Orlando Real Estate Voice, Short Sale Expert & Specialist

1. Absolutely DO NOT ever deed your property to a third party without absolute confirmation your loan has been paid off!

Note: if you believe this option is best for you, please consult with an attorney – not the buyer’s attorney – before completing the transaction.

If you deed your property to a third party, that party then controls the property. The new owner can rent the property (and keep the rent), attempt to sell the property to make a profit, move into the property or use the property in other ways.

What the new owner might not do is make mortgage payments, and that could become a big problem for you.

Just because you no longer own the property does not mean you are no longer responsible for the mortgage loan obligations. The lender made the loan to you. And until it is paid off you will be primarily responsible for the mortgage obligation.

If you give up control of the property and the new owner does not pay on the loan, the damage to your credit could be catastrophic.

2. Do Not sell your home at a huge discount.

Unless the actual foreclosure sale is less than 45 days away, you have time to explore options. Take a day or two and make a few phone calls. As a general rule, if someone is pushing you hard to get you to sell your property to them, it’s probably because the deal they are proposing is very favorable – to them.

If you have equity in your Orlando home, it belongs to you. Let’s see if we can get it to you.

For a Free, no obligation assessment, just call or send an email.  

3. Do Not authorize a prospective buyer to deal directly with your lender.

The buyer has one goal and one goal only, and that is to negotiate a low, probably very low, price with your lender. The buyer will ask your lender to accept a discounted payoff.

The negotiations could go on over an extended period of time, and if the transaction does not work out the buyer may elect not to buy your property. It could leave you with very little time to resolve the situation and avoid foreclosure. Further, you have no control over the information that goes to your lender or the accuracy thereof. It is entirely possible that the buyer could handle the negotiation and presentation of information in a way that makes it very difficult for you to resolve your loan situation later.

If, however, you believe that your best option is to allow the buyer to work directly with your lender, make certain you consult with a real estate professional and/or an attorney before signing a contract. If you are going to do a Short Sale in Orlando get representation from a real professional. It costs you nothing – the lender pays the fees. Someone should be looking out for you.

We can help, and it costs you nothing. We have fought for homeowners like you many times – and won. The lender wins also. They do not want to take your property through foreclosure. That’s why they will negotiate to get the deal done.

4. Do Not do nothing.

A surprising number of people just accept what they see as the inevitable, and let foreclosure run its course. Don’t let it happen – the damage to your credit will follow you for years.

Take a little time to explore potential options. You do not want a foreclosure on your credit record. It will hamper your ability to get a consumer loan or a car loan for at least a few years, and it will be very difficult to obtain another mortgage for a very long time.

Also, in some cases, doing nothing and letting the property go to foreclosure leaves you open to the lender coming back to you AFTER the foreclosure in an attempt to collect.  When a lender agrees to and completes a short sale, they release their rights to this option.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

If you have patience then buying a short sale is the way to go. If you can wait the 3-4 months that it takes to negotiate a short sale then your patience should pay off. A short sale is another word for pre-foreclosure. You are purchasing from a motivated seller and negotiating with a motivated lender. The seller want to sell to avoid foreclosure and the lender also wants to avoid foreclosing. Foreclosing on a property is very expensive to a lender, sometimes costing the lender up to $40,000 to foreclose on a property. The savings can depend upon many factors like condition of the property, location of the property, the motivation of the lender and seller. A buyer normally can purchase the property for approximately 10%-20% below market value.

So, if you have the patience and are looking for a great deal on an Orlando area property please give me a call.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

• Will I owe the bank money after the short sale is accepted?
• If you are able to negotiate a price and buy it for less then I owe, will the bank come after me for the difference?

When the lender or bank accepts a short sale on the property for less than what was owed, then a deficiency exists with the loan. The deficiency is the difference between what the homeowner owed and the amount the property sold for.

For example, Mr. Jones owes $300,000 on her home and the lender accepts a short sale for $200,000. There is a deficiency of $100,000 for which the lender can then sue the homeowner. The key phrase is “can sue.” That is the right of the lender. However, that is a practice that almost never happens but, it is a real concern for the homeowner. In most cases, the homeowner wants nothing else to do with the lender once the property is sold.

If the deficiency judgment is granted, it would appear on the homeowners’ credit report just as any other judgment would appear.

Will they be required to pay the difference? During the short sale process, we will negotiate with the lender to not seek a deficiency judgment against the homeowner.

