A Las Vegas Short Sale. Is It Your Best Move? Maybe Not.
- Date: 2007-04-04 - Word Count: 441
Share This!
I was doing a search for vacant properties the other day for a client uncomfortable with the idea of going into other people's homes while they still live there, and the list of 60 or so vacant homes I came up with had 48 that were short sales. I thought, Wow, that's a lot.
You might ask, ok, exactly what is a short sale anyway?
A short sale is a circumstance where a house is for sale for less than what is owed on it. Most of us have had the experience of being upside down on a car we are trying to trade in, and it's not much fun. With your house, it's even less.
The catch with a short sale is that the bank or mortgage company that holds the note on the house gets the final say on the price and the terms of the sale.
This is a pretty big deal, because lending institutions aren't in love with the idea of losing money on real estate. Who is?
So they take their sweet time to consider short sale offers. Here's a typical scenario.
You find a house you like that's a short sale, and since we all love a deal, you make an aggressive offer. Right about now the other agent informs you that it will be 4 to 6 weeks before the bank even LOOKS at your offer. Yikes! But ok, a great deal is worth the wait.
Or is it?
Consider also the meltdown going on in the mortgage industry. Not only are rates going up, but many of the attractive low down, interest only, adjustable rate mortgages that got you into the market in the first place are going away.
So by the time the bank gets around to countering your aggressive offer there's a good chance that not only will the interest rate and payment be substantially higher than you first planned, the loan program you need is possibly gone, and then maybe you don't even qualify anymore!
Another problem, but good for homeowners, is that the banks know that values here have bottomed out, and they don't need to give real estate away at bargain prices, so the buyer's dream of instant equity probably isn't going to happen quite the way they hoped it would.
The good news is that your investment in Las Vegas Real Estate is likely to safe and sound.
So when looking for properties, consider buying from the homeowner who's trying hard not to become a short sale or a foreclosure, and buy from a human being with something to lose, instead of from a bank, where the person making the deal is more concerned about losing his job.
You might ask, ok, exactly what is a short sale anyway?
A short sale is a circumstance where a house is for sale for less than what is owed on it. Most of us have had the experience of being upside down on a car we are trying to trade in, and it's not much fun. With your house, it's even less.
The catch with a short sale is that the bank or mortgage company that holds the note on the house gets the final say on the price and the terms of the sale.
This is a pretty big deal, because lending institutions aren't in love with the idea of losing money on real estate. Who is?
So they take their sweet time to consider short sale offers. Here's a typical scenario.
You find a house you like that's a short sale, and since we all love a deal, you make an aggressive offer. Right about now the other agent informs you that it will be 4 to 6 weeks before the bank even LOOKS at your offer. Yikes! But ok, a great deal is worth the wait.
Or is it?
Consider also the meltdown going on in the mortgage industry. Not only are rates going up, but many of the attractive low down, interest only, adjustable rate mortgages that got you into the market in the first place are going away.
So by the time the bank gets around to countering your aggressive offer there's a good chance that not only will the interest rate and payment be substantially higher than you first planned, the loan program you need is possibly gone, and then maybe you don't even qualify anymore!
Another problem, but good for homeowners, is that the banks know that values here have bottomed out, and they don't need to give real estate away at bargain prices, so the buyer's dream of instant equity probably isn't going to happen quite the way they hoped it would.
The good news is that your investment in Las Vegas Real Estate is likely to safe and sound.
So when looking for properties, consider buying from the homeowner who's trying hard not to become a short sale or a foreclosure, and buy from a human being with something to lose, instead of from a bank, where the person making the deal is more concerned about losing his job.
Related Tags: las vegas real estate, las vegas investment properties, las vegas high rise condos, city center las vegas, las vegas investment properties for sale
Bob Tracey is a 20 year resident of Las Vegas with a combined practice in real estate and mortgage finance. Visit him at www.willworkforbuyers.com Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- 5 Reasons to Buy Jasper Real Estate
Jasper is a small town in North Georgia and it is growing rapidly. Since North Georgia Foreclosures - Ellijay Real Estate
Ellijay Georgia has always been known for it's outdoor activities and seasonal festivals. Downtown E - How to Deal With Blocked Drains
A blocked drain is an occurrence that happens eventually to all households. You may have experienced - The Benefits of Hiring a Plumbing Consultant
Your dream home may not always be brand new, with fresh paint and home essentials. There are certain - The Worst Mistake You Can Make When You Apply to Rent a Home
A whole new class of people has become renters and potential renters in America during the last thre - State of Individual Real Estate Markets
Everybody is well aware of the hit that the real estate market has taken over the past three years. - Thoughts on Avoiding the Landlord Trap
I've heard several people say they would never invest in a multifamily rental property because they - An Idea to Increase the Bottom Line of Your Investment Property
Are you pretty sure that you've already maximized the income coming from your property? If you've cl - Finding the Value of a Piece of Investment Real Estate
There is a lot of confusion about how much investment property is really worth. We'll look at three - Arkansas Land For Sale - Search Engine Optimization and Your Website
If you have Arkansas land for sale and are interested in advertising it on your website I have a few
Most viewed articles in this category:
- How High Did Home Prices Really Go
The U.S. Census Bureau released data on Tuesday that revealed where the nation's hottest markets wer - New Homeowners Tips for Household Safety
With so many items on their ¡°buying a home¡± checklist, few homeowners take into considerati - Truth About VA Foreclosures
Many people now days are finding themselves out of work and not being able to make the mortgage paym - Avoid Rookie Real Estate Investing Mistakes
When Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad book series, bought his first property he was, of cours - Finding The Perfect Roommate On Craigslist
Craigslist, Roommates, and The Concerns Craigslist is "great" when it comes to looking for housing - The Forgotten Secret To Selling Property - Simple, Quick And Cheap
Why spend big dollars trying to get people to drive a long way to see your house, when your best pro - Get Amazing Results Selling Real Estate Online
This is the age of the internet. Why not take advantage of the widespread use of the internet to ad - Dallas Real Estate Information
In the United States, Dallas is considered as the second leading state according to the area. If any - The Largest Private Equity Indian Real Estate Deal
In the largest private equity deal won by the real estate sector, Morgan Stanley Real Estate has inv - Fractional Real Estate Ownership
Fractional ownership of vacation ski condos is growing in popularity. Park City Utah a popular ski t