it should be a month or more in the future.


2. Since you have the ability to choose through foreclosure radar I would stay within loan amounts $450,000 and above


3. Maximum of two liens on the property


4. The property must be in a marketable area


5. Seller Questionnaire must be used to determine if you have a pre-qualified short sale


6. There must be a notable hardship: ( See the following examples)


a) Change in income/loss of job


b) Divorce


c) Relocation


d) Death


e) Insurmountable damages to the property


f) Client is still current but living off their savings. They will not be able to maintain payments much longer. The client sees a train wreck coming and is preparing to stop the bleeding now before they face foreclosure.


g) Expenses exceed their income. They are either negative monthly or it’s a wash.


h) If it is an investment property; negative rents, unable to find renters and the
       
properties remain vacant and the investor is unable to carry a negative property would be grounds for a hardship.


7. Advise clients to speak to a Real Estate attorney and CPA


8. Clients must be cooperative and realistic.


9. Property should be marketed for a substantial amount of time.


10. You must have a complete Listing Agent packet and Homeowner packet submitted to Lotus Realty Group with all applicable documents in a reasonable time frame.


Call Lotus Realty Group for a copy of the Listing Agent packet to assist you in pre-qualifying your short sale client and gathering the appropriate documents.


I suggest this gets done first and sent over to us at Lotus Realty Group so we can assist you with any additional information or financial packets for your homeowner to fill out. This depends on who the lender is. If I know up front all the pertinent information I will be able to save your client from filling out redundant paperwork.


Please contact us for further information. The goal is to get all the important information upfront in order to successfully structure the transaction, minimize any pitfalls that may occur and have a tight stream lined systematic approach to ensure we close in a controlled and timely manner.


REALTORS, what is in your business plan this year? What are you doing to create a system that will allow you to build your short sale business? How often are you out there prospecting and how do you know if you are taking the listings that are going to be successful and not a waste of your time?


Call us today and let us show you a system that works to help you expand your business and effectively and efficiently close short sale transactions.

LOTUS REALTY GROUP
PROFESSIONAL SHORT SALE NEGOTIATORS


At Lotus Realty GROUP, helping people ethically succeed is at the forefront of who we are...