As a REALTOR® in Sacramento I can honestly say, the answer is “yes.” In my travels around Sacramento neighborhoods showing short sale homes for sale as well as the emails and phone calls I receive from sellers and agents, their is no question that your choice of short sale agent is important.
Let me give you a few examples and stress that agents taking short sale classes and having experience doing short sales with several banks makes for a win, win not only for the seller but also the potential home buyer. Let me explain…
Elk Grove Short Sale
Just in the past week alone, I showed an Elk Grove short sale home for sale only to find that the house was listed by a Bay Area agent who under priced the home. Now, some may say “wow, how nice to get a house for such a low price.” It doesn’t work that way. The bank will have the property appraised to make sure the agent that listed it knew what they were doing. What a shock that will be for the buyer!! The story doesn’t end there. After questioning the short sale agent it was obvious she had never done a short sale. For a home buyer to wait endlessly for a short sale approval is one thing, but to wait even longer with someone who has no idea what they are doing is quite another. This Bay Area agent should have referred the short sale process to a REALTOR® who is equipped to handle the short sale and frankly the seller should have hired an agent in the Sacramento area to list the house with.
My home buyer decided to pass on this one and submit an offer on a short sale that had an experienced short sale seller’s agent who listed the house.
Short Sale Seller
I received a phone call from a short sale seller asking me if I could tell her if she had to be out of the house in 2-3 days. After explaining that she needed to speak with the agent she listed the house with, it was obvious she did not have trust or return phone calls from him. I then suggested she look at the purchase contract but she didn’t have a copy. So, I told her what typically occurs and that by the time the house records at the County, is would need to have vacated. According to the short sale seller, she was never told that the bank accepted the short sale offer and merely received a cursory phone call from the listing agent telling her to be out of the house within 2-3 days.
Just another indication that the REALTOR® a seller has list their home needs to have the experience and communication skills to keep the seller informed throughout the short sale process and give copies of all documentation to the the seller. There is no excuse to give a seller 2-3 days notice to move out!
Experience and Communication count!
Short Sale Agent
Last night I received an email from an agent asking if I would share how to do a Bank of America short sale. This agent further explained he had been out of the business for several years but kept his license and since he had been a newer agent, he had never done a short sale. This is not the way to learn…on the back of your seller and potential home buyer.
I suggested he take some classes and in the meantime refer his seller to a short sale agent who knows how to do a short sale or partner with an short sale agent. We are trusted professionals who the public assumes they are receiving an agent who is educated and has experience. Please don’t learn on a client and put their transaction at risk.
Keep your day job and get educated. Sorry to be blunt but this irks me no end!
Your Short Sale Agent Matters
I just scratched the surface and these are examples of just this past week…plenty more I could share. So, in conclusion YES, it does matter who a distressed home seller chooses to sell their short sale home. If you are having trouble paying your house payment, give me a call and let’s talk. Our conversations are kept strictly confidential. Yes, I have taken classes, have the experience and I am a short sale REALTOR®.
Other Short Sale Info:
Sacramento Short Sale Sellers This Is For YOU
Get Your Short Sale Now BEFORE Law Leaves You At Risk
No Short Sale Sellers Do NOT Pay Commissions
