I keep hearing several agents saying, "this is the END of short sales..." after the (2) big game changers: 1.) Robosigning settlement and 2.) Homeowners Bill of Rights.
Here's my take: until the market reaches 2006 prices AND the economy stabilizes, there will still be short sales.
In many markets, more homeowners purchased a home or took cash out from 2004-2006 than any other 3 years in Real Estate history. Many of those upside down loans still remain out there.
Additionally, prior to the (2) game changers mentioned above, approximately 50% of my short sale listings sold were already on modified loans -- some of them as low as 2% over 40 years combined with generous principal reductions.
In one case, I remember a client who lucked out as one of the rare HAMP 2MP (2nd lien extinguishment) approved loans along with a 2.5% rate on the existing 1st. They still ended up doing a short sale.
When going on these listing appointments, I wasn't surprised at the amount of homeowners that wanted to sell after some of their payments were cut in half. As someone who had lost a home in the 90's (and later filed BK at a young age), I know EXACTLY what they're going through. Here's some of the reasons why selling becomes the best option:
1. After 2 years of not making ANY mortgage payment, habits develop and you adjust your spending accordingly. There's a common theme for most homeowners who haven't made a payment in a long time: they have almost nothing in the bank -- even while staying employed during the delinquency period.
2. Some homeowners have compared the cost of renting vs. owning. Even after a generous principal reduction, one analytical homeowner had a cost breakdown where it would take at least 5 years for his home to appreciate to his principal amount. He pointed out that he can purchase again in 2-3 years, and that scenario would end up favoring him by $50k.
3. Some homeowners want to "move on" from a difficult situation - a homeowner once told me, "that home was an everyday reminder of my failures, bad marriage and bad luck. I wouldn't care if the bank lowered my payment to $10 a month. It was time for a new chapter in my life."
4. Young professionals who will move back with family - some recent college graduates described their home ownership experience as "too early." Some clients in that group felt the landscape in the job market doesn't offer a salary they were expecting and chose to obtain an additional degree while they live at home with their parents.
5. Home ownership isn't for everyone - in an ideal world, everyone would own a home. In reality, there are some people who prefer that someone else take on the investment risk, maintenance, taxes, etc.
What % of your listings have existing loans that were modified? What are the reasons you're encountering?
Tags:
© 2024 Created by Short Sale Superstars LLC. Powered by
Short Sale Superstars, LLC and www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com does not endorse the real estate agents, loan officers, attorneys, real estate brokers and other participants listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs, blog entries and forums are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a short sale. Short Sale Superstars, LLC takes no responsibility for the content on these pages that are written by the members of this community.