Acquiring a Short Sale Home in Arizona has become much less complex over the years, though not every short sale is the same. There are a lot of determinants involved in a short sale, and the more knowledge you have, the more bona fide your experience will be. Here are the top 7 questions you should ask when attempting to acquire a short sale home in Arizona.
1. How many extensions of credit are associated to the short sale, and which banks are servicing the extension(s) of credit?
A short sale involving multiple extensions of credit with different banks can be extremely more challenging and time consuming than a short sale with only one line of credit or 2 lines of credit with the same financial institution. Typically a extension of credit in a subordinate position may only get a few thousand dollars from the sale, since it is erased at foreclosure and would receive nothing. Even so, non-primary loans can still demand more and may make it go to foreclosure if not receiving the requested amount. It can be more difficult if the non-primary is a HELOC-a line of credit which involves withdrawing cash out of the mortgage. Often, this type of loan demands a minimum of 10% which the primary may or may not agree to.
2. Are there any other claims on the property affected?
If there are any HOA liens, contractor holds on the property, Internal Revenue Service claims on the property etc. this also may prolong and make the short sale procedure challenging or even impossible. A vast majority of the time banks will not cover these holds on the property, and the seller may not be able to or unwilling to cover as well. In many cases, the seller will ask YOU, the buyer, to cover these debts.
3. Does the Seller have an obvious hardship?
Banks will want to see that the seller has an obvious hardship, which may include loss of employment, reduced income, increased debt, medical issues etc. Sellers without hardships are often asked to contribute to the sale with an upfront payment or a promissory note. In some of these cases, sellers will choose foreclosure (which negates the short sale) as it is more accommodating to the seller.
4. Who is negotiating the short sale?
If the listing agent is the one arbitrating for a short sale, you can look into their experience and success in arbitrating for short sales. Occasionally it is an Attorney or outside company bargaining-which you can also look into their understanding / successfulness. An enthusiastic and seasoned negotiator may really increase the successfulness of the short sale.
5. What condition is the home in?
Virtually all short sales are sold AS-IS, meaning the seller is not offering any warranties on the house and undoubtedly will not do any replacements. If you are taking advantage of FHA or conventional financing, there could be replacements that are required to obtain your extension of credit. Since the possibility of the seller furnishing them is not very high, the responsibility would become yours.
6. What are the Comparables on the home?
Many listed short sales are not approved at the list price, and must get acceptance from the bank. The bank will either order an appraisal or a BPO (Broker Price Opinion) to acquire a value for the house. If the assessment comes in above the purchase price, the bank can counter your offer. Evaluating the last 3 months active, pending, and sold houses should give you an idea if the price is in line with market value.
7. What is your timeline for closing?
If you are seeking a quick close, purchasing a short sale home in AZ may not be a good fit. The typical timeline of a short sale is 60-90 days, though it may be much quicker or much slower depending on the factors above.
Short sales will continue to be a significant part of the real estate market here in Arizona for a long time. Buying a Short Sale Home in Arizona may be a good way to get a terrific house or investment property at an excellent price.