Some lenders as a matter of policy, will not seek a judgment against the homeowner because they feel they have waived their right by accepting a short sale however, if you can get them to openly acknowledge they will not seek a judgment; the owner will be more than happy.

There is a second issue as it relates to the deficiency and that is the 1099.

The lender will issue a 1099 to the homeowner for the difference. In Mr. Jones case, the lender will issue him a 1099 for $100,000. This will have to be reported as income Mr. Jones had received and thus he will have to pay taxes on the $100,000 as though it was earned income.

Upon successfully closing a short sale, lenders will always report a loss to the IRS and issue a 1099. However, the Mortgage Forgiveness Act of 2007 was signed into law on 12-20-07 and is now official, effectively getting rid of the question “will I be taxed on the Short Sale”. Prior to this action, forgiven mortgage debt due to foreclosure, short sale, or deed in lieu of foreclosure, was potentially taxable income to the borrower. This was the subject of much media attention and led to many questions and concerns from Sellers wondering whether or not they were going to get “hit with taxes” on the Short Sale. The new law, however, temporarily waives these taxes for debts forgiven (as high as35%) from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2009.

This will effectively put an end to the question from Sellers… will I be taxed on the Short Sale discount. The definitive answer (at least until the end of 2009) is NO! For a copy of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, go to: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-3648 or http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071220-6.htmlThe bottom line here is that only Acquisition funding can be forgiven by the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.Foreclosure, Deed in Lieu and Short Sales are all treated the same in regards to taxes. Any cancellation of debt is a taxable event except for any acquisition funding for your primary residence that you’ve lived in for the last 2 years. Everything else is taxable. However, please see you tax advisor if you have a second home or investment property that you are considering a short sale on. You accountant may advise you that you may have a loss on this investment property that would offset any gain. Please seek advise from your tax advisor.

In my dealing with lenders, we have found that they generally will not seek a deficiency judgment because of the hardship. There are a couple of options that the homeowner has as it relates to the deficiency judgment. In Mr. Jone’s case, he could file bankruptcy to address the judgment. Mr. Jones could also short sale the deficiency with the lender at a later date. In other words, offer the lender a lesser amount as “payment in full.”

Here is an important note. The lender, if they issue a 1099 cannot then sue for a deficiency judgment. The lender can only pursue one or the other. In other words, Mary can’t receive both a deficiency judgment and 1099 from the lender.

It is obviously in the best interest of the homeowner to be proactive and deal with the short sale before it becomes a foreclosure. At least there is a chance that we can negotiate away the deficiency before it even becomes an issue.

About the author:

Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

Jerry LaRose, P.A., ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS, REALTOR® 407-580-7011

Below are my Orlando Short Sale FAQ’s

What is a Short Sale?

A short sale is when the lender will accept less than the full amount due on a mortgage

when a property is sold. Usually, the lender will accept the short sale to avoid the time

and expense of a foreclosure. Financially the lender is actually ahead after a short sale.

What is a Foreclosure?

In simple terms: The homeowner has not been making the mortgage payments, and it

is the action the financial institution can use to take the house back. The homeowner

borrowed money using the house as collateral with the agreement that if they could not

pay it back, then the lender could take the house.

What is involved to do a Short Sale?

In order to start negotiating the Short Sale the lender will usually require the

homeowner to submit verification that they are qualified in order to consider the short

sale. The information required and documentation necessary is provided as well as

training on the entire process.

Will the bank come after the homeowner for the difference?

I will always negotiate with lenders to “Not seek a deficiency judgment” against the

homeowner.

Is the seller going to get hit with a tax bill or a 1099 if you do a short sale?

Upon successfully closing a short sale, lenders will always report a loss to the IRS and

issue a 1099. However, the Mortgage Forgiveness Act of 2007 was signed into law on

12-20-07 and is now official, effectively getting rid of the question “will I be taxed on the

Short Sale”. Prior to this action, forgiven mortgage debt due to foreclosure, short sale,

or deed in lieu of foreclosure, was potentially taxable income to the borrower.

This was the subject of much media attention and led to many questions and concerns

from Sellers wondering whether or not they were going to get “hit with taxes” on the

Short Sale.

The new law, however, temporarily waives these taxes for debts forgiven (as high as

35%) from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2009.

This will effectively put an end to the question from Sellers… will I be taxed on the Short

Sale discount. The definitive answer (at least until the end of 2009) is NO!

For a copy of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, go to:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-3648 or

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071220-6.html

The bottom line here is that only Acquisition funding can be forgiven by the

Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.

