Negotiating Short Sales

[Chris Gabriel]

When I have a seller who's property isn't listed, how do I go about starting the short sale process with the bank? Any help would be appreciated.

[J Scott]

The best option is to find a real estate agent who is familiar with working short sales. If the lender is a large bank, the property will likely have to hit the MLS, but just arrange with the listing agent that it goes pending immediately and your offer is submitted to the bank. But working with an agent you chose will make the listing part easier.

If its a HAFA short sale, you could get a response within 48 hours. Otherwise, it could be weeks or months.