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Santa Barbara Short Sale FAQs

The prevalence of Santa Barbara short sales is a relatively new phenomenon that happened shortly after the national housing market bubble burst.

Thus, if you don't understand what a short sale is and how it works, don't worry!  We've compiled a list of frequently asked questions that we often hear from Santa Barbara home sellers just like you:

What is a Santa Barbara Short Sale?

A short sale occurs when a Santa Barbara home seller decides to sell their home for less than what is owed on the home.  Typically Santa Barbara home sellers will choose this as a better alternative to a Santa Barbara foreclosure - which can stay on your credit report for a decade!

Why Would a Bank Accept a Santa Barbara Short Sale?

In both the short- and long-term, a short sale is a lot better than a foreclosure for both the seller and lender.

For the seller, it frees them from a mortgage that they can no longer pay.  It also protects their credit score better than a foreclosure would.

For lenders, it saves them money because they're recouping at least some of the money they lent in the first place. 

One study found that a lender will lose anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 on  every foreclosed property.  Those losses are a lot smaller when they approve a short sale.

Is it difficult to get a Santa Barbara short sale approved?

Not if you're working with an experience Santa Barbara real estate agent like us!

The key to getting a Santa Barbara short sale approved is filling out all the necessary paperwork in a timely manner and convincing the lending institution that the short sale is in the best financial interest of both them and the home seller.

When Can I Start the Santa Barbara Short Sale Process?

 It depends on the bank with whom you took out a mortgage.  While some banks will make you wait until you're at least 90 days behind on payments, others will let you start the short sale process while you're still current on payments. 

Check with your lending institution to see what their policy is.  As a general rule, however, the sooner you get started on the short sale process the better.

Short Sale Your Santa Barbara Home

We understand that the short sale process can be daunting for Santa Barbara home owners who've never completed one.

We'd like to help you navigate that process on the Santa Barbara real estate market.

Contact us, Marie Sue Parsons and Stephanie Young, to learn more about how we help Santa Barbara home sellers successfully complete short sales.

Questions? Just Ask!

Content published by Stephanie Young

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