Foreclosure, Deed in Lieu and Short Sales are all treated the same in regards to

taxes.

Any cancellation of debt is a taxable event except for any acquisition

funding for your primary residence that you’ve lived in for the last 2 years.

Everything else is taxable. However, please see you tax advisor if you have

a second home or investment property that you are considering a short sale

on. You accountant may advise you that you may have a loss on this

investment property that would offset any gain. Please seek advise from

your tax advisor.

Will the homeowners credit be affected?

If the homeowner has to short sale their home they’ve most likely missed payments

already. That in itself has already adversely affected their credit. The key here is to stop

the devastating affect on your credit that a Foreclosure causes. A Foreclosure is the

most damaging record on your credit report – its even worse than bankruptcy.

By working with Jerry LaRose you give yourself a fighting chance of avoiding foreclosure

and start towards the “Rebuilding” process. With our help, your credit will recover

quickly if you keep your other lines of credit in good standing. With Jerry LaRose you

have an experienced team of professionals that will help you through these tough times.

Is a Short Sale right for me and my situation?

Mortgage lenders are increasingly willing to work with borrowers faced with a financial

hardship to accept a discounted payoff on a mortgage. If you are faced with a hardship,

and are unable to meet your obligation on your mortgage, your lender would prefer to

settle the matter with you as opposed to taking the property through foreclosure.

As you consider the option of pursuing a short sale, remember your lender is looking to

limit any potential loss on your loan. By completing a short sale, your lender has arrived

at a solution that is, for them, much better than a costly foreclosure.

What sort of hardship would my lender consider legitimate?

To some extent, that will depend upon the mortgage company considering the short

sale request. Generally, as long as the hardship is real and the mortgage company

believes the loan is likely to become delinquent as a result, the short sale request will be

processed by the Loss Mitigation Department. A big key to getting Loss Mitigation to

accept a hardship is to submit a strong hardship letter. The hardship letter sets the tone

for the entire file.

Will the lender approve a Short Sale even if the homeowner is current on their mortgage?

Yes we have successfully negotiated and received an approval on a short sale even

when the homeowner was current on their payments.

Why would a mortgage company agree to accept a short sale?

There are actually several reasons why a mortgage company would approve a short sale

payoff, including the following:

• Legal Concerns: Mortgage lenders have come under legal pressure to work with

borrowers to equitably resolve situations where borrowers are unable to meet their

mortgage obligation, particularly when the borrower makes an effort to arrive at a

compromise solution.

• Wall Street is Watching Mortgage lenders rely heavily on their ability to package and

sell bundles of loans on the secondary mortgage market. They need to sell these

bundles of loans in order to put the funds back to work by loaning the money again and

collect loan fees along the way. If mortgages perform poorly after they are sold it could

impact the lender’s ability to sell their loans on the secondary market. A successful short

sale gets the loan payoff resolved quickly.

• Asset Management Expenses- If a lender acquires a property through foreclosure, the

property will be managed until it is repaired and resold. It is expensive to manage real

property assets – homes – spread throughout the region, the state and possibly even the

nation. Keeping properties maintained, keeping utilities on, making repairs and the

administrative costs attached to these activities are all costs the lender would prefer to

avoid. A successful short sale eliminates most of these costs.

• Reserve Requirement- Delinquent and non-performing loans place another burden on

mortgage lenders. For all delinquent and non-performing loans lenders must set aside

funds in reserve to deal with potential losses. These funds cannot be put to work

generating new loan fees until the bad loans are resolved. A successful short sale lets

the lender put their money back to work.

Can I still short sale my home even if I have 2 loans?

Yes, it doesn’t matter how much you owe. The lender will evaluate what the current

market value is and then decide how much they will accept.

Can I still do a short sale even if the property is in very bad condition?

Yes. Lenders are more motivated to do a short sale on a property that needs work than

on a property that doesn’t. Lenders know losses start to skyrocket when they foreclose

on a property that needs a lot of repair work. Lenders are in the business of lending

money not property management and home repairs.

If I am behind in my payments and can’t afford closing costs what can I do?

Lenders are understanding when it comes to this situation and will actually pay the

REALTORS® commission and your closing costs.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales

1. First and foremost I would always recommend anyone considering a short sale in the Orlando area to talk to your tax advisor first.

2. I posted in my FAQ’s on short sales the following:

Is the seller going to get hit with a tax bill or a 1099 if you do a short sale?

