Case Studies

Latest short sale case studies at Seattle Short Sales, Inc. We assist hundreds of Seattle area homeowners with avoiding foreclosure and successfully short selling their homes. Learn how we can help you today.

Green Tree/PNC Case Study: Homeowner Facing Foreclosure in Granite Falls, WA, Pays Mortgages With $133,000 Discount - Has $110,000 Deficiency Waived!

Seattle Short Sales, Inc. - Saturday, December 17, 2011

Learn how to get your Green Tree/PNC short sale approved in this Green Tree/PNC Short Sale Case Study.

Green Tree/PNC Short Sale Case Study:

Property Location: Granite Falls, WA - Snohomish County

1st Lender: Green Tree

2nd Lender: PNC

Hardship:
“It is with great remorse that I write this letter, seeking a short sale of my home. I make this request for several reasons, namely:

  • business failure
  • curtailment of income
  • excessive obligations, and
  • fraud

"Prior to the economic downturn, I was earning $50,433 as services manager for a company that sells and services pools and spas. The company has recently reduced half of its employees to half-time status. Although I am still working fulltime, to help keep the company afloat I have experienced a drastic income cut.

“I now receive $26,960 per year, after taxes. This is not enough to pay my monthly mortgage payments, which total $1,686.86 per month ($1,596.98 to Green Tree and $89.88 to PNC) as well as my other living costs and financial obligations. After paying the mortgages, I am left with $559.81 per month, but my other obligations come to $1,621.53 per month. With my reduced income, it is impossible for me to make all of these payments.

“Also, I do believe that fraud was committed against me when I initially signed my loan documents. When I initially was purchasing my home, it was explained to me that I would be getting a traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. These were the documents that I reviewed and that I was prepared to sign.

“However, at the last minute before closing, my mortgage broker switched the papers on me without notice. What was supposed to be a traditional 30-year fixed mortgage instantly became an interest-only mortgage with an 8-year adjustable arm, meaning that the $1,596.98/month that I pay Green Tree isn’t even going towards the principal. I have since learned that the mortgage broker that I was working with has a history of unethical practices - including holding himself out to home buyers as being with a company that he had long separated from.

“Despite the fraud committed against me in the signing of my initial loan documents, I have always striven to pay my mortgage. I love my home and I am saddened that I can no longer afford to keep my residence. I am a hard worker, and pride myself on taking care of my responsibilities. However, the economy has taken a turn for the worse, my finances are struggling, and I can no longer afford to pay my mortgage payments. I need to survive.”

1st Loan Balance: $227,046

2nd Loan Balance: $28,004

Sales Price: $138,000

Approved Commissions: 6%

1st Loan Approved Net Proceeds: $117,050

2nd Loan Approved Net Proceeds: $5,000

Timeline:
Seattle Short Sales, Inc., received the file from the Listing Agent in January 2011. The file was prepared, awaiting a buyer.

On March 31, 2011, a signed offer to purchase the home for $135,000 was received. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager contacted the Listing Agent in order to start assembling all updated financial documents.

On April 20, the first lender indicated that a negotiator had been assigned to the file, and forwarded a letter for the seller to apply to process the sale through HAFA. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager passed along that information to the seller via the Listing agent, and requested additional required financial information.

Meanwhile, the second lender indicated that they would approve the short sale, but would not waive the deficiency. The seller indicated that he was reluctant to proceed with the sale if he was going to still be responsible for the deficiency. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager explained to him that he was not required to proceed with the sale if he did not feel comfortable with it, but that he suggested continuing to proceed with it trying to have it proceed as a HAFA transaction, which would automatically waive the deficiency.

On May 5, the buyer countered with a new purchase price of $138,000. On June 8, Green Tree as first lender issued their approval of the short sale. Meanwhile, the Seattle Short Sales, Inc., continued to negotiate between the seller and PNC as second lender regarding the issue of the deficiency, PNC requested financial documents, which the Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager resent in May. On June 10, PNC requested further financial documents, which the case manager also prepared and sent, while applying a bit of pressure to them to move forward with their approval process.

On June 15, PNC requested the last few months of Green Tree mortgage statements from the buyer. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager explained that, since the loan was in default, there were no recent mortgage statements: they had not been issued. But he forward another copy of Green Tree’s approval letter, which showed the balance owing on the 1st mortgage.

On June 17. PNC indicated that it would not consider the transaction through HAFA, as the amount offered to junior lien-holders ($6,000) did not meet their minimum requirements.

On June 30, the Listing Agent contacted Seattle Short Sales for an update, as the buyers wanted information on whether the sale was to go ahead. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager contacted the PNC negotiator again, stating that they had provided every piece of documentation that PNC had requested, and demanding a response. The negotiator promised that they would have an answer the following week.

