WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL SHORT SALE?
I asked this question on a couple of other group sites. I was surprised at some of the comments and so I am interested in the responses on this site. Maybe the same people are here.
As a new Realtor with some specific training in Short Sales I am curious why the word 'offer' is used interchangeably with the word contract. Please help my understanding. Once an offer is accepted it is a contract and there can only be one contract on a property. Do you agree?
In Maryland I believe when there is a contract sent to the bank, the MLS is changed to Contract with a contingency. The contingency is third party approval. Another offer can be submitted to the seller as a back up offer but it cannot become a contract, and does not go to the bank. As long as the Buyer knows of these other offers, being a back up becomes their choice, but they are all offers and not contracts. The listing is not active, it is a contract with a contingency.
One of the most important tasks is for the Seller, with the Seller's agent help, to determine that the offer accepted is going to be a strong contract that WILL be accepted by the bank. This requires making a judgement as to what the Lender will accept, including amount of closing costs. Putting in offers that are too low, or requesting too much in closing costs will get the contract rejected, or possibly ignored. I know we want to sell the owner's house, but it may be necessary to refuse an offer, or negotiate with the buyer for a better offer, that will be acceptable to the Lender. The lender may reject an offer eventually, but they may not tell you why and they do not negotiate with the Buyer, the Seller does. This is why the offer that becomes a contract should be as 'strong' as possible.
This is what my "education" has taught me. Please tell me how your experience agrees, or disagrees, with this.
Thank you. Margaret C. Taylor SFR CDRS Century 21 New Millennium, St Mary's County, MD
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