Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Trinidad Gaeta on January 11, 2011 at 11:00am

Hi Kari,

 

What city and state is the property located in? I have a friend that works for AHMSI maybe I can get you some answers. 

 

Trinidad

Permalink Reply by Steve Early on January 11, 2011 at 11:22am

Welcome to AHMSI Hell. We were assigned a negotiator there that was pretty worthless. Despite constant phone calls and requests to customer service agents that she call us back, her manager call us back, her manager's manager call us back, we got no return phone calls from any of them (except once) and pretty much got nowhere for 2 1/2 months!

After reading about some of the positive experiences others had in this very forum, we began to conclude that it was the negotiator. We called a negotiator we had worked with previously (who was very good, by the way) and begged him to take the file on. He couldn't because it was an investor that he doesn't work for. Then we requested, and requested, and requested and eventually ended up begging anyone we could get on the phone to have her replaced. We got nowhere.

We closed out the file, and resubmitted it in the hopes that we would end up with a new negotiator. We ended up with the same person. So we just kept begging and pleading and FINALLY got the file assigned to someone else. Now it seems to at least be moving.

All negotiators are not created equal and if you have one that is not at all responsive after weeks of attempting to get SOME kind of a response, you need to keep escalating and hammering them. One of my people actually told a customer service manager, "It's been so long since I've heard from this woman I seriously think you should send someone to her office to check on her. I think she might be dead."

One tip:  When calling AHMSI, your first stop is India. We have found it is pretty much a waste of time. There is only so much they are capable of doing. You have to demand to be transferred to someone in the United States. They will resist and ask how they can help you - just tell them they can help by transferring you to the US. It may take a while but eventually they will transfer your call.

Permalink Reply by Kari A. Battaglia on January 11, 2011 at 11:33am

Sarasota Florida.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Trinidad Gaeta said:

Hi Kari,

 

What city and state is the property located in? I have a friend that works for AHMSI maybe I can get you some answers. 

 

Trinidad

Permalink Reply by Kari A. Battaglia on January 11, 2011 at 11:36am

Steve,  Thanks for the info.  I think I will use "I think my negotiator might be dead" line LOL.  The first person I spoke with was from India, Ismael. Today I think I spoke again with India.  Next time I will request US employee.  Thanks for sharing!

Steve Early said:

Welcome to AHMSI Hell. We were assigned a negotiator there that was pretty worthless. Despite constant phone calls and requests to customer service agents that she call us back, her manager call us back, her manager's manager call us back, we got no return phone calls from any of them (except once) and pretty much got nowhere for 2 1/2 months!

After reading about some of the positive experiences others had in this very forum, we began to conclude that it was the negotiator. We called a negotiator we had worked with previously (who was very good, by the way) and begged him to take the file on. He couldn't because it was an investor that he doesn't work for. Then we requested, and requested, and requested and eventually ended up begging anyone we could get on the phone to have her replaced. We got nowhere.

We closed out the file, and resubmitted it in the hopes that we would end up with a new negotiator. We ended up with the same person. So we just kept begging and pleading and FINALLY got the file assigned to someone else. Now it seems to at least be moving.

All negotiators are not created equal and if you have one that is not at all responsive after weeks of attempting to get SOME kind of a response, you need to keep escalating and hammering them. One of my people actually told a customer service manager, "It's been so long since I've heard from this woman I seriously think you should send someone to her office to check on her. I think she might be dead."

One tip:  When calling AHMSI, your first stop is India. We have found it is pretty much a waste of time. There is only so much they are capable of doing. You have to demand to be transferred to someone in the United States. They will resist and ask how they can help you - just tell them they can help by transferring you to the US. It may take a while but eventually they will transfer your call.

Permalink Reply by dipan on January 17, 2011 at 7:11am

Hi Kari,

It took them about 2 months to get my file assigned to a negotiator. I started towards the end of NOV. Its been 5 days since it has been assigned and there is no response from the negotiator, they said that its in for Initial review. Others in this forum have tried to escalate it to VPs to get answers. That might work.

@Trinidad,

I hope you can help me out as well.

Permalink Reply by Kari A. Battaglia on January 17, 2011 at 7:45am

Trinidad - Thanks so much for your reply. When I follow up I will see what happens and if I don't get answers will escalate to VP.  Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Steve Early on February 9, 2011 at 2:07am

A quick update on our situation: [In our view the original negotiator wasn't working the file]

The new negotiator we finally got assigned to the file worked it steadily, and we got the approval letter yesterday. Elapsed time since we switched negotiators was about 6-7 weeks.  Prior to that we spent 2 1/2 months with the original negotiator and the file went nowhere.

 

Permalink Reply by Steve Early on February 10, 2011 at 3:45am

If they are moving out and cutting off the power make sure the house gets winterized if you're in an area where freezing could occur. If the servicer of the seller's note finds out the property is vacant, they will winterize it and change out the locks, but if it takes some time for them to figure that out you could have a mess on your hands before they get there. Just a thought.

And 6-7 weeks is nothing. Our average short sale takes about 3-5 months to get closed. It can happen faster, but there is little you can do to hurry the process along.

cindybroder said:

...  The current owners plan to move out at the end of February & will be cutting off the utilities shortly thereafter ...