Anatomy of a Chico CA Real Estate Transaction

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What’s All This Talk About Short Sales on Chico Homes?

November 10th, 2007 categories: Anatomy of a Chico CA Real Estate Transaction, Chico CA Real Estate News, Chico Financing

By guest author Mike Wiegert, Broker, Chico Homes

For Chico, CA homeowners that can’t afford to pay their mortgage, there is an alternative to bankruptcy or foreclosure proceedings – it is called the short sale.

The short sale really begins when you finally realize that your house just isn’t worth what it was just a few short years ago.

The next realization is that if you sell your house for what it’s really worth, you’re not going to actually get any proceeds back from the sale. That’s a big pill to swallow, but after you do, you might have the final realization that you’re really just starting from scratch like you did a few years ago. Back then, you’re credit was pretty good, you had your health, all your kids were fairly normal and you had a job. So rather than losing your home in foreclosure AND ending up with a terrible credit report, you think “I wish we could just be back to where we were back then.”

It’s at this point that a “short sale” might be the answer.

A short sale occurs when the net proceeds from the sale of a home are not enough to cover the sellers’ mortgage obligations and closing costs such as property taxes, transfer taxes and commission.

In other words, what a buyer might be willing to pay for your home isn’t going to cover what you owe on it and what it’s going to cost you to sell it. Unlike a foreclosure, a short sale can keep the homeowners credit intact. The first step is to do some research a find a Chico, CA Realtor that knows the Chico real estate market and has had experience and success in the short sale process. Your Realtor will need special skills and a persistent attitude in dealing and negotiating with your lender.

Banks are not in the business of owning and marketing homes and many would much rather discount the current amount of their loans than have to go through the process of marketing and holding a property in a slower market. This lender attitude will certainly grow as the number of foreclosures and repossessions increase. Conversely, the popularity of buying in the short sale market appears to be spreading rapidly.

Be advised, before you contract with any Realtor to market your home utilizing a short sale concept, you should consult a real estate attorney for the legal implications of the short sale and an accountant about the tax liabilities involved in the short sale.

You must understand everything upfront before the short sale process begins- look to your Chico CA Realtor for assistance.

1. You must prove to your lender that you are unable to afford to pay your mortgage.

If your lender is aware that you possess certain assets such as stocks or bonds, or you have a high paying job, your lender may require you to sign a note promising to repay at a future time any discount of what you owe that they make in the short sale. If you do not possess these types of assets or your job clearly indicates that you would not be able to repay such a debt, it is possible it may be forgiven.

2. Next the lender will appraise the current market value of your home.

The lender, with the help of your Chico, CA Realtor will calculate the amount of the outstanding debt and the customary costs of selling. If the proposed short sale will bring them more money than they would get during auction, the lender will mostly likely agree to it. End result, you didn’t pull the equity out of your home that you might have thought you had, but your credit is still intact, you’re out of a mortgage payment you can’t afford and the dream of once again owning a little corner of this world still burns brightly!

If you find yourself in a situation where your payments are are becoming too much to handle, please contact us at Chico Homes! We may be able to assist you in selling your home and avoiding a credit-destroying foreclosure.

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Looking to buy or sell Chico CA Real Estate? Need a Top Producing Chico CA Realtor? Call Sandi Bauman 530-864-5407 or email [email protected]. Specializing in REO, residential, relocation, investment & ag property.

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Short escrow? Get your ducks in a row BEFORE you make an offer.

November 2nd, 2007 categories: Anatomy of a Chico CA Real Estate Transaction, Chico Buyers, Chico CA Real Estate News, Chico Sellers, My Opinion on Things

There is no disputing the fact that Chico, CA is currently in what is commonly known as a “Buyer’s Market.”

That is FABULOUS news for all the buyers out there who have patiently been waiting for this day. The inventory is high, the prices have dropped, and the interest rates are still phenomenal!

Now is the time to get a great deal!

A “Buyer’s Market” is a wonderful thing. A Chico, CA home that might have cost $400,000 in 2005 may only set you back $350,000 today. On average, prices seem to have corrected between 10 and 15 percent for residential properties.

I have noticed a growing trend with buyers. In an effort to get the absolute lowest price on a property, they attempt to entice the sellers with a very short escrow period. For some sellers, a quick sale in this market is a dream come true! They need out from under that house payment, and will gladly accept less than asking price just to be DONE.

However, when representing a seller, I have had to caution against signing the first contract we see, simply because the buyer promises to make it the pain go away with a 10 day escrow. The offer to close in 10 days is an empty one if the buyer has not done his homework.

The following items must be taken into consideration to close an escrow quickly:

Is the buyer preapproved?
Is the lender local and knowledgeable about our issues and resources?
Is the lender willing to commit to closing on time?
What kind of loan product is the buyer applying for? A VA loan, for instance, is highly unlikely to close in less than 30 days.
What inspections does the buyer request? Well potability tests may require 14 days or more to obtain results.
Can we get the appraisal completed immediately?
Will repairs be required by the lender to fund the loan? If so, is there a contractor available to bid, complete, and final the work within a days notice?

An escrow that closes quickly can be a wonderful solution for both the buyer and the seller, but it doesn’t happen without forethought, preparation, and a willingness for all parties to be focused on immediate results.

If you are a buyer, hoping to get the best deal of the year by offering to close quickly, get your ducks in a row BEFORE you make an offer. No seller in their right mind will accept your offer if you aren’t prepared to close the deal.