How to Put together a Short Sale Package
There are a lot of reasons why banks reject short sales, but one of the primary reasons is due to an incomplete or unsatisfactory short sale package. The short sale package is a bundle of documents required by each lender that states and substantiates the homeowner’s reasons for requesting the short sale. Though there are certain documents that are nearly always included in a short sale package, each bank has their own specific requirements for what forms and documentation need to be included in the short sale package, and how that information needs to be presented.
Perhaps even more importantly, each bank has their own set of internal policies that guide the way in which they evaluate and approve or reject each short sale package. Your short sale package can be a crucial factor in determining whether or not your short sale is successful, which is why we highly recommend that homeowners enlist the services of a short sale specialist to put together their short sale package and handle their short sale listing. Often, selecting the right short sale Realtor can be the difference between a short sale package that results in a successful sale or one that gets rejected – leaving the homeowner back where they started, or perhaps even worse off.
Short Sale Package Checklist
Given the importance of the short sale package, it is absolutely vital that the short sale package be properly assembled. If you have selected an experienced short sale Realtor, this shouldn’t be a concern, as he/she will assist you in the preparation of the short sale package. However, it is still important that you as the homeowner have an understanding of what is required in a short sale package. While the specific requirements of each short sale package will differ from lender to lender, here is the basic documentation that is usually included in a short sale package:
Letter of authorization
The letter of authorization is a simple document authorizing the lender to work with your short sale Realtor. Without your authorization, your lender is not legally authorized to work with your realtor and disclose confidential personal and financial information. The letter of authorization allows your short sale specialist to operate on your behalf throughout the short sale process. It should give permission to the lender to work with your Realtor and should also include:
- The date
- Your name
- Your short sale realtor’s name and address
- The reference number of your loan
Short Sale Hardship Letter
A hardship letter indicates to the lender why the homeowner is unable to meet their debt obligations, and why they are requesting a short sale. Your hardship letter is an extremely important part of the short sale package. Without demonstrating an appropriate hardship that affected your ability to meet your mortgage obligations, the bank will not approve your short sale. Examples of hardships suitable for inclusion in a short sale hardship letter include a death in the family, divorce, medical emergencies, major illnesses, unemployment, significantly reduced income. Generally, lenders are more likely to accept explanations of hardship from homeowners rather than real estate speculators or investors.
Financial Documentation
Another critical aspect of the short sale package is to assemble financial documentation substantiating the fact that the homeowner has insufficient assets and income to meet their debt obligations. This includes a preliminary net sheet, tax returns, W-2s, payroll stubs, and recent bank statements. These documents should indicate that you don’t have sufficient income or assets to meet your present and future debt obligations to the lender. If these documents in fact show that you have significant assets or income, the lender might reject the short sale on this basis. These documents may also come into play in determining whether or not the lender will pursue the homeowner for the deficiency – the remaining debt obligation of the homeowner after the short sale.
Comparative Market Analysis
Banks will conduct a BPO – Broker Price Opinion – on your home in order to assess its market value. This is important, as the lender will likely reject a short sale offer that is significantly less than the market value of the home. As part of the short sale package, the realtor should include their own market value assessment – a comparative market analysis. This is included to support the buyer’s offer, showing that the buyer’s offer is in line with the market value of similar properties, and that the bank should approve the short sale.
Selecting Your Short Sale Specialist
While the checklist above covers the basics of a shorts sale package, there is significantly more nuance to a successful short sale than can be documented in one article, or even on a whole website. For this reason, it’s extremely important to hire an experienced short sale Realtor who is familiar with the short sale requirements and policies of your particular lender, as well as the many pitfalls that can derail a short sale. They should not only be familiar with the lender’s requirements for the short sale package, but they should also have the experience and expertise to know what your lender needs to see in order to approve your short sale. In order to gauge a potential Realtor’s competence, here are a couple questions you should ask any potential listing agent:
- How many short sale transactions have you successfully closed as the listing agent?
- How much experience do you have working with my lender?

Asking these questions allows you to ensure that your listing agent is experienced in short sales and has successfully closed short sales for other homeowners, and also that your short sale Realtor will be able to smoothly guide you through your short sale with your lender. Do keep in mind that if your loan is not with one of the major lenders, it is not strictly necessary that your realtor has previously worked with your lender, provided he/she has a wealth of short sale experience. However, if you do have a loan with a major lender, an experienced short sale specialist will likely have worked with them on many previous occasions. Preparing a short sale package is crucial to the success of your short sale, but even more critical is selecting the right person to put it all together. With that said, I encourage you to contact one of our Short Sale Specialist Realtors right away, so that we can help get you through a successful short sale and on with your life!
www.Short-Sale-Specialists.com
877-737-4903
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Copyright First Coast Realty Associates 2011-Sharon Molnar