On July 7, the PNC negotiator indicated that, since the sellers would not agree to pay the deficiency, they could offer a “full settlement” which would require a minimum cash payment of 60% of the balance owing, or $16,750, due upon closing. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager explained this to the seller; since Green Tree was only allowing $1,662 to junior lenders, the seller would have to come up with the difference. PNC indicated that they could counter that value, but the counter would have to be very close in order to be considered.

On July 10, the seller contacted the PNC negotiator directly, providing a copy of an (expired) offer from PNC to settle his account for $13,832, but indicating that the maximum he couldpay was $4,000. The negotiator wrote back that that offer had expired on April 22, but she would see if they would come back to the offer of $13,832.

The Seattle Short Sales, Inc., requested that PNC accept a promissory note rather than the cash on closing, as the seller did not have the cash. The PNC negotiator indicated that the seller could either pay the cash to close the account, or he could pay $5,000 for a lien release and still be responsible for the $23,000 deficiency, and that this offer was not negotiable. On July 27, PNC issued an approval letter for the short sale.

Result:
The homeowner was able to sell the home that he could no longer afford. The total discount on his two mortgages was $133,000, and he was relieved of having to ever pay back the $110,000 deficiency balance owing on the first mortgage.

To download a copy of the short sale 1st approval letter, click here: http://seattleshortsales.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=90294

To download a copy of the short sale 2nd approval letter, click here: http://seattleshortsales.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=90295

If you are a homeowner, and would like to learn more about short selling your home, please go to: http://seattleshortsales.com/homeowners/

If you are a real estate agent, and would like to learn about our no-fee short sale service, please go to: http://seattleshortsales.com/agents/

Bank of America/Green Tree Short Sale Case Study: After Loan-Mod Runaround, Young Family Sells Home, Pays off Two Mortgages With $198,000 Total Deficiency Waived

Seattle Short Sales, Inc. - Sunday, August 14, 2011

Learn how to get your Bank of America/Green Tree short sale approved in this Bank of America/Green Tree Short Sale Case Study.

Bank of America/Green Tree Short Sale Case Study:

Property Location: Issaquah, WA - King County

1st Lender: Bank of America

2nd Lender: Green Tree

Hardship:
“In July of 2009 I found myself unable to pay my mortgage due to my wife being laid off and my pay taking a significant pay cut. We searched for options to keep our family home and decided a loan modification was the only option at the time. We received our first trial payment on October 30th, 2009 and had made the payments as requested.

“We later found out that we were denied for the loan modification due to missing documentation. We had applied several other times in hope for a new program for a loan modification. We had finally been approved for a loan modification on January 6th, 2011, in hopes that we could keep our home. After receiving the documents and the offer from Bank of America it was to raise our mortgage that we had been struggling to pay by $373.39. We tried several times to negotiate the terms of the loan modification and were left with the options of a short sale or foreclosure.

“We had bought the house when our son was six months old and had put all of our savings into this house to make it our home. We fought for the home as long as we could with hopes of a loan modification. But that dream has not become a reality and we know there is nothing we can do now. We wanted to live here forever and intended for everything to work out.

“We have exhausted all of our options of saving our home and the only option at this time is a short sale of the property and to settle our debt with our lenders. We hope that you will consider our short sale so that one day we can buy a home again and make it our own for our family.”

1st Loan Balance: $281,595

1st Loan Arrears: $16,443

2nd Loan Balance: $70,400

Sales Price: $190,000

Approved Commissions: 5%

1st Loan Approved Net Proceeds: $165,569

2nd Loan Approved Net Proceeds: $4,224

Timeline:
On March 21 2011, a signed offer to purchase the home for $190,000 was received. On March 25, the documents and financial statements were received by Seattle Short Sales, Inc., and on March 30 the completed short sale package was submitted to the first lender. The Seattle Short Sales, Inc. case manager had the Listing Agent discuss HAFA with the sellers, as they would have to make a quick decision of whether or not they want to process that sale through HAFA. The sellers chose not to proceed with HAFA.

On April 4 and 8, Seattle Short Sales, Inc., followed up with Bank of America, as the file was still not showing up in BofA’s online system. On April 11, the completed short sale package was submitted to the second lender. On April 12, Bank of America resolved the system issues and indicated that a case manager would be assigned within 48 hours.

On May 2, Bank of America indicated that a BPO (Broker’s Price Opinion) had been ordered, and that no further information was required at this point. The following day, they indicated that the BPO was in, and the file was now under review in preparation for submitting to the investor.

On May 16, Bank of America requested additional financial documentation from the seller, including updated income and bank statements, which Seattle Short Sales, Inc., started to assemble. On May 21, the Bank of America negotiator indicated that the file was now under review. On May 24, Seattle Short Sales, Inc., submitted the uploaded financial statements to Green Tree, the second lender.

