What Is a Short Sale in Real Estate?

What is a short sale in real estate: it is a sale the lender agrees to take less on, because the house is worth less than the loan against it. You find a buyer, the lender approves the price, and the balance still owed is either forgiven or pursued depending on what gets negotiated into the approval letter. Short sale vs foreclosure in Missouri comes down to who controls the sale. In a short sale you do, with the lender's consent, and the credit damage is lighter. In a foreclosure the trustee does, on a date set for you, and you walk away with nothing from it. Short sales are slow, because lender approval can take weeks and sometimes months, and buyers get impatient during the wait. If there is any equity in the house at all, a straight sale is faster and you keep the difference. Read about how to sell house before foreclosure, or see what a short sale looks like in Webster Groves before you commit to the slower path.

With millions of properties across the country going into foreclosure, it’s important for both Missouri home buyers and mortgage holders to understand the short sale and foreclosure process.

What Is A Foreclosure In St. Peters, MO?

In simple terms, "A foreclosed home is one in which the owner is unable to make his mortgage loan payments and the bank repossessed the home".  If you stop making your house payments, your lender has the right to foreclose on your property so they can attempt to recoup their money that was lent to you. 

A home is typically foreclosed on when a borrower fails to make mortgage payments. The lending institution assumes ownership and possession of the property, evicting the borrower. These properties are then sold at auction or more traditional means utilizing the service of real estate agents. A foreclosure can damage the credit rating of a borrower, and make it very difficult to obtain a mortgage for many years. Depending on the state that you live in, a foreclosure can work in different ways. Check out the foreclosure process information over here at the HUD Government website.

What Is A Short Sale In St.Peters, Missouri?

According to Wikipedia, "A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the proceeds from selling the property will fall short of the balance of debts secured by liens against the property, and the property owner cannot afford to repay the liens' full amounts and where the lien holders agree to release their lien on the real estate and accept less than the amount owed on the debt". In a short sale, the home is still owned by the borrower.

In some cases, a short sale is an option agreed upon by borrowers and lenders. In a short sale, the home is sold for less than the outstanding balance of the mortgage. The unpaid balance (known as the deficiency) may or may not still be owed by the borrower. This option typically takes some time, as a few different lending institutions may own the mortgage. All parties who have a stake in the property must agree to the terms of the sale, and a potential deal could fall through if even one lender doesn’t agree.

Short Sale vs Foreclosure - Your Options In Missouri

While both options can have ramifications, a short sale often has less of an impact on the borrower's creditworthiness. A foreclosure could impact a borrower’s credit score by 300 or more points, where a short sale may only dent the credit score by 100 points. Borrowers who are foreclosed on are often ineligible to purchase another home for 5-7 years with a traditional mortgage, where under certain circumstances, a short sale borrower can purchase immediately.

As many Americans struggle with an economy that has yet to completely recover from the 2008 crash, folks are having a hard time making monthly mortgage payments. Choosing between being foreclosed and initiating a short sale (or a 3rd option, selling your St. Peters, MO house fast) is an easy choice for a borrower having trouble paying their mortgage on time. Sometimes, lenders are willing to work with borrowers to complete a short sale, to avoid the fees and time-consuming process of conducting a foreclosure.

Our suggestion is always this.

1. Talk with your lender and discuss ways that they can work with you on your loan. We offer this service where we can help guide you in the right direction if you run into issues with your lender, just reach out to us on our Contact page and we'll discuss your situation.
2. Attempt a short sale or other programs your lender may have that forgives part of your loan, creates a new / more affordable monthly payment so you can get back on your feet, etc.
3. If the bank isn't willing to work with you very much, your best option may be to sell your property. Work with a local real estate home buyer service like Chris Buys Homes in St. Louis to sell your house fast. If you're interested we can look at your situation and make you a fair offer on your property within 24 hours. Just fill out the form on our website below.
4. Foreclosure. The last resort is to let the home fall into foreclosure. This is the worst possible scenario. It'll harm your credit and you could still be left with money owed to the bank even after the foreclosure is finished.

Sell My House In St. Peters, MO

By knowing your options, you may be able to dodge a significant impact on your credit score, allowing you to purchase a new home when your situation improves. A foreclosure on your credit report makes that possibility extremely difficult for 5-7 years, so if you have the opportunity, a short sale can be the better option.

Choosing between being foreclosed and initiating a short sale, selling it fast is an easy choice for a borrower having trouble paying mortgage on time. Sell your house in St. Louis directly. If you are determined to find a quick buyer, a local home buying company such as us here at Chris Buys Homes in St. Louis is one option for you. We are professional Missouri home buyers and we purchase properties for cash when sellers need to sell fast.

Have a pending foreclosure? Give us a call anytime at (314) 334-1481 or fill out the form on this website today!