I have been asked by many clients the definition of a “Short Sale” and a ”REO” home.
SHORT SALE HOMES
“Short Sale” is when more money is owed on property than the suggested listed price.
Approximately one in five homeowners is “underwater” – meaning they owe more on their mortgage than their home is currently worth. For borrowers in default or at risk of defaulting, selling their house for less than is owed, often termed a short sale, may be the only option. However, short sale offers must be accepted by the bank that owns the mortgage, and can take as long as a few months before an offer is accepted.
Be persistent during ordeal of short sale.
MAKING SENSE OF SHORT SALES
Some home buyers are submitting unrealistically low offers on bank-owned properties, hoping to purchase a home at a bargain price. Low offers often use valuable time and resources that could be dedicated toward more favorable offers more likely to garner bank approval. It is vital that home buyers work closely with their REALTORS® to submit appropriate offers, especially when dealing with a short sale property.
Theoretically, short sales should be a win-win for the bank and the homeowner. Although the bank does not receive the full payment on the mortgage, it also does not incur the costs of foreclosure and/or eviction, if necessary. Many homeowners also prefer short sales because it does less damage to their credit score than a foreclosure. However, many real estate experts say that the majority of banks are reluctant to approve short sales, and often let properties go into foreclosure, even when there are reasonable offers on the property. In addition to considering the price, most lenders also take into consideration whether the homeowner can demonstrate financial hardship. If the homeowner is capable of making payments, many lenders will try to work out a loan modification, rather than a short sale.
Short sales often are more time intensive than traditional transactions and often require additional paperwork. Due to the large number of short sale offers, many take as long as a few months to receive approval. If information or required forms are missing or incomplete, the bank may set the offer aside, which could delay the process and cause the property to go into foreclosure. To expedite the process, it is important that sellers work closely with their REALTOR® to provide all of the necessary paperwork.
REO, FORECLOSURE, BANK OWNED TERMS
You will hear people saying “REO” in one form or another including “REO’s” and “REO Properties” among a few others. REO simply means Real Estate Owned. In the real estate investment industry when you see the words REO in an advertisement it is generally assumed the subject property is a foreclosed property or property that has otherwise come into the possession of the bank or lender.
Where it gets confusing to some is that REO does not only mean real estate owned by a bank or lender they have accepted in lieu of foreclosure or have foreclosed upon but the term also indicates any property held by an individual including their primary residence.
When a loan originator is accepting an application from a prospective borrower there is actually a section for the listing of real estate owned. When that part of the application is encountered the loan originator may use the abbreviation REO instead of saying the words “real estate owned”. This is the time where all properties are listed whether or not there is a registered mortgage attached to them.
The Definition of “FORECLOSURE” Properties or “BANK OWNED”
Legal process by which a lender cancels (forecloses) a borrower’s right of redemption of the mortgaged property through a court order (called foreclosure order).
The court sets a date up to which the borrower can redeem the property by paying off the entire loan balance (including foreclosing expenses).
Thereafter, the lender is free to sell the property and, upon the sale, applies the sale proceeds first to the due amount and pays the remainder (if any) to the borrower. The borrower remains liable for the due amount if the property remains unsold, and for the shortfall if the sale proceeds are insufficient to pay off the entire debt. The lender is generally under an obligation to sell the property at or near its fair market value (FMV).
For a list of Short Sale and REO homes: www.RaymondandAssociates.com
