Florida Homes and Condos for Sale

I, like most real estate agents today, have crossed paths with many people who seemed to be getting sucked into the short sale pipeline pipe dream. 

Buying a short sale is not for everyone.

First of all, that extremely low listing price is likely not the selling price but rather the "start talking price!"

Of course there is always the chance the low price may just be reflective of the later investment required to repair, fix, update and generally make the house "livable."  [However, that is more common with foreclosures!}

Short sales take time.  After all, the seller may sign off on your offer but in the end it must be approved by the lender(s).  And the lender approval process may take time – months!

A couple of additional tidbits of information on short sales (click the links):

• Difference between a short sale and a foreclosure 
• Is there such a thing as a perfect foreclosure? 
• REO and Foreclosures are not the same as short sales...

Still, if a buyer is the right buyer - the time, the patience, available cash/mortgage - why not consider a short sale?

For information on short sales in Viera, Florida, call me directly at 321-693-3850 or email me if you prefer.

This should be a question on the "exam on life..." Which of these statements is the most true?

1. I am from the government and I am here to help.
2. I am from your mortgage lender and I am here to help.
3. Happy Hour...get two drinks for the price of one.
4. A short sale is a quick and painless process to sell or buy a house.
   

OK, this is not really a test question however comma.... Have you ever run into a person who insisted on saying "however comma" when they speak? I have and they are sooooo irritating.....

I had a client once tell me that what I write gives them a chuckle as well as occasionally some good information.  Useful information should be delivered with a good delivery system. Joel Osteen has figured this out just as Publisher's Clearinghouse has it down!

Back to the question....

If you are over 16 and slightly aware of the real world you will know that 1 and 2 are rarely true. Statement 4 is definitely not the case as a short sale requires patience.

A short sale requires a buyer who is willing to possibly wait for months for a response. A short sale requires a mortgage lender to act and, more importantly, act favorably to a short sale offer. So, the obvious response is 1.

If a short sale is a consideration given your current situation, give me a call or drop me an email. If you do not live in Brevard County, Florida I have contacts to whom I will be happy to refer you.

I know the title implies the time honored question...the chicken or the egg?  But the answer is...the sale or the purchase?

I was speaking with someone a couple of days ago who had accompanied a friend to see a listing.  She told me she had no real estate agent and had searched Google for "Short Sale Brevard County" and I was the first name in the results.  This Internet stuff really does work!

She was unfamiliar with the "short sale" process but was curious.   As there are literally hundreds of short sales in central Brevard County, Florida, I was happy to tell her all I knew.  Some may say that took only a couple fo minutes...OK, funny!

I explained the process involved the purchase of a home where the sale is subject to third party (lender) approval.  I discussed her current residence and if there was a need (or desire) to sell it before gaining mortagge loan approval.  In her case I believe she may be able to qualify without selling but I recommended she discuss the scenario with a knowledgeable lender.

So, will the sale come first or the purchase?  It will depend on her lender and intentions.

Some are now entering the market to take advantage of the lower prices.  Some are taking a long term view and selling existing homes for less in exchange for purchasing a newer, larger home for less.  Some are converting the older homes to rental properties. 

If either of these scenarios fit your circumstance and goals, please contact me to discuss how I may assist you in buying or selling real estate along Florida's Space Coast.

Gary Waters, Florida licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Baytree Realty, Rockledge, Florida.  Call me directly at 321-693-3850 or email me at agent@moving2brevard.com.

Please visit my blog Florida Homes For Sale.