On June 1, Bank of America responded with a counter offer, which the Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager accepted on behalf of the seller. On June 9, Bank of America as first lender issued their approval letter for the short sale, for closing by July 14. On June 14, Green Tree as second lender issued their short sale approval, also for closing by July 14.

However, the buyer had not yet been able to confirm their funding, so the Seattle Short Sales, Inc., case manager asked both lenders to extend their approvals to July 25. Bank of America extended the closing date, but Green Tree stated that they would not extend beyond July 14. The case manager explained that the first lender had already agreed to the extension, and Green Tree then agreed also to extend the closing date to July 25.

Result:
The homeowners, after spending over two years trying to negotiate loan modifications, were left with a short sale as their only option to avoid being foreclosed upon. They were able to short sale their home, and pay off their first mortgage with $132,000 discounted from the balance owing, and their second mortgage with $66,000 discounted from the balance owing.

They were waived of having to pay back either deficiency - a total of $198,000 of debt completely written off - and able to move forward towards their dream of some day buying a new home for their young family.

To download a copy of the first short sale approval letter, click here: http://seattleshortsales.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=88397

To download a copy of the second short sale approval letter, click here: http://seattleshortsales.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=88398

If you are a homeowner, and would like to learn more about short selling your home, please go to: http://seattleshortsales.com/homeowners/

If you are a real estate agent, and would like to learn about our no-fee short sale service, please go to: http://seattleshortsales.com/agents/

Bank of America and Green Tree Short Sale Case Study: Short Sale Approved With $194,000 Total Discount

Seattle Short Sales, Inc. - Monday, September 20, 2010

Learn how to get your Bank of America or Green Tree short sale approved in this Bank of America/Green Tree Short Sale Case Study.

Bank of America/Green Tree Short Sale Case Study:

Property Location: Issaquah, WA - King County

1st Lender: Bank of America

2nd Lender: Green Tree

Hardship: “When I purchased my home in April of 2007 it was still the peak of the residential market. I was also expecting a promotion and substantial raise from work, which due to the economy did not and has not happened. I also now have the financial burden of an elderly parent. As I watched the value of my Condo drop steadily I saw my 10% down payment ($40,000) disappear first and then watched in horror as my loan balance kept rising. As early as July of 2008 I saw identical units in my condominium complex unable to sell in the $330,000 range and at that point I owed $380,000 on my unit. I realized with the rising balance and not making any more money I was in trouble.
“I borrowed money from my 401k and family to try to make payments and did so until the money ran out. I have depleted my savings, I lost my roommate who was helping financially and I am not longer able to make payments and am extremely sickened by the chain of events over the past several years. I have always had great credit and have been a customer with Bank of America for 20 years. This is the first time in my life I have ever had financial difficulty to this degree.”

1st Loan Balance: $340,000

1st Loan Arrears: 7 months

2nd Loan Balance: $40,000

2nd Loan Arrears: 7 months

Sales Price: $202,000

Approved Commissions: 6%

1st Loan Approved Net Proceeds: $175,544

2nd Loan Approved Net Proceeds: $10,500

Timeline:
March 18, 2010: Short sale package submitted
April 22, 2010: News received of latest price drop on property, to $244,000
April 28, 2010: List price dropped to $230,000
May 10, 2010: List price dropped to $225,000
May 27, 2010: Purchase offer received and submitted to lenders for approval
June 24, 2010: Seattle Short Sales worked with appraiser to bring BPO in line with offer
July 22, 2010: Bank of America countered offer at $201,000 plus costs, negotating underway with second lender
July 24, 2010: Buyer countered at $200,000
August 2, 2010: Awaiting B of A approval, but new negotiator assigned to case
August 4, 2010: Seattle Short Sales continued negotiation with B of A about counter offer and net proceeds
August 11, 2010: Seattle Short Sales continue negotiation with second lender Green Tree; counter offer accepted
August 24, 2010: Seattle Short Sales working to find a compromise between 1st lender’s offer and 2nd lender’s requirement
August 31, 2010: Second lender Green tree ordered “in-house” BPO
August 31, 2010: First lender approval received; problem-solving to work out where to source $8745 to cover first lender’s cash contribution plus second lender’s minimum requirement, asking for buyer contribution
September 14, 2010: Compromise cash situation attained, and second approval received.

Result:
The homeowner was able to rid herself of a mortgage on a home that had dropped in value by nearly one half, and avoid the risk of possible further losses.

To download a copy of the first lender’s short sale approval letter, click here: http://seattleshortsales.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=69134

To download a copy of the second lender’s short sale approval letter, click here: http://seattleshortsales.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=69581

If you are a homeowner, and would like to learn more about short selling your home, please go to: http://seattleshortsales.com/homeowners/

If you are a real estate agent, and would like to learn about our no-fee short sale service, please go to: http://seattleshortsales.com/agents/


 

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