Upon successfully closing a short sale, lenders will always report a loss to the IRS and issue a 1099. However, the Mortgage Forgiveness Act of 2007 was signed into law on 12-20-07 and is now official, effectively getting rid of the question “will I be taxed on the Short Sale”. Prior to this action, forgiven mortgage debt due to foreclosure, short sale, or deed in lieu of foreclosure, was potentially taxable income to the borrower.

This was the subject of much media attention and led to many questions and concerns from Sellers wondering whether or not they were going to get “hit with taxes” on the Short Sale.
The new law, however, temporarily waives these taxes for debts forgiven (as high as 35%) from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2009.
This will effectively put an end to the question from Sellers… will I be taxed on the Short Sale discount. The definitive answer (at least until the end of 2009) is NO!

For a copy of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, go to:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-3648 or http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071220-6.html

However, I would like to amend that statement and say talk to your tax advisor or attorney, I recently met with an attorney and got a clarification on this law. It was his understanding that this rule only applies to homeowners that occupy the residence and this is and has been their principal residence for the last 2 out of 5 years. YES, your principle residence and you must have lived in for the last 2 years.

I also understand that if you took a Heloc loan or an equity loan and it was not used on and for the home you also may get taxed on this amount even if it’s your primary residence. In other word if you took out a Heloc loan for $50,000 and spent it on a boat. Sorry, you have to pay the tax consequence on this amount if the bank eliminates this debt.

The bottom line here is that only Acquisition funding can be forgiven by the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.

3. Foreclosure, Deed in Lieu and Short Sales are all treated the same in regards to taxes.

Summary: Any cancellation of debt is a taxable event except for any acquisition funding for your primary residence that you’ve lived in for the last 2 years. Everything else is taxable.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as ashort sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

1. Your credit score may fall 100 points or more.

2. You may be asked to sign a note or take a new loan for the amount of the short fall.

3. The lender may get a judgement against you for the amount of the short fall.

4. You may have to pay income taxes on the amount of the shortfall – it could be taxed as income to you.

5. Understand that you will have to prove that you cannot pay. Similar to how you qualified for the loan, but now you have to prove that you cannot afford this loan. What’s changed/

6. Understand that big discrepancies or a big gap between your income/assets used to obtain the loan may indicate mortgage fraud, unless employment or expense circumstances have drastically changed.

7.You will need to get in writing from the lender that they will approve your contract for a lower payoff.

8. Some lenders won’t talk to you until you’re behind in payments on your mortgage.

9. Make sure you and your realtor disclose everything to the buyers on the front end.

10. Contract must contain ad addendum stating that the sale is contingent upon approval by the seller’s lender of a reduced loan payoff.

11. Property should be sold “AS-IS” to make it as simple as possible for the lender.

12. The home should be listed for sale close to market value at first and the price reduced over several weeks, showing the lender that you tried to sell higher and no one bit on the higher price.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

 

Too many agents are afraid to take on short sales, as they should be. They’ve heard that these short sales in Orlando are too complicated, the lenders are uncooperative (and sometimes hostile), or the property gets foreclosed on before they find a buyer. Any of these can happen, but mostly to agents who are unaware of how to successfully negotiate and close a short sale.Let me tell you, if it was that easy, every agent in Florida would be rolling in cash by now.  Our Services include:

• Presenting a solution to the lender and negotiating favorable terms
• Allowing the borrower and her/his family to get a fresh start
• Expediting the process with a fast resolution.Our success rate is among the highest in Orlando. Many of our services are FREE OF CHARGE to the borrower and our consultation services are always FREE.  If you are considering doing a short sale on your property give me a call and we can discuss the in’s and out’s of doing a successful short sale. You need a Short Sale Specialist and now you’ve found one. Call me today for a Free Consultation at 407-580-7011********************************************************* 

 Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

Short Sales in Orlando Florida – What’s Needed?

When you go through the short sale process your lender will require certain documentation.  Remember, the lender does not want to take the home back through foreclosure. That is a last resort for both the homeowner and the lender.  The lender would rather accept a short sale as long as the borrower can show an inability to pay the mortgage.Each lender has their list of required documentation.  Therefore, the first step is to give your Realtor signed authorization to speak with the lender about your account. Your Realtor will then request a “short sale package” from the lender.  Most lenders require the following documentation.

• Exclusive right of Sale Listing Agreement
• A copy of the executed “AS-IS” Sale and Purchase contract
• Letter of Authorization to the bank to release Information.
• HUD-1, which is the estimated net sheet from a title company.  The settlement statement will show all of the expenses related to the sale with the seller receiving zero.
• Hardship letter.  A handwritten letter may be better to explain the borrower’s situation and requesting a short sale. It should describe why the borrower cannot make their mortgage payments and their fear of possible foreclosure.  It should be a plea for the lender to consider a short sale. Document to support Hardship (termination of employment, substantial medical bills, disability letter, etc.
• Personal Financial Statement form 1126, which includes current debt, payments and a household budget.
• Two years of tax returns and W-2′s.  Remember to provide signed copies of tax returns.
• Two most recent bank statements and retirement account statements.  Be sure to copy both side of double-sided statements.
• Two most recent pay stubs
• A current Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from a real estate broker or appraiser
• Buyers proof of Funds or Loan Approval letter
• Lastly note on the submission package that they need to order the BPO immediately and a negotiator needs to be assigned.

Make sure that when you submit the package it is COMPLETE. Some times it may be better to wait a day and ensure that it’s complete than to submit an incomplete package. Remember the Loss Mitigator is dealing with possibly hundreds of files at a time.Lastly Note: With a short sale your Realtor should negotiate for the lender to waive their right to file a deficiency judgment. **IMPORTANT***************** 

Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

 

BPO stands for Broker’s Price Opinion.  The term Broker’s Price Opinion (BPO) is a method that a Real Estate Broker (or an agent acting on behalf of their employing broker) uses to estimate the value of a Real Estate property/house.  The estimate of value is submitted in a BPO report (2-3 pages) that includes local Orlando Real Estate market information, neighborhood analysis, and (comps) properties that compare to the (subject) house that is being valued.  This method of estimating a value has similarities to a Certified Market Analysis CMA and a residential Real Estate appraisal.

Performing a BPO, in the BPO industry, means that a Real Estate Professional (agent, broker, or appraiser) is requested by a financial institution to submit an estimate of value for a property in a BPO report for a fee. A financial institution may order a BPO for the following situations:

• home equity lines of credit
• home equity loans
• requests to remove PMI – Private Mortgage Insurance
• REO/Foreclosures/Short Sale
• Any other reason that a bank/lender needs to make a financial decision on a property

BPO Process

1. A bank receives an application for a Home Equity Loan, Home Equity Line of Credit, request to remove PMI etc…  The loan officer must determine the value of the home.
2. The bank contacts a BPO Company for a BPO (they may order multiple BPOs for comparison) on the property in question.  A due date is established for the BPO (usually within a week).
3. The BPO Company maintains a list of Real Estate Professionals that perform BPOs.  The BPO Company contacts a Real Estate Professional on their list to perform the BPO.  The Real Estate Professional’s due date is a few days before the final BPO is due.
4. The Real Estate Professional contacts the homeowner to schedule an inspection of the home or property (if an interior inspection is required).
5. The Real Estate Professional physically inspects the home/property.
6. The Real Estate Professional gathers Real Estate market information and compiles the information to determine a valuation.
7. The Real Estate Professional submits the finished BPO to the BPO Company.
8. The BPO Company conducts a quality review of the BPO.
9. The BPO Company submits the final BPO to the Bank/Lender.
10. The BPO Company pays the Real Estate Professional.
11. The Bank/Lender pays the BPO Company.
12. The Bank/Lender makes a financial decision based on the opinion of value contained in the BPO.

1. The bank is going to what to see your entire financial picture.  This means you will need to provide copy of back taxes, paycheck stubs, bank statements, personal financial statement, etc.  They will want to know what all your assets are.
2. The bank may want you to sign a promissory note for the difference, now it will most probably be at a hugely reduced amount and may include monthly payments.
3. When the bank gives the final approval of the short sale, they may request that the escrow close in as little as 30 days, sometimes sooner.
4. As the seller, you can not receive any proceeds from the sale.  Period.
5. Your Real Estate agents, and Title company, may have to work for reduced fees.
6. The banks are incredibly overwhelmed with short sales and many times a decision can take upwards of 90 days; however, recently the approval process has been streamlined at many lenders.
7. Your property may be foreclosed on during the short sale process because the bank can not process the short sale in time; however, if you have a strong agent they should be able to get the foreclosure postponed give me a call to help postpone any foreclosure dates.
8. Do not expect to receive any information on a regular basis.  There may be weeks that go by with no news from the lender.  This is perfectly normal.
9. The bank will want to get a BPO (broker price opinion) and/or an appraisal of your house.
10. Be patient.  This is the best policy.  Try to avoid being stressed out over something that you can not control.  If you have a well trained agent, you are in good hands.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.